Yahoo Finance How Much Apartment Can You Afford in Texas vs. California?
Though they do have certain things in common, such as mild winters in most regions and diverse economies, Texas and California are wildly dissimilar. The starkest difference between the two is their respective politics. California is as blue as it gets, while Texas is firmly Republican. And then, of course, there’s the discrepancy between costs of living. Texas is a radically cheaper place to live — so much so that droves of Californians are relocating to the Lone Star State.
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The cost of living in Texas is 7% lower than the national average, according to RentCafe, and the cost of housing is 17% lower. It’s quite a different story in California, where, according to RentCafe, the cost of living is 38% higher than the national average and the cost of housing is 97% higher. Obviously, you can get a bigger, probably nicer place to rent in Texas than you could in most of California for the same price if not less, but let’s get specific.
GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California and Texas to find the average rent for overall apartments, the average rent for one-bedroom apartments and the average rent for two-bedroom apartments — all sourced from ApartmentList.com.
Here’s a look at how much apartment you can afford in Texas and California cities with a livability index of 75 and up (as sourced from AreaVibes). Cities are listed in order from lowest to highest livability.
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Forney, Texas
Population: 25,269
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,662
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,445
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,887
Farmers Branch, Texas
Population: 35,985
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,767
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,642
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,952
West Hollywood, California
Population: 35,358
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,115
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,961
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,547
Rocklin, California
Population: 71,676
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,433
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,895
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,419
Abilene, Texas
Population: 126,356
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,085
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $845
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,083
Santa Monica, California
Population: 92,168
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,472
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,340
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,805
Chula Vista, California
Population: 276,103
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,367
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,739
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,275
San Francisco
Population: 851,036
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,673
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,698
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,198
San Diego
Population: 1,383,987
Livability index: 75
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,309
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,968
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,466
Waxahachie, Texas
Population: 41,801
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,557
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,478
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,451
Hurst, Texas
Population: 40,053
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,353
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,227
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,428
Temple, Texas
Population: 83,473
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,028
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $840
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,005
Newport Beach, California
Population: 85,159
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,210
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,677
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,324
League City, Texas
Population: 113,469
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,661
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,360
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,720
Burbank, California
Population: 106,389
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,108
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,803
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,428
Hayward, California
Population: 160,602
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,503
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,251
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,532
Santa Rosa, California
Population: 178,221
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,895
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,457
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,962
Irvine, California
Population: 304,527
Livability index: 76
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,959
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,511
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,079
Emeryville, California
Population: 12,840
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,937
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,846
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,436
San Bruno, California
Population: 43,218
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,867
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,447
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,968
Galveston, Texas
Population: 53,265
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,311
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,145
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,395
La Mesa, California
Population: 60,888
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,091
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,853
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,221
Allen, Texas
Population: 105,444
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,777
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,422
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,806
Carlsbad, California
Population: 114,745
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,274
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,894
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,244
Carrollton, Texas
Population: 132,284
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,581
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,327
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,664
Roseville, California
Population: 148,879
Livability index: 77
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,095
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,709
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,132
Boerne, Texas
Population: 18,475
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,501
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,249
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,473
Aliso Viejo, California
Population: 51,896
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,925
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,557
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,019
Camarillo, California
Population: 70,622
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,591
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,108
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,537
San Marcos, Texas
Population: 67,143
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,204
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,091
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,245
Berkeley, California
Population: 121,385
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,941
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,790
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,160
Midland, Texas
Population: 132,490
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,676
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,421
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,762
Frisco, Texas
Population: 202,075
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,861
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,489
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,944
Irving, Texas
Population: 254,962
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,444
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,270
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,563
Arlington, Texas
Population: 393,469
Livability index: 78
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,347
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,164
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,372
Coppell, Texas
Population: 42,513
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,795
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,387
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,852
Bedford, Texas
Population: 49,455
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,361
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,191
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,538
Vacaville, California
Population: 101,631
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,428
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,884
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,313
Santa Clara, California
Population: 128,058
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,014
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,740
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,140
Grand Prairie, Texas
Population: 197,279
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,431
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,213
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,459
San Jose, California
Population: 1,001,176
Livability index: 79
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,792
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,429
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,882
Round Rock, Texas
Population: 120,465
Livability index: 80
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,469
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,193
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,443
Corpus Christi, Texas
Population: 317,804
Livability index: 80
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,249
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,036
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,267
Fort Worth, Texas
Population: 924,663
Livability index: 80
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,381
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,179
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,361
San Antonio
Population: 1,445,662
Livability index: 80
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,209
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,033
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,272
Leander, Texas
Population: 62,491
Livability index: 81
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,640
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,207
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,276
San Mateo, California
Population: 104,165
Livability index: 81
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,178
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,815
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,526
Pearland, Texas
Population: 124,478
Livability index: 81
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,572
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,357
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,620
El Paso, Texas
Population: 677,181
Livability index: 81
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,134
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $903
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,081
Dallas
Population: 1,300,642
Livability index: 81
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,354
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,237
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,464
Pflugerville, Texas
Population: 64,528
Livability index: 82
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,628
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,352
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,562
College Station, Texas
Population: 120,451
Livability index: 82
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,200
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,045
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,106
Sunnyvale, California
Population: 154,573
Livability index: 82
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,048
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,758
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,236
Grapevine, Texas
Population: 50,763
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,858
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,601
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,949
Cedar Park, Texas
Population: 76,344
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,575
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,257
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,615
Georgetown, Texas
Population: 71,788
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,489
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,226
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,508
New Braunfels, Texas
Population: 92,993
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,398
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,284
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,389
Fremont, California
Population: 228,795
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,716
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,257
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,735
Plano, Texas
Population: 284,948
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,731
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,432
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,812
Austin, Texas
Population: 958,202
Livability index: 83
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,470
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,302
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,585
Milpitas, California
Population: 79,092
Livability index: 84
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,952
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,661
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,949
Pleasanton, California
Population: 78,691
Livability index: 84
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,733
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,146
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,767
Richardson, Texas
Population: 118,063
Livability index: 84
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,696
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,418
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,812
Dublin, California
Population: 71,068
Livability index: 85
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,130
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,681
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,104
Redwood City, California
Population: 83,077
Livability index: 85
Average rent for an apartment overall: $3,035
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,693
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,411
Daly City, California
Population: 103,648
Livability index: 85
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,847
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,535
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,121
Denton, Texas
Population: 142,262
Livability index: 85
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,340
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,113
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,390
Livermore, California
Population: 87,154
Livability index: 86
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,573
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,937
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,519
Mountain View, California
Population: 82,132
Livability index: 86
Average rent for an apartment overall: $2,944
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $2,699
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,282
The Woodlands, Texas
Population: 118,402
Livability index: 91
Average rent for an apartment overall: $1,737
Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,272
Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $1,694
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California and Texas to find the average price for apartments by bedroom size; overall, one-bedroom and two-bedroom. First, GOBankingRates found the total population, total households, median household income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the average rent for overall apartments, average rent for one-bedroom apartments, and average rent for two-bedroom apartments all sourced from ApartmentList.com, the livability index as sourced from AreaVibes, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and the average expenditure costs for all residents as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all residents. Using the cost of living indexes and the average expenditure costs, the average expenditure costs for each city can be calculated. The average rent by bedroom sizes can be added to the expenditure cost to find the average total cost of living for different bedroom sizes. The cities were sorted by total population to show costs of living in different cities at different sizes to find the apartments you can afford in Texas and California. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 28, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Apartment Can You Afford in Texas vs. California?
