Cost of Living in Lubbock, TX
Lubbock, TX — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Lubbock, TX to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Lubbock, TX?
With a price level of 91.3 (U.S. average = 100), Lubbock, TX is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 24% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 17% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 4% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Lubbock, TX vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.3 | −8.7% |
| Housing | 76.4 | −23.6% |
| Goods | 93.8 | −6.2% |
| Utilities | 82.8 | −17.2% |
| Other services | 96.2 | −3.8% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Lubbock, TX
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $815 | $32,600/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $974 | $38,960/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,155 | $46,200/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,602 | $64,080/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,905 | $76,200/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Lubbock, TX
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Lubbock, TX | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,500 | $31,508 |
| $60,000 | $54,800 | $46,212 |
| $80,000 | $73,100 | $60,256 |
| $100,000 | $91,300 | $73,060 |
| $150,000 | $137,000 | $104,906 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Texas 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Lubbock, TX's median wage of $42,130 takes home about $3,003 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $974, which is 32% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,029 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Lubbock, TX
- Federal income tax$2,876
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,612
- Medicare (1.45%)$611
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$36,031
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Lubbock, TX
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $81,480 | $66,151 | $72,441 |
| General and Operations Manager | $80,870 | $65,722 | $71,971 |
| Office Clerks, General | $36,940 | $31,861 | $34,891 |
| Customer Service Representative | $35,940 | $31,058 | $34,011 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $35,620 | $30,801 | $33,729 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $30,150 | $26,406 | $28,916 |
| Retail Salesperson | $28,480 | $25,063 | $27,446 |
| Cashier | $27,220 | $24,026 | $26,310 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $25,250 | $22,403 | $24,534 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $23,310 | $20,806 | $22,784 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $22,560 | $20,188 | $22,108 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Texas cities
Half of Texas’s 14,071,160 workers earn less than $48,620 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,370–$77,840 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Austin, TX stretches a paycheck furthest, while McAllen, TX is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $51,440 | 103.1 | $1,586 | 44% | $2,040 | $42,208 |
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | 98.6 | $1,316 | 38% | $2,174 | $42,463 |
| Austin, TX | $56,950 | 98.1 | $1,562 | 39% | $2,433 | $48,885 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,010 | 94.7 | $1,171 | 35% | $2,158 | $42,181 |
| El Paso, TX | $39,510 | 89.9 | $1,012 | 36% | $1,815 | $37,733 |
| McAllen, TX | $35,830 | 85.9 | $847 | 33% | $1,734 | $36,055 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $45,350 | 92.7 | $1,115 | 35% | $2,103 | $41,673 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | 91.3 | $974 | 32% | $2,029 | $39,458 |
| Beaumont, TX | $48,630 | 90.0 | $898 | 26% | $2,540 | $45,815 |
| Brownsville, TX | $36,490 | 86.0 | $866 | 33% | $1,759 | $36,638 |
| Killeen, TX | $46,660 | 91.1 | $982 | 30% | $2,324 | $43,532 |
| College Station, TX | $44,470 | 91.0 | $1,082 | 34% | $2,077 | $41,684 |
| Waco, TX | $46,020 | 92.5 | $966 | 30% | $2,297 | $42,309 |
| Amarillo, TX | $44,580 | 91.8 | $903 | 29% | $2,264 | $41,385 |
| Midland, TX | $54,480 | 95.8 | $1,449 | 38% | $2,381 | $47,978 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Lubbock, TX vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lubbock, TX | 91.3 | $974 | $42,130 | 166,780 |
| Peoria, IL | 91.2 | $818 | $49,590 | 166,020 |
| Montgomery, AL | 89.7 | $870 | $44,950 | 165,550 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 91.1 | $1,061 | $47,650 | 165,150 |
| Atlantic City, NJ | 98.9 | $1,493 | $47,520 | 168,700 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 101.1 | $1,537 | $55,310 | 169,430 |
| Canton, OH | 89.4 | $846 | $45,810 | 163,080 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lubbock, TX expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Lubbock, TX metro area are 91.3% of the U.S. average, with housing at 76.4%. It is the #262 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Lubbock, TX?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $54,790 in Lubbock, TX (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $42,130.
Can you afford Lubbock, TX on the median wage?
A single worker on the $42,130 median wage takes home about $3,003 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $974 would take 32% of that.
How much is rent in Lubbock, TX?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Lubbock, TX are $815 for a studio, $974 for one bedroom, $1,155 for two bedrooms and $1,602 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Lubbock, TX
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $80,870
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $81,480
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $23,310
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $25,250
- Waiter and Waitress — $22,560
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $28,480
- Cashier — $27,220
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Office Clerks, General — $36,940
- Customer Service Representative — $35,940
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,620