City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Gastonia | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,075/mo | $1,235/mo | 13.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $219,700 | $235,000 | 6.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,047 | $60,440 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.6 | 97.7 | 0.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 95.3 | 106.5 | 10.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 82.2 | 97.3 | 15.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.4 | 90.9 | 4.9% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Gastonia, you'd need $110,198 in Houston to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Gastonia, NC is about 9.3% cheaper overall than Houston, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 13% lower in Gastonia than in Houston. If you earn $80,000 in Gastonia, you'd need about $88,158 in Houston to keep the same standard of living.