Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hale County, TX

Prices around Hale County, TX run 2.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, Texas). The typical household there earns $51,897 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $973 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,920 a year.

Hale County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$51,897$4,325 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$973HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.1-2.9% · BEA, Texas
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population32,131Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hale 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$973Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,297At 30% of $51,897
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hale County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$671$8,052$26,84015.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$888$10,656$35,52020.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$973$11,676$38,92022.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,304$15,648$52,16030.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,477$17,724$59,08034.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Hale County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $51,897 a year ($4,325 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,162/moRent ($973 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,297/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$865/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $51,897 leaves after Texas taxes

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

$51,897
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,897
Net 85%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$43,879After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,657Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,688Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,048 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,970 / yr

Living in Hale County, TX: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hale County, TX is $51,897 per year (approximately $4,325 per month).

What is the average rent in Hale County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $671 for a studio, $888 for one bedroom, $973 for two, $1,304 for three and $1,477 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 Hale County, TX expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Texas is 97.1, 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 Hale County, TX?

To keep a $973 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,920 a year, or $3,243 a month. That is 75% of what the typical household in Hale County, TX earns.

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

On the local median income of $51,897 ($4,325 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,162 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,297 for everything else and $865 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $973 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hale 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.