Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Houston?

Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Houston?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $46,000 in Houston.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Houston?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Henderson vs Houston Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Houston, TX is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 29% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

Houston, TX

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$1,142

+21% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,156

+20% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$1,375

+19% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,664

+16% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$253,400

+46% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$62,894

+29% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$49,410

+6% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

34.3 yr

+8.2 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

42.0%

+23.6 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

36.0%

+0.8 pp in Henderson, NV

Avg Commute

24.7 min

27.3 min

+2.6 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

1,153.8

+325% in Houston, TX

Property Crime

1,725.7

4,324.9

+151% in Houston, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

69.4°F

70.3°F

+0.9°F in Houston, TX

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

54.6 in

+50.5 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.52/gal

+31% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Houston METRO (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

16.4

+21% in Houston, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$30.48

+152% in Houston, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Houston, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Henderson, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Henderson, NV

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / TX)

6.85%

6.25%

+0.6 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Henderson vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Houston?: Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Houston?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Houston?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).