Austin Ranks Most Affordable Metro for Solo Renters
Renters in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth find the state's metros near the top of a national affordability list.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Apartments
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Apartments.com ranked Austin first among the 10 most affordable U.S. metros for living alone, in a list released October 12, 2026. Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio also made the top 10 for Texas renters.
Why it matters
The ranking compares average one-bedroom rent with median renter household income, so it speaks directly to how much of a paycheck a solo renter in Texas can expect to hand over each month. For Texas households weighing a lease, the three state metros on the list show that rent burden varies widely even within the same state.
Austin ranked No. 1, San Antonio No. 6, and Dallas-Fort Worth No. 7 among the 10 most affordable metros for living alone. Austin's average one-bedroom rent is $1,348 against a median renter household income of just over $70,000, while Dallas-Fort Worth's median renter income is $63,172.
The players
Apartments.com
A national rental listings platform that publishes annual market rankings to help renters compare housing costs across U.S. metros.
The details
Apartments.com calculates each metro's affordability by dividing average monthly one-bedroom rent by median renter household income, producing the share of income that renters spend on housing. Austin's 23.1% is the lowest share on the list, reflecting higher renter incomes relative to rent than in the other Texas metros. San Antonio's lower average rent of $1,082 is offset by a median renter income of $51,029, which keeps its rent burden at 25.4%.
Timeline
October 12, 2026: Apartments.com releases its 10 Most Affordable Metros for Living Alone list.
The Home Front
The ranking uses the rent-to-income share as its yardstick, a common way to judge whether a metro's rents are manageable for renters. Here Texas shows a spread from 23.1% in Austin to 25.6% in Dallas-Fort Worth, all within the state's major renter markets.
If you rent a one-bedroom in Texas, compare your current rent against your household income to see where your share falls relative to the 23.1% to 25.6% range in these metros. Before signing or renewing, ask your landlord to put the full monthly cost, including fees, in writing.
The takeaway
Rent burden in Texas is not uniform, so a lease that feels affordable in Austin may strain a budget in Dallas-Fort Worth or San Antonio. Calculate your own rent-to-income share before you commit to a new place.
Further reading
For more on lease options across the state, browse the Apartments section of We are Home.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MySA.
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