Not taxed — has no state income tax, so Social Security is untaxed along with everything else
Effective property tax rate
1.69%
metro-area
#165 of 200
Median property tax paid
$1,848
metro-area
#55 of 200
Health & childcare
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Life expectancy at birth
76.3 years
metro-area
#108 of 200
Healthcare (annual, single adult)
$6,800
state
#93 of 200
Uninsured (share of residents)
25.2%
metro-area
#196 of 200
Primary care providers per 100k
49
metro-area
#186 of 200
Childcare (annual, infant, center)
$9,500
state
#37 of 200
Vehicles & commute
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Annual registration
$75
state
#46 of 200
Vehicle property tax (annual)
None
state
#1 of 200
Emissions testing
Required
Emissions detail
Required in major metro counties (Travis, Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, etc.)
DMV & license offices
4
Avg commute to work
20 min
metro-area
#12 of 200
Commute by driving alone
77.7%
metro-area
#140 of 200
Solo drivers commuting 30+ min
22.6%
metro-area
#25 of 200
Utilities & fuel
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Electricity
17.0¢/kWh
state
#90 of 200
Avg monthly electric bill
$153
state
#90 of 200
Gasoline
$3.00/gal
state
#24 of 200
Natural gas (avg monthly bill)
$52
state
#23 of 200
Water & sewer (avg monthly bill)
$134
state
#142 of 200
Home internet (avg monthly bill)
$83
state
#135 of 200
Insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Home insurance (annual)
$3,600
state
#164 of 200
Auto insurance (annual)
$2,100
state
#126 of 200
Disaster risk & supplemental insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Main natural hazards
Notable hazards: hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, wildfire — separate flood/quake/windstorm policies may be needed.
FEMA National Risk Index (0–100, higher = more risk)
97.3 — Relatively High
metro-area
#170 of 200
Flood insurance (annual, NFIP)
$900
state
#152 of 200
Earthquake insurance (annual)
$100
state
#1 of 200
Climate & air quality
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Air quality (median AQI, lower=cleaner)
61
metro-area
#188 of 200
Cooling degree-days (AC load)
3,000
metro-area
#162 of 200
Homes with air conditioning (state)
95%
state
#27 of 200
Heating degree-days (heat load)
1,800
metro-area
#27 of 200
Days per year ≥ 90°F
123
metro-area
#194 of 200
Days per year ≥ 100°F
1
metro-area
#105 of 200
Avg summer high (state)
96°F
metro-area
#181 of 200
Avg winter low
38°F
metro-area
#46 of 200
Annual precipitation
32.4"
metro-area
#50 of 200
Annual snowfall
0.0"
metro-area
#1 of 200
Sunshine (% of possible)
65%
metro-area
#52 of 200
Plant hardiness zone
8b
Frost window
02-25 → 12-01
Safety
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Violent crime (per 100k, state avg)
430
state
#111 of 200
Property crime (per 100k, state avg)
2,400
state
#131 of 200
Local amenities & recreation
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Grocery stores
120
metro-area
#5 of 200
Parks
60
Hiking areas
15
Golf courses
15
Shooting ranges
4
Lakes
4
Permits
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Building permit difficulty (1–5)
2
state
#1 of 200
Permit detail
Generally easy; rural areas minimal, major cities moderate
US rank = this metro's position among all 200 metros (1 = best: cheapest / safest / highest income, etc.). Childcare is a family cost, not included in the salary-equivalence total.