Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Carson County, TX

Prices around Carson County, TX run 8.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $85,231 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,106 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $44,240 a year.

Carson County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$85,231$7,103 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,106HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.8-8.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population5,801Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Carson County, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,106Monthly market rent
Share of gross income15.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$44,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,131At 30% of $85,231
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Carson County, TX? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Amarillo, TX HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Carson County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$778$9,336$31,12011%
1-Bedroom Apartment$903$10,836$36,12012.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,106$13,272$44,24015.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,503$18,036$60,12021.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,742$20,904$69,68024.5%

Rent in Carson County, TX, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Carson County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $85,231 a year ($7,103 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,551/moRent ($1,106 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,131/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,421/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $85,231 leaves after Texas taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Texas tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$85,231
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$85,231
Net 81%
Fed 12%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$68,790After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,733Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,646Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,921 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,520 / yr

Living in Carson County, TX: common questions

What is the median household income in Carson County, TX?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Carson County, TX is $85,231 per year (approximately $7,103 per month).

What is the average rent in Carson County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $778 for a studio, $903 for one bedroom, $1,106 for two, $1,503 for three and $1,742 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Carson County, TX expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.8, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Carson County, TX?

To keep a $1,106 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $44,240 a year, or $3,687 a month. That is 52% of what the typical household in Carson County, TX earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Carson County, TX?

On the local median income of $85,231 ($7,103 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,551 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,131 for everything else and $1,421 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,106 takes 31% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Carson County, TX?

Homes in Texas paid 15.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $143. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.