Comparison of Cost of Living Indices Between Selected Texas Metropolitan Areas and the U.S.
(U.S. is the comparison standard, all values for U.S. indices set at 100 - Data as of 4th quarter of 2002)
Updated July 2004
Texas Metropolitan Area	Overall Cost of Living: Composite Index  (U.S. = 100) *	Cost of Groceries Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Housing Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Utilities Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Transportation Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Health Care Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Miscellaneous Goods and Services (U.S. = 100)
Abilene	87.2	80.3	76.6	97.7	97.8	88.1	93.6
Amarillo	90.0	88.4	86.3	81.7	94.5	84.3	95.4
Beaumont-Port Arthur	91.9	85.8	77.8	90.5	101.2	103.6	102.4
El Paso	94.0	95.1	79.8	90.9	95.9	110.1	103.1
Houston	90.8	82.7	79.6	98.8	106.9	102.8	95.6
Killeen-Temple	93.0	89.5	88.4	84.8	99.2	93.7	98.7
Longview-Marshall	86.8	85.9	78.5	78.2	91.9	95.1	93.5
Lubbock	87.9	87.6	77.9	75.3	95.8	105.3	94.6
Texas Metropolitan Area	Overall Cost of Living: Composite Index  (U.S. = 100) *	Cost of Groceries Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Housing Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Utilities Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Transportation Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Health Care Index (U.S. = 100)	Cost of Miscellaneous Goods and Services (U.S. = 100)
Odessa-Midland	89.0	88.0	76.6	93.3	92.6	91.5	97.4
San Angelo	88.8	88.8	73.1	83.8	98.3	93.3	99.7
San Antonio	91.1	79.9	94.6	79.7	83.7	90.8	98.6
Sherman-Denison	92.3	99.9	80.5	99.3	90.0	98.2	96.7
Tyler	95.1	91.9	92.5	102.9	97.4	106.6	94.5
Victoria	87.4	84.9	76.1	114.9	91.4	84.8	90.7
Waco	89.1	85.4	81.3	104.1	95.8	91.6	91.4
Index Average Across Selected Texas Metropolitan Areas	90.3	87.6	81.3	91.7	95.5	96.0	96.4
Percent Difference: Selected Texas Areas Compared to U.S.	-9.7	-12.4	-18.7	-8.3	-4.5	-4.0	-3.6
* Excluding taxes
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau.  Statistical Abstract of the United States 2003. Table 716.
TXHHSC Contact:
Edli E. Colberg
edli.colberg@hhsc.state.tx.us