MIDLAND RANKS ON THE MOTLEY FOOL'S 'MOST AFFORDABLE LIST
(May 8, 2025)
MIDLAND, TEXAS -- Midland was one of four Texas cities ranked among the top 10 most affordable cities in the U.S., according to The Motley Fool’s report of the Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2025 released this week.
Midland ranked fourth and joined McKinney (No. 1), Austin (No. 5), and Plano (No. 6) on the most affordable list.
To determine the Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2025, The Motley Fool analyzed the most recent Cost-of-Living Index data from the Council for Community and Economic Research on 254 urban areas across the U.S. – which measures the costs of housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services – along with the most recent household expenditure data from Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey and median income data from Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
The report showed Midland to have a cost-of-living estimate of $70,340 and a median household income of $90,699.
“The cost of living [in Midland] is just below the national average, while the median household income is 11% above the national median. Housing is relatively affordable in Midland, about 16% below the national average, per the Council for Economic and Community Research,” according to Jack Caporal, research director at The Motley Fool.
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Here is more information from the report.
4. Midland, TX
- Estimated income-to-expense ratio: 1.29
- Cost-of-living estimate: $70,340
- Median household income: $90,699
- Cost-of-living index: 96.4
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What the report says about Midland
Midland, Texas, the fourth-most affordable city in the U.S., is located in the western part of the state and falls in the oil-rich Permian Basin. The cost of living there is just below the national average, while the median household income is 11% above the national median.
The oil and gas industry is the largest employer and the highest-paying industry in the city, per the Census Bureau.
Housing is relatively affordable in Midland, about 16% below the national average, per the Council for Economic and Community Research.
While Midland is affordable by our measure, it may not be the most attractive place for some. There aren't many attractions nearby, the economy is dominated by the oil industry, and it's hours away from bigger cities and even mid-size cities like Lubbock and Albuquerque.
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Here’s top 10 in the nation, according to the Motley Fool’s report of the Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2025 released this week:
- McKinney (Cost-of-living estimate: $75,348 | Median household income: $116,654)
- Morristown, New Jersey (Cost-of-living estimate: $79,899 | Median household income: $115,409)
- Edmond, Oklahoma (Cost-of-living estimate: 69,243 | Median household income: $98,524)
- Midland (Cost-of-living estimate: $70,340 | Median household income: $90,699)
- Austin (Cost-of-living estimate: $70,997 | Median household income: $91,501)
- Plano (Cost-of-living estimate: $84,931 | Median household income: $108,594)
- Joliet, Illinois (Cost-of-living estimate: $68,881 | Median household income: $86,054)
- Kansas City metro area (Cost-of-living estimate: $66,473 | Median household income: $81,927)
- Atlanta, Georgia (Cost-of-living estimate: $70,048 | Median household income: $85,880)
- Charleston, South Carolina (Cost-of-living estimate: $78,748 | Median household income: $95,126)
Source: www.fool.com/money/research/10-best-cities-high-salaries-low-cost-living/