Ohio vs Texas

Enter your current annual income to compare its purchasing power between the two states.

In $100,000 in Ohio

$107,759

Price level 92.8

The same income in Texas

$102,987

Price level 97.1

$100,000 has $4,772 more purchasing power in Ohio.

Figures are in national-average dollars: what the income buys once each state's prices are accounted for (US = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, released February 19, 2026. How it's calculated

Salary needed in Texas

$104,634

to match $100,000 in Ohio, before tax.

We compare it with your current income after local prices.

Show the math
adjusted = income ÷ (RPP ÷ 100)
Ohio: $100,000 ÷ (92.8 ÷ 100) = $107,759
Texas: $100,000 ÷ (97.1 ÷ 100) = $102,987
difference: $102,987 − $107,759 = −$4,772
Where the difference comes fromPrice components

Where the difference comes from

Price level by component, 100 = US average. The Difference column compares the destination price level with the origin; higher means the destination is more expensive.

Regional price parity by component for the two states, with the percentage difference.
Component Ohio Texas Difference
All items 92.8 97.1 +4.6%
Housing rents 73.0 96.5 +32.2%
Goods 93.7 98.1 +4.7%
Utilities 95.8 87.5 −8.7%
Other services 98.9 97.1 −1.8%

BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data

Housing reality checkRent, homes & property tax

Housing reality check

ACS median gross rent, home value, and real estate taxes paid — statewide context beyond the index.

Ohio Median rent$1,034/mo Median home$214,800 Median property tax paid$2,822/yr
Texas Median rent$1,403/mo Median home$283,800 Median property tax paid$4,232/yr

US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data

Tax at a glanceIncome & sales tax

Tax at a glance

Hand-curated, tax year 2026 · verified 2026-07-20

Top marginal and average combined rates do not estimate a household's total tax liability.

Income and sales tax for the two states.
Tax Ohio Texas
Income tax (top rate) 2.75% None
Sales tax (combined avg) 7.29% 8.20%

Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20

Official data Manually maintained 2 of 3 metrics sourced from official sources, 1 manually maintained. How every number is calculated →

Who comes out ahead in Texas?

The answer depends on your situation. Each card compares statewide medians for one situation; the state named is the one the numbers favor.

Keeping the same salary (remote work, pension) Favors Ohio

An unchanged income buys about 4.4% less in Texas than in Ohio. On $100,000 that is $4,772 of national-average purchasing power a year.

Renting Favors Ohio

Median gross rent is $1,034 in Ohio and $1,403 in Texas, $369 a month ($4,428 a year) more in Texas. Renters spend a median 28.3% and 30.9% of income on rent.

Buying a home Favors Ohio

The median home is worth $214,800 in Ohio (3× median household income) and $283,800 in Texas (3.6×). Median property taxes equal 1.31% and 1.49% of the median home value.

Earning a typical local income Favors Texas

Median household income is $71,389 in Ohio and $78,476 in Texas. After adjusting for prices, that is $76,928 and $80,820: local pay goes further in Texas.

Looking for work Favors Ohio

Unemployment is 3.4% in Ohio and 4.5% in Texas (July 2026). Ohio has the tighter labor market by 1.1 points. Pay for specific jobs is compared below.

Ohio and Texas head to head

Statewide figures the calculator above does not show. “Edge” (bold on small screens) marks the state with the lower cost or higher income on that row; rows without a clear better direction are left blank.

Ohio compared with Texas on income, housing, taxes, and jobs.
MeasureOhioTexasEdge
Income
Median household income $71,389 $78,476 Texas
Adjusted for local prices $76,928 $80,820 Texas
Housing
Homeownership rate 67.2% 62.6%
Rent as % of renter income 28.3% 30.9% Ohio
Owner costs as % of income 16.0% 17.6% Ohio
Home value ÷ household income 3× 3.6× Ohio
Home price change, 2020–2025 · FHFA index +54.3% +44.2%
Taxes
Top income tax rate 2.75% (flat) None on wages Texas
Combined sales tax (avg) 7.29% 8.20% Ohio
Median property tax paid $2,822 $4,232 Ohio
Property tax ÷ home value 1.31% 1.49% Ohio
Jobs
Unemployment (July 2026) 3.4% 4.5% Ohio
Minimum wage $11.00/hr $7.25/hr
Everyday costs
Median rent, 2 bedrooms $1,063/mo $1,395/mo Ohio
Average electric bill (2024) $135/mo $164/mo Ohio
Electricity price 16.0¢/kWh 14.9¢/kWh Texas
Health care spending per person (2025) $10,900 $8,294
All consumer spending per person (2025) $55,295 $55,875
People
Population change since July 2020 +0.9% +8.4%
Net moves from other states −27,732 +760,233
Median age 39.7 35.6
Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) 31.5% 33.8%
No health insurance 6.4% 17.1% Ohio
Average commute 23.4 min 26.7 min Ohio
Crime (2025, per 100,000 residents)
Violent crime 275.6 344.9 Ohio
Property crime 1,428.8 1,786 Ohio
Murder 4.5 4.6 Ohio
Climate (1991–2020 averages)
Average temperature 51.7°F 65.8°F
July average high 84.0°F 94.6°F
January average low 20.3°F 34.8°F
Precipitation 41.1 in 28.6 in

Sources: Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates, FHFA house price index via FRED, BLS LAUS, Tax Foundation 2026, US DOL minimum wage, EIA, BEA consumer spending, Census population estimates, FBI crime estimates, and NOAA statewide climate. Median property tax covers owner-occupied homes. Spending is in current dollars and reflects both prices and incomes.

Who is moving between Ohio and Texas

Ohio → Texas13,455±4,323
Texas → Ohio8,797±2,340

In 2024, about 13,455 people living in Texas had lived in Ohio a year earlier, and about 8,797 made the opposite move. The difference (+4,658 for Texas) is within the survey's margin of error, so the flow is roughly balanced.

Census State-to-State Migration Flows (ACS 1-year, 2024). ± values are 90% margins of error. Ohio and Texas profiles list each state's largest sources and destinations. What the biggest moves trade →

Salary in Texas that matches your Ohio pay

Pre-tax salary needed in Texas to keep the same purchasing power, using the all-items price levels (92.8 and 97.1).

Salary in OhioEquivalent in TexasDifference
$40,000 $41,853 +$1,853
$60,000 $62,780 +$2,780
$80,000 $83,707 +$3,707
$100,000 $104,634 +$4,634
$150,000 $156,950 +$6,950
$200,000 $209,267 +$9,267

What the same job pays in Ohio and Texas

BLS median annual wages (May 2025), then the same wages adjusted for each state's price level. The last column names the state where the job's median pay buys more.

OccupationOhioTexasOH adjustedTX adjustedGoes further in
Registered Nurses $82,510 $95,970 $88,912 $98,836 Texas
Software Developers $114,090 $132,150 $122,942 $136,097 Texas
Elementary School Teachers $77,370 $62,760 $83,373 $64,634 Ohio
Electricians $64,700 $58,570 $69,720 $60,319 Ohio
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,800 $56,290 $64,440 $57,971 Ohio
Accountants and Auditors $79,320 $80,920 $85,474 $83,337 Ohio
Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers $77,020 $75,900 $82,996 $78,167 Ohio
Pharmacists $137,020 $138,260 $147,651 $142,389 Ohio
Dental Hygienists $88,990 $99,240 $95,894 $102,204 Texas
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers $50,340 $53,340 $54,246 $54,933 Texas

Prices inside each state

A statewide price level averages cities and rural areas. The BEA also publishes price levels for metro areas; here is the range in each state.

Ohio

  • Lowest Youngstown-Warren, OH 87.4
  • Highest Columbus, OH 95.5
  • Metro areas 15

Texas

  • Lowest Eagle Pass, TX 83.8
  • Highest Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 103.1
  • Metro areas 26

Compare two metro areas directly →

Ohio vs Texas: the read

The bottom line

Compare a $100,000 income in Ohio and Texas: its purchasing power is $107,759 and $102,987, respectively, in national-average terms — a loss of $4,772. Ohio is the cheaper of the two, running at 92.8 on the price index versus 97.1.

Where the difference comes from

The widest gap on the index is housing rents: Ohio sits at 73 and Texas at 96.5 (100 = national), and Ohio has the edge there. Rent is also the largest item in most household budgets, so this gap does the most to separate the two states' overall price levels.

Housing

Median rent runs $1,034 in Ohio against $1,403 in Texas, and the typical home $214,800 versus $283,800. Ohio is the more affordable place to buy.

Taxes

On tax, Ohio has 2.75% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 7.29%; Texas has no wage income tax and 8.20%. Those headline rates are useful screening facts, but they do not calculate either household's total liability.

Full profiles: Ohio · Texas. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.

Ohio vs Texas: common questions

Is it cheaper to live in Ohio or Texas?

Ohio is cheaper overall. Its price level is 92.8 against 97.1 in Texas (US = 100), so the same basket of goods and services costs about 4.4% less there. The difference is usually largest for rent.

What salary in Texas matches $100,000 in Ohio?

About $104,634, before tax. That is $100,000 × 97.1 ÷ 92.8. Income tax, your actual rent or mortgage, and commuting costs can all shift the break-even point.

Which state has lower taxes, Ohio or Texas?

Ohio has a flat income tax with a top rate of 2.75% and an average combined sales tax of 7.29%. Texas has no tax on wage income and 8.20%. Median real estate taxes paid by owners are $2,822 and $4,232 a year. Which state costs a household less depends on its income, spending, and whether it owns a home.

Do people earn more in Ohio or Texas?

Median household income is $71,389 in Ohio and $78,476 in Texas. Adjusted for prices, that is $76,928 and $80,820 in national-average dollars, so households in Texas have more purchasing power at the median.

Are more people moving from Ohio to Texas or the other way?

In 2024, about 13,455 people moved from Ohio to Texas and about 8,797 moved from Texas to Ohio, according to Census state-to-state migration estimates. The difference is within the margin of error, so the two flows are roughly balanced.

Comparing a different pair? Use the full tool →