State ranking · HUD FMR + Census ACS

Texas: County Rent Burden

How much of household income goes to rent in each Texas county, FY 2026.

21.9%
State avg 2BR burden
10
Counties over 30% (of 253)
0
Severely burdened (>50%)

What rent burden reveals about Texas

Rent burden measures the share of household income going to rent. The federal standard, used by HUD and the Census Bureau, flags any household paying more than 30% of gross income on rent as "cost-burdened" and any household above 50% as "severely cost-burdened." This page calculates county-level burden by dividing HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom, by Census-reported median household income for each county in Texas. Across the 253 counties with complete data, the weighted average 2-bedroom burden is 21.9%, compared with a national average of 21.7% - meaning Texas sits 0.2 percentage points higher than the US benchmark.

The distribution matters more than the state average. In Texas, 10 of 253 counties (4%) have a 2-bedroom burden above 30%, and 0 counties cross the severe-burden threshold of 50%. The most burdened county is Presidio County at 42%, where the FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,015 eats that share of the local median income of $29,014. Because HUD's FMR sits at the 40th percentile of gross rents, this calculation understates the reality faced by renters paying market-rate: many higher-quality units in each county rent well above FMR, pushing actual burden rates even higher than the numbers shown below.

Burden data has direct policy stakes. High-burden counties see stronger demand for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (which cap tenant contribution at 30% of adjusted income and cover the gap up to FMR) and for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) units, both of which rely on HUD's FMR as the foundational input. High burden also correlates with longer waitlists for public housing and greater housing instability, eviction filings, doubling up, and homelessness all rise in counties above the 50% threshold. Pair this page with the cheapest-counties ranking and year-over-year rent growth to see which Texas counties are getting more affordable, which are tightening fastest, and where the burden gap between Texas and the rest of the country is widening or narrowing.

State Avg Burden
21.9%
National Avg
21.7%
Counties > 30%
10
of 253
Severely Burdened
0
> 50% of income

All Counties by Rent Burden

# County 1 BR Rent 2 BR Rent 1 BR Burden 2 BR Burden
1 Presidio County $811 $1,015 33.5% 42%
2 Brooks County $778 $973 29.8% 37.3%
3 Jeff Davis County $811 $1,015 29.8% 37.3%
4 Dimmit County $888 $973 31.9% 34.9%
5 Hunt County $1,648 $1,931 28.2% 33%
6 Caldwell County $1,562 $1,852 27.4% 32.4%
7 Zapata County $751 $973 24.7% 32%
8 Edwards County $811 $1,015 25.3% 31.6%
9 Dallas County $1,648 $1,931 26.7% 31.3%
10 Starr County $742 $973 23.3% 30.6%
11 Swisher County $783 $973 24.1% 29.9%
12 Hudspeth County $828 $973 25.3% 29.7%
13 Briscoe County $811 $1,015 23.6% 29.6%
14 Goliad County $1,153 $1,442 23.2% 29.1%
15 Liberty County $1,323 $1,573 24.5% 29.1%
16 Walker County $1,097 $1,210 26.4% 29.1%
17 Culberson County $811 $1,015 22.8% 28.5%
18 Newton County $778 $973 22.7% 28.4%
19 Zavala County $778 $973 22.3% 27.9%
20 Cochran County $820 $973 23.4% 27.7%
21 Foard County $750 $973 21.3% 27.7%
22 Baylor County $742 $973 21% 27.6%
23 Irion County $1,049 $1,339 21.7% 27.6%
24 Jim Hogg County $778 $973 22.1% 27.6%
25 Martin County $1,441 $1,772 22.4% 27.6%
26 Real County $953 $1,045 25.2% 27.6%
27 Aransas County $1,072 $1,407 20.8% 27.3%
28 Crosby County $990 $1,175 22.8% 27%
29 Bastrop County $1,562 $1,852 22.7% 26.9%
30 Ector County $1,269 $1,595 21.4% 26.9%
31 McMullen County $811 $1,015 21.2% 26.6%
32 Potter County $903 $1,106 21.5% 26.3%
33 San Augustine County $811 $1,015 21% 26.3%
34 Kaufman County $1,648 $1,931 22.3% 26.2%
35 Hays County $1,562 $1,852 21.8% 25.9%
36 Terrell County $811 $1,015 20.7% 25.9%
37 Harris County $1,323 $1,573 21.7% 25.8%
38 Karnes County $968 $1,270 19.7% 25.8%
39 Kleberg County $953 $1,238 19.9% 25.8%
40 Willacy County $742 $973 19.5% 25.6%
41 Gillespie County $1,096 $1,438 19.4% 25.5%
42 Matagorda County $960 $1,173 20.9% 25.5%
43 Bee County $903 $1,185 19.3% 25.4%
44 Terry County $778 $973 20.3% 25.4%
45 Johnson County $1,473 $1,723 21.6% 25.3%
46 Tarrant County $1,473 $1,723 21.6% 25.2%
47 Coke County $742 $973 19.2% 25.1%
48 Hall County $751 $973 19.3% 25%
49 Red River County $778 $973 19.9% 24.9%
50 Nacogdoches County $893 $1,067 20.8% 24.8%
51 Nueces County $1,117 $1,366 20.3% 24.8%
52 Waller County $1,323 $1,573 20.9% 24.8%
53 Victoria County $1,153 $1,442 19.7% 24.7%
54 Jim Wells County $742 $973 18.7% 24.6%
55 Marion County $778 $973 19.7% 24.6%
56 Tyler County $793 $1,040 18.8% 24.6%
57 Bandera County $1,177 $1,426 20.3% 24.5%
58 Cameron County $866 $1,047 20.2% 24.5%
59 Brazos County $1,082 $1,186 22.2% 24.4%
60 Duval County $811 $1,015 19.4% 24.3%
61 El Paso County $1,013 $1,191 20.7% 24.3%
62 Hidalgo County $847 $1,060 19.4% 24.3%
63 San Patricio County $1,117 $1,366 19.9% 24.3%
64 Tom Green County $1,049 $1,339 19% 24.3%
65 Bexar County $1,177 $1,426 20% 24.2%
66 Ellis County $1,648 $1,931 20.6% 24.2%
67 McCulloch County $863 $1,045 19.9% 24.2%
68 Menard County $778 $973 19.4% 24.2%
69 Coleman County $803 $1,053 18.4% 24.1%
70 Jones County $1,020 $1,276 19.3% 24.1%
71 Loving County $811 $1,015 19% 23.8%
72 Nolan County $810 $995 19.4% 23.8%
73 Deaf Smith County $855 $1,070 19% 23.7%
74 Trinity County $818 $1,010 19% 23.5%
75 Brown County $823 $1,080 17.9% 23.4%
76 Jasper County $838 $973 20.1% 23.4%
77 Mitchell County $831 $1,091 17.8% 23.4%
78 McLennan County $996 $1,240 18.7% 23.3%
79 Upton County $811 $1,015 18.6% 23.3%
80 Uvalde County $856 $1,123 17.8% 23.3%
81 Concho County $922 $1,153 18.6% 23.2%
82 Dawson County $823 $1,080 17.7% 23.2%
83 Dickens County $778 $973 18.5% 23.2%
84 Reeves County $988 $1,083 21.2% 23.2%
85 San Jacinto County $1,048 $1,149 21.1% 23.2%
86 Shelby County $888 $973 21.1% 23.2%
87 Garza County $820 $973 19.5% 23.1%
88 Taylor County $1,020 $1,276 18.4% 23.1%
89 Wilbarger County $757 $993 17.6% 23.1%
90 Grayson County $1,089 $1,351 18.5% 23%
91 Live Oak County $787 $1,033 17.5% 23%
92 Harrison County $960 $1,260 17.4% 22.9%
93 Travis County $1,562 $1,852 19.3% 22.9%
94 Upshur County $1,013 $1,199 19.4% 22.9%
95 Anderson County $901 $1,117 18.4% 22.8%
96 Maverick County $888 $973 20.8% 22.8%
97 Polk County $855 $1,122 17.4% 22.8%
98 Midland County $1,449 $1,780 18.5% 22.7%
99 Brewster County $808 $993 18.4% 22.6%
100 Eastland County $862 $973 20% 22.6%
101 San Saba County $786 $1,031 17.2% 22.6%
102 Bell County $990 $1,233 18% 22.4%
103 Callahan County $1,020 $1,276 17.9% 22.4%
104 Bowie County $868 $1,101 17.6% 22.3%
105 Lubbock County $990 $1,175 18.7% 22.3%
106 Smith County $1,089 $1,338 18.2% 22.3%
107 Stephens County $811 $1,015 17.8% 22.3%
108 Webb County $962 $1,161 18.5% 22.3%
109 Andrews County $1,300 $1,425 20.3% 22.2%
110 Gray County $790 $1,037 16.9% 22.2%
111 Gregg County $1,013 $1,199 18.8% 22.2%
112 Galveston County $1,323 $1,573 18.6% 22.1%
113 Hale County $888 $973 20.2% 22.1%
114 Jefferson County $898 $1,103 18% 22.1%
115 La Salle County $811 $1,015 17.5% 22%
116 Wichita County $925 $1,136 17.9% 21.9%
117 Frio County $870 $1,088 17.4% 21.7%
118 Erath County $899 $1,179 16.5% 21.6%
119 Haskell County $778 $973 17.3% 21.6%
120 Cass County $742 $973 16.4% 21.5%
121 Coryell County $990 $1,233 17.2% 21.5%
122 Houston County $745 $978 16.4% 21.5%
123 Robertson County $1,082 $1,186 19.6% 21.5%
124 Denton County $1,648 $1,931 18.3% 21.4%
125 DeWitt County $912 $1,141 17.1% 21.4%
126 Val Verde County $863 $1,064 17.4% 21.4%
127 Hockley County $854 $973 18.7% 21.3%
128 Navarro County $863 $1,055 17.5% 21.3%
129 Camp County $754 $973 16.4% 21.2%
130 Morris County $778 $973 16.9% 21.2%
131 Scurry County $1,012 $1,109 19.4% 21.2%
132 Falls County $742 $973 16.1% 21.1%
133 Floyd County $742 $973 16.1% 21.1%
134 Hamilton County $742 $973 16.1% 21.1%
135 Milam County $790 $1,037 16% 21.1%
136 Lynn County $767 $1,007 16% 21%
137 Childress County $853 $1,049 17% 20.9%
138 Cooke County $961 $1,261 15.9% 20.9%
139 Rusk County $895 $1,175 15.9% 20.9%
140 Washington County $998 $1,309 15.9% 20.9%
141 Angelina County $892 $1,021 18.2% 20.8%
142 Cottle County $811 $1,015 16.5% 20.7%
143 Hopkins County $952 $1,115 17.7% 20.7%
144 Knox County $778 $973 16.6% 20.7%
145 Lee County $912 $1,141 16.6% 20.7%
146 Donley County $778 $973 16.5% 20.6%
147 Jackson County $940 $1,057 18.3% 20.5%
148 Lamb County $742 $973 15.6% 20.5%
149 Lavaca County $886 $1,055 17.2% 20.5%
150 Williamson County $1,562 $1,852 17.3% 20.5%
151 Moore County $791 $1,038 15.5% 20.3%
152 Parker County $1,473 $1,723 17.3% 20.3%
153 Ward County $963 $1,215 16.1% 20.3%
154 Montague County $856 $1,055 16.4% 20.2%
155 Runnels County $815 $1,069 15.4% 20.2%
156 Colorado County $917 $1,147 16.1% 20.1%
157 Limestone County $742 $973 15.3% 20.1%
158 Llano County $845 $1,097 15.4% 20.1%
159 Refugio County $778 $973 16.1% 20.1%
160 Throckmorton County $788 $986 16.1% 20.1%
161 Freestone County $742 $973 15.2% 20%
162 Wharton County $838 $1,100 15.2% 20%
163 Franklin County $885 $1,107 15.9% 19.9%
164 Stonewall County $811 $1,015 15.9% 19.9%
165 Castro County $801 $1,050 15.1% 19.8%
166 Kerr County $965 $1,118 17% 19.8%
167 Cherokee County $756 $984 15.2% 19.7%
168 Collin County $1,648 $1,931 16.8% 19.7%
169 Gonzales County $742 $973 15% 19.7%
170 Howard County $924 $1,173 15.5% 19.7%
171 Palo Pinto County $825 $1,068 15.2% 19.7%
172 Titus County $779 $973 15.8% 19.7%
173 Crane County $783 $980 15.7% 19.6%
174 Hansford County $848 $1,113 14.9% 19.6%
175 Wood County $814 $1,022 15.6% 19.6%
176 Burleson County $1,082 $1,186 17.8% 19.5%
177 Comanche County $742 $973 14.9% 19.5%
178 Hood County $1,237 $1,412 17.1% 19.5%
179 Leon County $778 $973 15.6% 19.5%
180 Medina County $912 $1,196 14.9% 19.5%
181 Sabine County $742 $973 14.9% 19.5%
182 Van Zandt County $844 $1,108 14.8% 19.5%
183 Armstrong County $903 $1,106 15.8% 19.4%
184 Burnet County $997 $1,247 15.5% 19.4%
185 Collingsworth County $778 $973 15.5% 19.4%
186 Dallam County $1,067 $1,170 17.7% 19.4%
187 Hill County $802 $1,023 15.2% 19.4%
188 Montgomery County $1,323 $1,573 16.3% 19.4%
189 Grimes County $853 $1,067 15.3% 19.1%
190 Hardeman County $742 $973 14.6% 19.1%
191 Lamar County $785 $973 15.4% 19.1%
192 Panola County $758 $995 14.5% 19.1%
193 Parmer County $828 $1,087 14.6% 19.1%
194 Atascosa County $1,002 $1,098 17.3% 19%
195 Borden County $811 $1,015 15.1% 19%
196 Archer County $925 $1,136 15.4% 18.9%
197 Henderson County $830 $1,009 15.6% 18.9%
198 Young County $761 $998 14.3% 18.8%
199 Delta County $808 $973 15.4% 18.6%
200 Motley County $778 $973 14.9% 18.6%
201 Rockwall County $1,648 $1,931 15.8% 18.5%
202 Wilson County $1,177 $1,426 15.3% 18.5%
203 Kinney County $811 $1,015 14.7% 18.4%
204 Ochiltree County $798 $998 14.7% 18.4%
205 Roberts County $811 $1,015 14.7% 18.4%
206 Guadalupe County $1,177 $1,426 15.1% 18.2%
207 Hardin County $898 $1,103 14.9% 18.2%
208 Mills County $888 $973 16.5% 18.1%
209 Shackelford County $778 $973 14.4% 18.1%
210 Fisher County $755 $973 14% 18%
211 Orange County $898 $1,103 14.7% 18%
212 Rains County $888 $973 16.4% 18%
213 Kendall County $1,311 $1,650 14.2% 17.9%
214 Mason County $819 $1,024 14.3% 17.9%
215 Hutchinson County $742 $973 13.6% 17.8%
216 Jack County $888 $973 16.2% 17.8%
217 Kimble County $742 $973 13.6% 17.8%
218 Wheeler County $806 $1,008 14.2% 17.8%
219 Clay County $925 $1,136 14.3% 17.6%
220 Chambers County $1,323 $1,573 14.7% 17.5%
221 King County $811 $1,015 13.9% 17.4%
222 Madison County $742 $973 13.3% 17.4%
223 Austin County $891 $1,095 14.1% 17.3%
224 Comal County $1,177 $1,426 14.3% 17.3%
225 Fannin County $751 $985 13.2% 17.3%
226 Oldham County $899 $1,101 14.1% 17.3%
227 Reagan County $811 $1,015 13.8% 17.3%
228 Sterling County $899 $1,133 13.7% 17.3%
229 Yoakum County $1,082 $1,186 15.8% 17.3%
230 Pecos County $888 $973 15.7% 17.2%
231 Brazoria County $1,240 $1,359 15.6% 17.1%
232 Kent County $811 $1,015 13.6% 17.1%
233 Bosque County $742 $973 12.8% 16.8%
234 Fort Bend County $1,323 $1,573 14% 16.6%
235 Lampasas County $813 $1,067 12.7% 16.6%
236 Bailey County $778 $973 13.2% 16.5%
237 Hartley County $902 $1,129 13.2% 16.5%
238 Randall County $903 $1,106 13.4% 16.4%
239 Lipscomb County $778 $973 13.1% 16.3%
240 Calhoun County $888 $973 14.8% 16.2%
241 Hemphill County $778 $973 13% 16.2%
242 Wise County $918 $1,205 12.3% 16.1%
243 Blanco County $889 $1,167 12.2% 16%
244 Fayette County $882 $1,019 13.8% 16%
245 Carson County $903 $1,106 12.8% 15.7%
246 Sherman County $778 $973 12.6% 15.7%
247 Sutton County $742 $973 11.9% 15.6%
248 Gaines County $832 $973 13% 15.2%
249 Crockett County $811 $1,015 11.9% 14.9%
250 Somervell County $811 $1,015 11.7% 14.6%
251 Schleicher County $778 $973 10.4% 13%
252 Winkler County $782 $978 10.2% 12.8%
253 Glasscock County $811 $1,015 9.1% 11.4%
National burden rankings → All Texas rents → Cheapest counties →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rent burden in Texas? ▼
The average 2-bedroom rent burden in Texas is 21.9% of household income. 10 of 253 counties exceed the 30% affordability threshold.
Which counties in Texas are most rent burdened? ▼
The most rent-burdened county is Presidio County at 42% of income. No counties exceed the 50% severe burden threshold.
How does Texas compare to the national average? ▼
Texas's average rent burden is 21.9% vs the national average of 21.7%. That's 0.2 percentage points higher than average.

Data sources: HUD FY 2026 Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau median household income. Rent burden = (annual FMR ÷ median income) × 100.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.