Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Sterling County, TX

Prices around Sterling County, TX run 2.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, Texas). The typical household there earns $64,954 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,133 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $45,320 a year.

Sterling County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$64,954$5,413 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,133HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.1-2.9% · BEA, Texas
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population1,468Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Sterling 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$1,133Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$45,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,624At 30% of $64,954
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Sterling County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$789$9,468$31,56014.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$899$10,788$35,96016.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,133$13,596$45,32020.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,519$18,228$60,76028.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,871$22,452$74,84034.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Sterling County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $64,954 a year ($5,413 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,706/moRent ($1,133 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,624/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,083/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $64,954 leaves after Texas taxes

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

$64,954
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$64,954
Net 84%
Fed 9%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$54,371After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,531Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,091Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,614 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,969 / yr

Living in Sterling County, TX: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Sterling County, TX is $64,954 per year (approximately $5,413 per month).

What is the average rent in Sterling County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $789 for a studio, $899 for one bedroom, $1,133 for two, $1,519 for three and $1,871 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 Sterling 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 Sterling County, TX?

To keep a $1,133 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $45,320 a year, or $3,777 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Sterling County, TX earns.

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

On the local median income of $64,954 ($5,413 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,706 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,624 for everything else and $1,083 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,133 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Sterling 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.