Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Jefferson County, TX

Prices around Jefferson County, TX run 10% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $60,026 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,103 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $44,120 a year.

Jefferson County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$60,026$5,002 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,103HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.0-10% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population253,878Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Jefferson 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$1,103Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$44,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,501At 30% of $60,026
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Jefferson County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$892$10,704$35,68017.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$898$10,776$35,92018%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,103$13,236$44,12022.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,446$17,352$57,84028.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,732$20,784$69,28034.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Jefferson County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $60,026 a year ($5,002 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,501/moRent ($1,103 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,501/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,000/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $60,026 leaves after Texas taxes

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

$60,026
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$60,026
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,411After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,201Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,939Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,023 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,592 / yr

Living in Jefferson County, TX: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Jefferson County, TX is $60,026 per year (approximately $5,002 per month).

What is the average rent in Jefferson County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $892 for a studio, $898 for one bedroom, $1,103 for two, $1,446 for three and $1,732 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 Jefferson County, TX expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 90.0, 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 Jefferson County, TX?

To keep a $1,103 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $44,120 a year, or $3,677 a month. That is 74% of what the typical household in Jefferson County, TX earns.

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

On the local median income of $60,026 ($5,002 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,501 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,501 for everything else and $1,000 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,103 takes 44% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Jefferson 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.