Cost of Living in College Station
College Station runs close to or modestly above the national cost-of-living average, with housing and insurance -- as in most of Texas -- doing more of the work than day-to-day expenses. The clearest, most consistently sourced comparison is a relative one: College Station is meaningfully cheaper on both housing and insurance than Austin, Houston, or Dallas-Fort Worth, which is the comparison most relocators moving within Texas actually care about.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing is the largest variable, and sources disagree on the exact number
Median home sale price estimates range from $337K (Redfin, October 2025) to $365,450 (Movoto, June 2026), with Zillow's average home value landing at $349,845 (June 30, 2026, up just 0.2% year-over-year) -- see the Housing Market page for the full breakdown. That range sits below the 2026 national median existing-home price and well below comparable homes in Austin or Houston.
Insurance costs run low for Texas
Homeowners insurance estimates cluster in a $901-$1,330/yr range across sources -- dramatically below Texas's own statewide average of roughly $4,350/yr (and further below the Houston-area average of roughly $7,855/yr or the DFW hail-belt average of roughly $5,400-$6,200/yr). This is a real, structural advantage of College Station's inland location with no hurricane exposure and comparatively moderate hail exposure -- see the Insurance & Hazard Costs page.
No state income tax offsets some of the cost
Texas has no state personal income tax, a real and simple savings for anyone relocating from a state that levies one -- discussed in more detail on the Taxes page. Combined sales tax runs 8.25% (the statutory Texas cap), and Brazos County's median effective property tax rate is estimated at roughly 1.50%, above the U.S. national median (~1.02%) but roughly in line with the Texas statewide average.
The renter-heavy market complicates a simple cost comparison
Because 65% of College Station households rent rather than own -- a direct consequence of the large student population -- average-rent figures vary widely by source depending on whether student-oriented per-bedroom leasing near campus is folded into the average (estimates range from $1,675 to $1,895/month). A mover comparing "College Station rent" to another city's figure should confirm the aggregator's methodology rather than assume a like-for-like comparison.
Key takeaways
- Housing and insurance are the categories driving any above-national-average cost figure here, not day-to-day expenses -- and both run meaningfully cheaper than Austin, Houston, or Dallas-Fort Worth.
- Median home price estimates range $337K-$365K depending on source and month; homeowners insurance estimates range $901-$1,330/yr, far below the Texas statewide average of roughly $4,350/yr.
- Texas's 0% state income tax offsets some cost for movers from higher-tax states; combined sales tax is 8.25% (the state cap).
- The rental market is genuinely student-skewed (65% renter-occupied households), so average-rent figures vary widely by source methodology -- confirm what is actually being averaged before comparing to another city.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full College Station overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert