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The Cheapest Texas Counties to Retire (2026)
Ranked by cost of living · Property tax & home prices shown · Data last verified 2026-06-10
Rank all 30 counties for YOUR budget — free 2-minute tool →"Cheapest" means a few different things, so this page shows all of them. The table ranks the 30 major Texas counties by overall cost of living (the BEA index, where 100 is the U.S. average), and puts average property tax and median home price right next to it so you can see the whole affordability picture instead of one number. Texas has no state income tax, so property tax and housing are where the real differences between counties show up.
All 30 counties, cheapest first
| # | County | Major city | Cost of living | Avg property tax | Median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Webb County | Laredo | 83 | $3,131 | $155,000 |
| 2 | Cameron County | Brownsville | 85 | $2,295 | $102,000 |
| 3 | Hidalgo County | McAllen | 87 | $2,507 | $115,000 |
| 4 | Tom Green County | San Angelo | 87 | $2,930 | $155,000 |
| 5 | Jefferson County | Beaumont | 91 | $2,808 | $135,000 |
| 6 | Lubbock County | Lubbock | 91 | $3,058 | $168,000 |
| 7 | Bell County | Killeen | 91 | $3,276 | $195,000 |
| 8 | El Paso County | El Paso | 91 | $3,282 | $153,000 |
| 9 | Ector County | Odessa | 91 | $3,564 | $180,000 |
| 10 | Potter County | Amarillo | 92 | $2,633 | $135,000 |
| 11 | Smith County | Tyler | 92 | $3,382 | $190,000 |
| 12 | Randall County | Canyon | 92 | $3,406 | $198,000 |
| 13 | McLennan County | Waco | 93 | $3,020 | $165,000 |
| 14 | Brazos County | College Station | 93 | $3,750 | $218,000 |
| 15 | Bexar County | San Antonio | 95 | $4,171 | $222,300 |
| 16 | Comal County | New Braunfels | 95 | $5,828 | $315,000 |
| 17 | Nueces County | Corpus Christi | 97 | $3,267 | $165,000 |
| 18 | Midland County | Midland | 97 | $4,288 | $245,000 |
| 19 | Brazoria County | Pearland | 99 | $3,969 | $210,000 |
| 20 | Galveston County | Galveston | 99 | $4,395 | $235,000 |
| 21 | Harris County | Houston | 99 | $5,053 | $235,000 |
| 22 | Montgomery County | Conroe | 99 | $5,664 | $295,000 |
| 23 | Hays County | San Marcos | 99 | $6,208 | $325,000 |
| 24 | Travis County | Austin | 99 | $6,783 | $347,700 |
| 25 | Fort Bend County | Sugar Land | 99 | $6,787 | $329,600 |
| 26 | Williamson County | Round Rock | 99 | $7,238 | $385,000 |
| 27 | Dallas County | Dallas | 104 | $4,778 | $245,000 |
| 28 | Tarrant County | Fort Worth | 104 | $5,187 | $285,000 |
| 29 | Denton County | Denton | 104 | $5,984 | $340,000 |
| 30 | Collin County | Plano | 104 | $6,925 | $496,962 |
Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (US avg = 100). Property tax: county assessors & Texas Comptroller. Home values: U.S. Census ACS.
What a "cheap" ranking leaves out
A low cost of living is only half the story for a retiree. Some of the most affordable counties here also carry the state's harshest summers or the thinnest healthcare, and a bargain home does you little good two hours from a good hospital. If you are 65 or older, the picture shifts again — the over-65 property-tax breaks can knock a big chunk off the tax column above. The honest way to choose is to weigh cost against healthcare and climate together, weighted by what you actually care about, which is exactly what the free comparison does.
Weigh cost against healthcare & climate — run the free comparison →Common Questions
What is the cheapest place to retire in Texas?
By overall cost of living, Webb County (Laredo) is the most affordable of the 30 major counties, at an index of 83 where 100 is the U.S. average. But "cheapest" depends on what you mean: Cameron County has the lowest average property tax at about $2,295 a year, and Cameron County has the lowest median home price at $102,000.
Which Texas county has the lowest property taxes?
Of the major counties, Cameron County has the lowest average property tax bill, around $2,295 a year. Texas charges no state income tax, and homeowners 65 and older can cut the bill further with the over-65 exemption and the school-tax freeze.
Are the cheaper Texas counties worse places to retire?
Not always, but cheap usually costs you something else. Several of the lowest-cost counties also have the most brutal summer heat or the fewest hospitals, so it is worth weighing affordability against healthcare and climate together rather than chasing the lowest number.
See all 30 county profiles → · Texas senior property-tax guide →