Compare Texas cities using the job market for your occupation, housing costs that fit your budget, and the route between a likely home and a specific workplace. The available citywide figures show tradeoffs—not a universal winner: in U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 estimates, Austin has the highest captured median gross rent and owner-occupied home value, while San Antonio has the lowest values among the cities reported. Mean travel time to work ranges from 23.7 minutes in Austin to 27.2 minutes in Houston, but those are resident averages, not predictions for your commute.
Start by defining what “jobs” means for you
A city’s employment share does not tell you whether it has openings for your occupation, whether those jobs pay enough, or whether the roles suit your experience. Before comparing places, write down your field, experience level, acceptable salary range, and whether you need remote, hybrid, or in-person work.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Texas Road and Recreation Atlas - 3rd Edition, 2025 | $34.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer Texas | $27.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Rand McNally Easy to Read: Texas State Map | $11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Rand McNally Easy to Fold: Texas State Laminated Map | $10.24 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Rand McNally 2027 Easy to Read Midsize Road Atlas | $18.63 | Buy on Amazon |
For a job-market comparison, use occupation-specific wage estimates and employment or industry data for the same set of metropolitan areas. Be precise about the measure: job openings, employment levels, job growth, and pay answer different questions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides regional labor-market material; check the date and geography of the specific release or table before comparing metros. BLS Texas regional labor-market information
Keep the geography consistent. “Austin” might mean the city or its metro area; “Dallas” might mean Dallas city or the larger Dallas–Fort Worth metro. Labor-market data is commonly reported for metropolitan areas, while the housing and commute figures below are city-level Census QuickFacts estimates. A city figure should not be treated as a metro figure.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
- Benchmark Maps Texas Road and Recreation Atlas - 3rd Edition, 2025.
- ABISBOOK.
- Benchmark Maps.
Compare housing costs on the same basis
For renters, compare median gross rent. For buyers, compare home values as a starting point, then estimate the actual monthly cost of ownership. The figures below are U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 estimates reported by QuickFacts. They describe occupied housing, not current asking rents or active home listings. Dollar figures are nominal values as presented by QuickFacts.
| City | Median gross rent | Median value of owner-occupied housing | Mean travel time to work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $1,729 | $555,300 | 23.7 minutes |
| Dallas | $1,472 | $320,700 | 25.7 minutes |
| Houston | $1,361 | $277,800 | 27.2 minutes |
| San Antonio | $1,324 | $235,700 | 24.5 minutes |
| Fort Worth | $1,509 | not stated (value not captured in the reviewed QuickFacts result) | 27.1 minutes |
Source for all stated city figures: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 QuickFacts. The home-value estimates were captured for four cities, so this set does not support a five-city home-value ranking. See the Census ACS data profiles and geographic comparison tables and the relevant city QuickFacts page for the measure and geography.
Rank #2
Among the reported values, San Antonio has the lowest median gross rent at $1,324 and Austin the highest at $1,729. For owner-occupied home value, San Antonio is lowest among the four captured cities at $235,700, and Austin highest at $555,300. Those rankings are useful for narrowing a shortlist, not for deciding what a particular household will pay.
To make the comparison useful to your budget, add costs the city median does not include for your situation: property taxes, homeowners or renters insurance, utilities, down payment, and household size. For buyers, compare estimated monthly payments at plausible purchase prices rather than relying on a home-value median alone. For renters, compare current listings in neighborhoods you would actually consider.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Read commute averages as context, not a forecast
The mean travel time to work figures in the table are ACS 2020–2024 estimates for workers age 16 and over who live in each city. They span 23.7 minutes in Austin to 27.2 minutes in Houston. The measure describes residents’ average travel time; it does not tell you how long a specific trip will take, predict traffic, or compare every neighborhood and workplace.
After identifying likely employers and neighborhoods, check the actual route at the times you would travel. Include transit options and service availability if relevant, and account for your work schedule. A citywide average cannot substitute for a home-to-work route estimate.
Rank #4
Use employment-share and income figures carefully
Two other city indicators can add context, provided they are not mistaken for current job-market measures:
- Employment status: Houston Planning and Development Department’s presentation of ACS 2018–2022 estimates reports the employed share of the population age 16 and over as Austin 71.5%, Dallas 65.2%, Fort Worth 64.6%, Houston 62.5%, and San Antonio 61.0%. This is an older, city-level employment-status statistic—not a job-opening count or a current unemployment rate—so do not use it to rank today’s opportunities for a particular occupation.
- Median household income: ACS 2020–2024 QuickFacts reports $93,658 for Austin, $70,518 for Dallas, $64,813 for Houston, and $65,056 for San Antonio, in 2024 dollars. A Fort Worth value was not captured in the reviewed results. Household income is not an occupation-specific wage, and it does not establish what a new resident can expect to earn.
Because these measures come from different periods and describe different things, do not combine them into one score or treat them as directly comparable job-market rankings.
Recommended Free Tools
Best Value
Build a shortlist around your household’s priorities
There is no single best Texas city in these figures alone. A lower citywide rent may matter less if the local roles do not fit your field; a higher wage may not offset a longer or more expensive commute. Choose how much weight to give each factor based on your circumstances.
- Set the job filter: identify occupation, experience, salary needs, and work arrangement. Compare the same occupation and metro geography using dated employment and wage data.
- Set a housing budget: use rent figures for renter screening or home values for an initial buyer comparison, then estimate costs for actual neighborhoods and listings.
- Test realistic commute pairs: choose likely home and work locations and check the route for your travel times, including transit where applicable.
- Rank the tradeoffs: weight job prospects and pay, housing budget, commute, and household constraints. Keep the figures’ geography and time period alongside the comparison.
The Census Bureau’s ACS data profiles are a starting point for comparable demographic and housing indicators. For occupation-specific labor-market comparisons, use the relevant BLS regional or metro release and label its publication date and geography.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
