CostIndexUSA

Houston, TX vs Prescott, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Houston
98.6
overall index
$1,600/mo rent
AZ
Prescott
98.3
overall index
$1,475/mo rent

Houston and Prescott have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing5.5%
Houston
104.5
Prescott
98.8
🛒 Groceries4.4%
Houston
100.6
Prescott
96.2
🚗 Transportation+4.4%
Houston
100.4
Prescott
104.8
🏥 Healthcare+4.4%
Houston
90.8
Prescott
94.8
Utilities4.0%
Houston
95.3
Prescott
91.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Houston to see what you'd need to earn in Prescott to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Prescott, AZ
$79,800
$200 less needed in Prescott

Formula: salary × (98.3 ÷ 98.6) = salary × 0.9970. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Houston, TX

Median Home Price
$302,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,600
Housing Index
104.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.7×

Prescott, AZ

Median Home Price
$405,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,475
Housing Index
98.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.9×

Houston has 5.5% lower housing costs compared to Prescott.

Income & Job Market

Houston, TX

Median Household Income
$79,500
Per Capita Income
$45,300
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
Population
2,304,580
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareAerospaceManufacturingLogistics

Prescott, AZ

Median Household Income
$67,200
Per Capita Income
$38,300
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
45,827
Top Industries
HealthcareTourismRetailGovernmentReal Estate

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Houston, TX
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Prescott, AZ
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.