Austin Ranks Most Affordable Metro for Living Alone
Apartments.com's October 12 list places three Texas metros among the 10 most affordable U.S. cities for single renters.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Apartments
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Apartments.com released its list of the 10 Most Affordable Metros for Living Alone on October 12, with Austin ranked first. Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio also placed in the top 10, at No. 7 and No. 6 respectively.
Why it matters
The ranking measures average one-bedroom rent against median renter household income, showing how far a single renter's paycheck stretches in each metro. For Texas renters, the results suggest housing costs remain comparatively manageable in several major cities relative to local earnings.
Austin's average one-bedroom rent is $1,348 per month against a median renter household income of just over $70,000, while Dallas-Fort Worth's average rent is also $1,348 against a median of $63,172. The stub does not indicate whether these figures reflect a single survey period or how they compare with prior years.
The players
Apartments.com
Apartments.com is an online rental listing platform that publishes annual housing market rankings and data reports.
The details
Austin ranked first on the list, with renters devoting 23.1% of income to rent, the lowest share among the metros ranked. San Antonio, with an average one-bedroom rent of $1,082 and a median renter income of $51,029, ranked No. 6, while Dallas-Fort Worth ranked No. 7. Oklahoma City recorded the lowest average rent nationally at $931 per month.
Timeline
October 12, 2026: Apartments.com released its 10 Most Affordable Metros for Living Alone list.
Market Landscape
The ranking compares Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth against other large U.S. metros using a rent-to-income measure rather than rent alone. Because the methodology weighs local earnings, a city with moderate rents can still rank low if renter incomes are comparatively weak.
Single renters in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth spend roughly a quarter or less of their income on rent according to this ranking, which may inform budgeting and relocation decisions. Renters comparing options should weigh local rent levels against their own income, since the ranking reflects median household figures rather than individual circumstances.
The takeaway
Affordability depends on income as much as rent, so renters should compare a city's average one-bedroom price against their own earnings before choosing where to live. Texas metros rank well on this measure, though individual budgets will vary.
Further reading
For more on rental costs across the state, explore Apartments coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MySA.
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