These Top 10 Cities in Texas Have The Lowest Cost of Living

I'm not getting rich being in radio, and I too struggle with my bills. But I will admit to this one personal trait, and that is that I am a penny pincher. So when it comes to the cost of living, I am well aware of my surroundings. However, when I discovered that I live in one of the top 10 cities for the lowest cost of living in the Lone Star State, it made me smile.

So what is it that puts my hometown on this top 10 list? The study was conducted by TexasRealEstateSource.com. Whether buying or renting, real estate counts as a huge factor in cost-of-living numbers, as do expenses like property taxes, food, income, fuel, child care, utilities, and entertainment.

The graph below shows which cities rank where. Be grateful if you're not living in Austin, which ranked at the far end of the scale meaning they have the highest cost of living score of all cities in Texas.

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At #1 is Midland, mainly because they have the highest per capita income of all cities in Texas, averaging an annual income of $125,455. More importantly their property tax is the lowest. Killeen came in second place, and like Midland, Killeen also has low property taxes.

#3 is Odessa, which provides one of the lowest private preschool costs in the state. #4 is Amarillo where utility bills are among the cheapest in Texas, costing a monthly average of $115.75. Wichita Falls lands #5, where house prices are the most affordable with a median price of $171,250.

In sixth place is Kerrville for its dining-out-on-a-budget score, with a three-course meal for two costing about $52.50, one of the lowest in Texas. Beaumont snags #7 for having great housing prices and the lowest cost for basic groceries. In eighth place is Longview where they have cheap internet as well as low-cost entertainment.

Next is Tyler at #9, which has the lowest private preschool and daycare costs in all of Texas. And finally rounding out #10 is Abilene. With dining costs averaging $12 a meal along with our low-cost housing, Abilene makes the cut. So if you're thinking of relocating to Texas you've got 10 low-cost choices and all of them are awesome. But I might favor Abilene.