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City Housing Verdict

Southlake, TX

High Pressure

Southlake, TX is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States — roughly 2.4x the national average (Cost Index: 237). The housing market drives nearly all of that premium: the typical home here is valued at $1,274,599, 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.

Southlake already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 17% rent burden, 5.1x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 420. 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 Southlake.

Monthly Housing
$3,617/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
17%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$16,716/mo
After housing and debt · $5,572/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: HighHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ZILLOWBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 20%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
237
Very Expensive+
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$1,274,599
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $957,500
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$3,617/mo
Zillow ZORI Market Rate • Census ACS: > $3,500/mo
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
> $250,000
Census top-coded
National: $78,538
Population
31,044
Purchasing Power
134
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
420 / 100
~4.2x more expensive
Rent Index
268 / 100
~2.7x more expensive
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
237
Very Expensive+ · ~2.4x the US average

Southlake Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $1,274,599 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
17%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
5.1x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Southlake 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 Southlake, TX

Est. Annual Property Tax
$20,394
Monthly Impact
$1,700
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 Southlake 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.

Southlake, TX
237
268
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Southlake, TX: 420
Rent Prices
268

FAQ: Living in Southlake

Is Southlake, TX an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Southlake is about 137% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 237. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $1,274,599, and monthly rents average roughly $3,617. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Southlake fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $3,617, while local median household income is $250,001. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 17% 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 Southlake, 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 $1,274,599, that translates to roughly $20,394 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.19% on everyday purchases.

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

The typical monthly rent in Southlake is around $3,617. That's about 168% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $1,274,599, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Southlake, TX?+

The median home in Southlake is valued at $1,274,599. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $6,445/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 96% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Southlake?+

Grocery prices in Southlake 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 Southlake, TX like to live in?+

Southlake is a smaller city with a population of about 31,044. The median age of residents is 42.6, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 2.04%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Texas

If Southlake 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 Southlake 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