Is $34,000 a good salary in Texas?

$34,000 in Texas provides a monthly take-home of approximately $2,452 after taxes. Across major Texas cities, this salary is rated manageable, with an average monthly surplus of $45.

What is the cost of living on $34,000 in Texas?

The average monthly living cost across major Texas cities is approximately $2,407 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $34,000 take-home pay of $2,452/month, you would have roughly $45/month remaining.

Living in Texas · 2026

Is $34,000 enough to live in Texas?

Single adult · TX · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Manageable

Monthly take-home

$2,452

Avg monthly expenses

$2,407

Avg monthly surplus

$45

Savings potential

~2%

After-tax take-home in Texas

Gross salary$34,000

Federal income tax− $1,974

State income tax− $0

Social Security− $2,108

Medicare− $493

Annual take-home$29,425

Effective tax rate13.46%

How $34,000 feels in Texas cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Houston

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$440

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,423/mo

Surplus: $29/mo

Rent burden: 57.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Houston analysis →

Dallas

COL index: 1.13× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,500

Food

$462

Transport

$198

Utilities

$186

Healthcare

$226

Total: $2,572/mo

Surplus: $-120/mo

Rent burden: 61.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Dallas analysis →

Austin

COL index: 1.28× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,800

Food

$519

Transport

$224

Utilities

$211

Healthcare

$256

Total: $3,010/mo

Surplus: $-558/mo

Rent burden: 73.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Austin analysis →

San Antonio

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,250

Food

$418

Transport

$175

Utilities

$165

Healthcare

$200

Total: $2,208/mo

Surplus: $244/mo

Rent burden: 51.0% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full San Antonio analysis →

Fort Worth

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$449

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,432/mo

Surplus: $20/mo

Rent burden: 57.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Fort Worth analysis →

El Paso

COL index: 0.85× national avg

Comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$950

Food

$387

Transport

$149

Utilities

$140

Healthcare

$170

Total: $1,796/mo

Surplus: $656/mo

Rent burden: 38.7% — High (35–50%)

Full El Paso analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,452 ($29,424/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$1,226

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$736

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$490

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$14,712

Wants / year

$8,827

Savings / year

$5,885

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Houston

Rent alone would take 57% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $56,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.2/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $34,000 salary can cover essential living costs for a single adult in Houston, Texas, but leaves little room for savings (~1% of take-home). Lifestyle is rated difficult, with careful budgeting required to avoid month-to-month shortfalls.

Purchasing Power

Houston is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 1.08). $34,000 here is roughly equivalent to $58,241 in San Francisco or $27,704 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$34,000 is 20% below the Texas individual median of $42,500. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$42,500

-20%

State household median

$73,035

-53%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$34,000 vs. Texas income benchmarks

Individual median (Texas)

$42,500

-20% vs. this salary

Household median (Texas)

$73,035

-53% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Texas

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.