Residential comparison · 13 facts
Houston, TX vs Los Angeles, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Houston needs about $110,000 in Los Angeles to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Los Angeles, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $61,500 in Houston.
A few differences
- Los Angeles is lower on property tax rate (0.75% vs 2%).
- Houston is lower on sales tax (8.25% vs 9.5%).
- Houston is lower on groceries index (96 vs 110).
Houston vs Los Angeles · facet by facet
| Facet | Houston, TX | Los Angeles, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $340,000 | $950,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,650/mo | $3,100/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.25% | 9.5% |
| Cost of living index | 94 | 149 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 110 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $205/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 58/100 | 48/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 204 days | 284 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Houston, TX · Los Angeles, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Houston cheaper than Los Angeles?
- Houston has the lower day-to-day cost index (94 vs 149 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Los Angeles equals $85,000 in Houston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Houston needs about $110,000 in Los Angeles to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Los Angeles lifestyle costs about $61,500 in Houston.