Cost of living in Stafford, TX
Stafford is close to the Texas average. Median rent is $1,519 a month, 8% higher than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $257,700, 9% lower than the Texas median of $283,800.
Cost of living81 of 100. Higher means more affordable.
Overall grade for Stafford: B
- Median rent
- $1,519Texas $1,403
- 2-bedroom fair rent
- $1,497HUD FY2027
- Median home value
- $257,700Texas $283,800
- Monthly cost to buy
- $1,686Loan and property tax
- Property tax
- $3,311Median per year
- Income to rent
- $61,000At 30% of pay
Is Stafford expensive?
Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $87,432, so the median home costs 2.9 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
Our cost of living grade for Stafford is A- (81 of 100), comparing it with US cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people. A higher grade means more affordable.
| Measure | Here | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent8% higher than Texas | $1,519 | $1,403 | $1,413 |
| Median home value9% lower than Texas | $257,700 | $283,800 | $332,700 |
| Home value to income18% lower than Texas | 2.9x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Median household income11% higher than Texas | $87,432 | $78,476 | $80,734 |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent16 points lower than Texas | 36% | 52% | 51% |
| Median property tax per year22% lower than Texas | $3,311 | $4,232 | $3,119 |
Rent in Stafford
HUD's fair market rents for Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area run from $1,233 for a studio to $2,502 for 4 bedrooms. A two-bedroom is $1,497 a month, which takes an income of about $60,000 a year to stay at 30% of pay. HUD figures include utilities and describe a typical, modest unit.
36% of renters in Stafford already spend 30% or more of their income on rent, against 52% across Texas.
Income you need to rent
| Unit | Rent | Yearly income at 30% |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,233 | $49,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,261 | $50,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,497 | $60,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,017 | $81,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,502 | $100,000 |
Buying a home in Stafford
Buying the median $257,700 home with 20% down ($51,540) and a 30-year loan at 7.28% costs about $1,411 a month for the loan plus $276 a month in property tax, $1,686 in all. Homeowners insurance, HOA dues and upkeep come on top.
That is $167 a month more than the median rent, so renting is cheaper month to month. Buying pays off mainly if you stay long enough for the home to build equity.
Taxes
Texas has no state income tax, which helps take-home pay. The trade-off is high property tax, set by the county, city, school district and other local bodies.
The median homeowner in Stafford pays $3,311 a year in property tax, 22% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 6% higher than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Monthly cost to buy a median home
- Mortgage payment
- $1,411
- Property tax
- $276
- Median rent, for comparison
- $1,519
Based on a $257,700 home in Stafford, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median paid locally, or the county median where the local figure is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.
Stafford cost of living compared with nearby cities
Census medians. Cost grade compares each place with US places of its own size.
| Place | Distance | Median rent | Median home | Household income | Cost grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford | $1,519 | $257,700 | $87,432 | A- | |
| Fifth Street | 2 mi | $1,307 | $52,800 | $29,150 | C- |
| Meadows Place | 3 mi | $1,600 | $271,100 | $90,057 | D |
| Sugar Land | 5 mi | $1,957 | $430,200 | $136,217 | B- |
| Missouri City | 6 mi | $1,931 | $311,400 | $94,390 | C- |
| Four Corners | 6 mi | $1,519 | $277,000 | $76,452 | D+ |
| Mission Bend | 8 mi | $1,747 | $233,800 | $67,282 | D+ |
What these numbers leave out
We only show costs we can source for Stafford itself: rent, home prices, property tax and incomes from the Census Bureau, fair market rents from HUD, and a mortgage payment at the current Freddie Mac average rate. Groceries, utilities, car insurance and health care are not included, because no public source publishes them city by city in Texas.
Cost of living in Stafford: common questions
Is Stafford, TX expensive to live in?
Stafford is close to the Texas average. Median rent is $1,519 a month, 8% higher than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $257,700, 9% lower than the Texas median of $283,800. Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $87,432, so the median home costs 2.9 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
How much do you need to earn to live in Stafford?
To rent a median home at $1,519 a month and keep rent at 30% of income, you need about $61,000 a year. To buy the median home, the monthly cost is about $1,686, which takes around $67,000 a year by the same rule.
What is the average rent in Stafford?
The median rent across all units is $1,519 a month (Census). HUD's fair market rent is $1,233 for a studio, $1,261 for 1 bedroom, $1,497 for 2 bedrooms, $2,017 for 3 bedrooms, $2,502 for 4 bedrooms.
How much is property tax in Stafford?
The median homeowner in Stafford pays $3,311 a year in property tax, 22% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 6% higher than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027, Freddie Mac PMMS (week of 2026-10-01). Updated 2026-10-04.