Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Smith County, TX

Prices around Smith County, TX run 7.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $74,192 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,338 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $53,520 a year.

Smith County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$74,192$6,183 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,338HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.2-7.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population241,740Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Smith 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$1,338Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$53,520To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,855At 30% of $74,192
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Smith County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$984$11,808$39,36015.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,089$13,068$43,56017.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,338$16,056$53,52021.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,793$21,516$71,72029%
4-Bedroom Home$1,981$23,772$79,24032%

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

What a typical income covers in Smith County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $74,192 a year ($6,183 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,091/moRent ($1,338 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,855/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,237/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $74,192 leaves after Texas taxes

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

$74,192
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$74,192
Net 82%
Fed 10%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,024After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,085Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,347Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,492 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,676 / yr

Living in Smith County, TX: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Smith County, TX is $74,192 per year (approximately $6,183 per month).

What is the average rent in Smith County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $984 for a studio, $1,089 for one bedroom, $1,338 for two, $1,793 for three and $1,981 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 Smith County, TX expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.2, 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 Smith County, TX?

To keep a $1,338 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $53,520 a year, or $4,460 a month. That is 72% of what the typical household in Smith County, TX earns.

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

On the local median income of $74,192 ($6,183 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,091 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,855 for everything else and $1,237 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,338 takes 43% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Smith 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.