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Highland Park, TX

High Pressure

Highland Park, TX is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States — roughly 4.0x the national average (Cost Index: 403). The housing market drives nearly all of that premium: the typical home here is valued at $2,847,254, far above the $303,400 US median. Local household income is $250,001, which should be read as place context rather than a personal salary target.

Highland Park already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 11% rent burden, 11.4x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 938. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Highland Park.

Monthly Housing
$2,216/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
11%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$18,117/mo
After housing and debt · $6,039/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 13%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
403
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$2,847,254
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $1,887,300
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$2,216/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
> $250,000
Census top-coded
National: $78,538
Population
8,774
Purchasing Power
79
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
938 / 100
~9.4x more expensive
Rent Index
164 / 100
64% above average
Goods & Groceries
103 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
91 / 100
Typical utility costs
Healthcare & Services
100 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
403
Very Expensive · ~4.0x the US average

Highland Park Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $2,847,254 and Texas's property tax rate of 1.6%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
> $250,000
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
11%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
11.4x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Highland Park looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Highland Park, TX

Est. Annual Property Tax
$45,556
Monthly Impact
$3,796
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
1.60%
National avg: ~1.00%

Texas Place Tax Context

Tax TypeTexasNational Avg
Property Tax Rate1.60%1.00%
Top Income Tax RateNo State Income Tax~5.0%
State Sales Tax8.19%~5.0%

Compare Highland Park to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Highland Park, TX
403
164
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Highland Park, TX: 938
Rent Prices
164

FAQ: Living in Highland Park

Is Highland Park, TX an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Highland Park is about 303% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 403. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $2,847,254, and monthly rents average roughly $2,216. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Highland Park fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $2,216, while local median household income is $250,001. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 11% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Highland Park, TX?+

Texas is one of the few states with no state income tax, which can save residents thousands of dollars per year. The effective property tax rate is 1.6%. On a home worth $2,847,254, that translates to roughly $45,556 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.19% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Highland Park, TX?+

The typical monthly rent in Highland Park is around $2,216. That's about 64% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $2,847,254, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Highland Park, TX?+

The median home in Highland Park is valued at $2,847,254. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $14,397/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 88% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Highland Park?+

Grocery prices in Highland Park are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 103, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 91). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Highland Park, TX like to live in?+

Highland Park is a small town with a population of about 8,774. The median age of residents is 45.6, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 6.28%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Texas

If Highland Park feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Texas

Use these city pages when you want to compare Highland Park against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly