30% of Texas Renters Spend Too Much on Housing, Census Data Shows

High housing expenses continue to limit financial progress for many Texas residents, according to new Census Bureau data released Thursday.

More than half of the state's 4.3 million renters are cost-burdened. This means they spend roughly $3 for every $10 of income on housing, leaving less money for groceries, medical care, transportation, and child care. While monthly rents remained largely flat for these tenants, the overall cost of shelter remains a heavy burden on household budgets.

Homeowners with mortgages also face increased financial pressure. The share of these households considered cost-burdened rose slightly to approximately 32% in 2025. Although the median property tax bill for homeowners with a mortgage stayed essentially flat, the total amount spent on housing generally increased.

Statewide, the median household income stood at $82,625 in 2025, a modest increase from the previous year. Hispanic and Black households recorded the largest income gains, with medians of $70,348 and $64,664 respectively. However, these figures remain well below the $92,479 median for white households. The median income for Asian descent Texans was $122,370, a decline of 2.3% from the prior year.

Geographic differences in income growth were evident across the state. Incomes rose in the Houston and San Antonio regions but fell in the McAllen and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. Texas households still lag behind the national median income of $84,780, though the state's poverty rate has shrunk and fewer children live in poverty. Conversely, the number of older adults and families in poverty increased slightly.

Property tax bills showed some variation by homeowner status. The median bill for homeowners who have paid off their mortgages decreased by about 4.2% from 2024 to 2025. Texas still maintains the nation's highest uninsured rate, a ranking it has held for over a decade. Additionally, new survey data indicates that households in Travis County, home to a major electric vehicle manufacturer, are twice as likely to own an electric vehicle compared to the state average. Solar panel ownership remains higher in urban areas, with more than 80,000 rural households reporting ownership out of 2.3 million.