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Log outAffordable Housing in Texas: Top 5 Cities for 2026
Affordable Housing in Texas is still available for buyers who compare regions carefully.
Wherever you plan to buy a home, there are many things you need to check. You need to look at the average home price in the area you want to move to, which neighborhoods are good to live in, and whether the surrounding area feels safe.
That is why today’s topic is this: a list of cities for buyers looking for affordable housing in Texas in 2026. We will also go over how to check neighborhood safety and answer frequently asked questions from prospective homebuyers. 😉
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Affordable Housing in Texas: What Will the Market Look Like in 2026?
According to publicly available Zillow and Realtor.com data as of February to March 2026, the key trends in the Texas housing market in 2026 are as follows.
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Statewide median home value: about $297,592, down 2.3% year over year
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A gradual correction continues after the pandemic peak
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Compared with ultra-high-cost states such as California and New York, many areas in Texas are still easier to budget for as a primary residence
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Cities With More Affordable Housing in Texas and Strong Livability
1. San Antonio
- Location: A major metro area in South Texas centered on Bexar County
- Median home price: about $289,000
- Pros: It is one of the more accessible major metro areas in Texas in terms of price, with broad employment bases in healthcare, tourism, and the military. It offers big-city infrastructure while keeping home prices relatively manageable.
- Cons: The city is spread out, so car-dependent living is the norm, and summers are very hot. Neighborhood conditions also vary a lot, so it is better to compare sub-areas rather than think of San Antonio as a single market.
- Tip: It is worth considering first if your top priority is budget but you still want access to big-city living infrastructure. It is a good idea to compare more convenient areas such as North and Northwest San Antonio against more affordable outer areas.
- Why it stands out: San Antonio is a city worth considering if you want a balance between home price accessibility and everyday living infrastructure among major Texas metros.
2. Fort Worth
- Location: West side of the Dallas–Fort Worth metro in North Texas
- Median home price: about $347,700
- Pros: It is part of the DFW metro while still being more affordable than many northern Dallas suburbs.
- Cons: The metro area is wide and highly car-dependent. If you commute toward Dallas, the distance may feel longer than expected.
- Tip: It is important to check your actual commute route first, since your experience can differ greatly depending on whether your job is in Dallas or Fort Worth.
- Why it stands out: Fort Worth is a city where you can consider both access to a large metro job market and relatively reasonable home prices.
3. Katy
- Location: Western suburb of Houston
- Median home price: about $375,000
- Pros: It is a popular area for family-oriented owner-occupants in the Houston suburbs, and it is relatively easy to find a planned suburban residential environment.
- Cons: Rush-hour traffic can be heavy, and depending on the area, flood risk and insurance conditions need to be checked carefully.
- Tip: Be sure to compare ZIP-code-level differences, since areas like ZIP 77449 can offer relatively lower price points.
- Why it stands out: Katy can be a good fit for end users who want both access to Houston and a suburban residential environment.
4. New Braunfels
- Location: Along the I-35 corridor between San Antonio and Austin
- Median home price: about $385,000
- Pros: Its biggest advantage is that it sits between San Antonio and Austin, giving it access to both metro areas.
- Cons: Prices can vary a lot because newer subdivisions and older housing stock are mixed together. If you commute daily to Austin or San Antonio, the distance may feel longer than expected.
- Tip: Because price differences between ZIP codes such as 78130 and 78132 are large, it is better to narrow your search by ZIP first if you have a fixed budget.
- Why it stands out: New Braunfels offers a chance to target a price point one step below the major metros while still staying within Central Texas’s growth corridor.
5. Round Rock
- Location: Northern suburb of Austin
- Median home price: about $414,908
- Pros: It has strong access to the Austin job market, and buyers often have more negotiating room than in Austin’s core areas.
- Cons: It is more expensive than San Antonio or Fort Worth, and the premium for Austin tech access can stretch your budget.
- Tip: You should not judge the city only by its average price, because ZIP codes such as 78664, 78665, and 78681 can feel quite different in practice.
- Why it stands out: Round Rock is often considered a more realistic alternative within the Austin metro area.
🔎 Here is how these cities were evaluated.
- These areas were selected from an editorial perspective by considering median home prices, metro access, living infrastructure, and overall residential convenience.
- Median home prices were based on Realtor.com’s market overview data as of March 25, 2026.
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Neighborhood Safety Matters Too
When searching for affordable housing in California, safety should never be treated as a secondary issue.
Even within the same city, the feel of a neighborhood can change dramatically from one street to the next, so it is important to double-check local conditions before making a decision.
- Check crime maps: Visit online crime mapping sites such as CityProtect or SpotCrime, or local police department websites
- Visit during the day and at night, on weekdays and weekends: A neighborhood that seems peaceful during the day may feel very different at night or on weekends
- Check the atmosphere of nearby infrastructure: The condition of parks, local markets, and even abandoned vehicles can signal the true quality of an area
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Where are the most affordable areas to buy a home in Texas?
It is hard to define just one or two places as the cheapest in all of Texas. However, among the cities covered in this article, San Antonio, Fort Worth, some Katy ZIP codes, and some New Braunfels ZIP codes are relatively accessible in terms of price. Based on Realtor.com data from December 2025 to January 2026, median prices were about $285,000 in San Antonio, $345,000 in Fort Worth, $375,000 in Katy, and $399,000 in New Braunfels.
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I currently live in Korea. Can I buy a home in Texas?
It may be possible. If you meet the required documentation standards for credit and income, some non-U.S. citizens may be able to purchase a home through a mortgage loan. However, actual mortgage eligibility can vary depending on your immigration status, U.S. income, assets, credit profile, and specific program requirements.
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Why can’t I look at home prices alone in Texas?
Because property taxes and insurance costs matter. Texas does not have a state-level property tax, and local taxing units set the rates, so the actual monthly burden can vary significantly depending on the area.
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Austin and Dallas are more famous. Why are some suburbs included in this article instead?
This article is based on budget and owner-occupant livability rather than city prestige alone. Since central Austin and core northern Dallas suburbs are still expensive, alternative cities such as Round Rock and Fort Worth were included.
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