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Terrell Hills, TX

High Pressure

Living in Terrell Hills, TX costs about 61% more than the national average (Cost Index: 161). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $885,227 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $217,800, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Terrell Hills already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 6% rent burden, 4.1x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 292. 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 Terrell Hills.

Monthly Housing
$1,154/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
6%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$16,496/mo
After housing and debt · $5,499/person
Rent vs Buy
Renting is the lower-pressure baseline
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 9%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
161
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$885,227
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $762,200
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,154/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$217,800
National: $78,538
Population
5,050
Purchasing Power
172
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
292 / 100
~2.9x more expensive
Rent Index
86 / 100
14% below average
Goods & Groceries
94 / 100
6% cheaper than average
Utilities
82 / 100
18% lower utility bills
Healthcare & Services
96 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
161
Very Expensive · 61% above average

Terrell Hills Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $885,227 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
$217,800
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
6%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
4.1x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Terrell Hills 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 Terrell Hills, TX

Est. Annual Property Tax
$14,164
Monthly Impact
$1,180
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 Terrell Hills 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.

Terrell Hills, TX
161
86
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Terrell Hills, TX: 292
Rent Prices
86

FAQ: Living in Terrell Hills

Is Terrell Hills, TX an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Terrell Hills is about 61% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 161. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $885,227, and monthly rents average roughly $1,154. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Terrell Hills fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,154, while local median household income is $217,800. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 6% 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 Terrell Hills, 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 $885,227, that translates to roughly $14,164 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.19% on everyday purchases.

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

The typical monthly rent in Terrell Hills is around $1,154. That's roughly 14% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $885,227, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Terrell Hills, TX?+

The median home in Terrell Hills is valued at $885,227. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $4,476/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 78% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Terrell Hills?+

Grocery prices in Terrell Hills are more affordable compared to the rest of the US (index: 94, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 82). Both help keep your monthly expenses lower than in many parts of the country.

What is Terrell Hills, TX like to live in?+

Terrell Hills is a small town with a population of about 5,050. The median age of residents is 43.2, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 6.93%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Texas

If Terrell Hills 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 Terrell Hills 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