Houston, TX

Salary intelligence, cost of living, and affordability data

All 659 jobs →

Avg Salary

$64,770

across all roles

Cost Index

Below Average

Avg Rent

$1,350/mo

1-bed apartment

Affordability

6/10

Moderate Affordability

How affordable is Houston?

6/10

Moderate Affordability

Purchasing power score: 1.63× (take-home ÷ living costs)

With a cost of living index of 90 (US avg = 100) and average disposable income of $1,525/mo, Houston is a mid-tier cost market with reasonable affordability across most income levels.

Cost of Living Benchmarks

Cost Index

US avg = 100

Est. Monthly Rent

$1,350

1-bed, city avg

Avg Disposable

$1,525

after taxes + living costs

Median Salary

$55,360

across all tracked roles

Purchasing Power

1.63×

take-home ÷ costs

Jobs Tracked

659

job titles with data

Highest-Paying Jobs in Houston

By gross annual salary

1.Nurse Anesthetists
$235,490
2.Dentists
$220,420
3.Podiatrists
$213,840
4.Physicists
$212,050
5.Anesthesiologists
$202,830
6.Pediatricians
$187,590
7.Architectural And Engineering Managers
$172,810
8.Geoscientists
$168,280
9.Law Teachers
$167,680
10.Computer And Information Systems Managers
$167,630

Best Jobs for Disposable Income

After taxes and living costs

1.Nurse Anesthetists
$11,911/mo
2.Dentists
$10,994/mo
3.Podiatrists
$10,594/mo
4.Physicists
$10,485/mo
5.Anesthesiologists
$9,924/mo
6.Pediatricians
$8,997/mo
7.Architectural And Engineering Managers
$8,098/mo
8.Geoscientists
$7,822/mo
9.Law Teachers
$7,786/mo
10.Computer And Information Systems Managers
$7,783/mo

Jobs With Tightest Budgets in Houston

These roles leave the least disposable income after living costs — worth knowing before accepting an offer.

Cabinetmakers And Bench Carpenters

$11/mo left

$39,880/yr gross

Grinding

$13/mo left

$39,910/yr gross

Psychiatric Technicians

$14/mo left

$39,930/yr gross

Grinding And Polishing Workers

$34/mo left

$40,260/yr gross

Occupational Therapy Aides

$49/mo left

$40,510/yr gross

Explore Houston Further

All Salaries

659 job titles →

Browse by Job

Find a role in any city →

City Rankings

Best cities for pay →

All data derived from BLS OEWS metro data and regional cost-of-living indices. Figures are estimates; verify with local sources before making decisions.