To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Texas needs to pay from $20.55 an hour in Hudspeth County to $60.27 in Rockwall County, before taxes. The middle county is Tyler County at $25.03.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Andrews County | $29.92/hr | $1,007/mo |
| Angelina County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Aransas County | $30.98/hr | $1,041/mo |
| Archer County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Armstrong County | $23.38/hr | $797/mo |
| Atascosa County | $25.19/hr | $855/mo |
| Austin County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Bailey County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Bandera County | $27.21/hr | $920/mo |
| Bastrop County | $40.73/hr | $1,330/mo |
| Baylor County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Bee County | $28.15/hr | $950/mo |
| Bell County | $28.61/hr | $965/mo |
| Bexar County | $32.81/hr | $1,100/mo |
| Blanco County | $34.71/hr | $1,160/mo |
| Borden County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Bosque County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Bowie County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Brazoria County | $29.70/hr | $1,000/mo |
| Brazos County | $32.50/hr | $1,090/mo |
| Brewster County | $22.89/hr | $781/mo |
| Briscoe County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Brooks County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Brown County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Burleson County | $29.86/hr | $1,005/mo |
| Burnet County | $34.06/hr | $1,140/mo |
| Caldwell County | $33.59/hr | $1,125/mo |
| Calhoun County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Callahan County | $26.90/hr | $910/mo |
| Cameron County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Camp County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Carson County | $21.61/hr | $740/mo |
| Cass County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Castro County | $27.06/hr | $915/mo |
| Chambers County | $35.05/hr | $1,170/mo |
| Cherokee County | $23.63/hr | $805/mo |
| Childress County | $25.25/hr | $857/mo |
| Clay County | $21.92/hr | $750/mo |
| Cochran County | $21.46/hr | $735/mo |
| Coke County | $23.63/hr | $805/mo |
| Coleman County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Collin County | $59.92/hr | $1,870/mo |
| Collingsworth County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Colorado County | $27.06/hr | $915/mo |
| Comal County | $38.95/hr | $1,280/mo |
| Comanche County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Concho County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Cooke County | $31.10/hr | $1,045/mo |
| Coryell County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Cottle County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Crane County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Crockett County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Crosby County | $21.61/hr | $740/mo |
| Culberson County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Dallam County | $31.26/hr | $1,050/mo |
| Dallas County | $45.70/hr | $1,470/mo |
| Dawson County | $39.30/hr | $1,290/mo |
| Deaf Smith County | $22.82/hr | $779/mo |
| Delta County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Denton County | $51.74/hr | $1,640/mo |
| DeWitt County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Dickens County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Dimmit County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Donley County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Duval County | $29.70/hr | $1,000/mo |
| Eastland County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Ector County | $35.40/hr | $1,180/mo |
| Edwards County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| El Paso County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Ellis County | $43.92/hr | $1,420/mo |
| Erath County | $25.50/hr | $865/mo |
| Falls County | $25.81/hr | $875/mo |
| Fannin County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Fayette County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Fisher County | $23.01/hr | $785/mo |
| Floyd County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Foard County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Fort Bend County | $49.61/hr | $1,580/mo |
| Franklin County | $25.81/hr | $875/mo |
| Freestone County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Frio County | $26.43/hr | $895/mo |
| Gaines County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Galveston County | $36.28/hr | $1,205/mo |
| Garza County | $23.04/hr | $786/mo |
| Gillespie County | $33.75/hr | $1,130/mo |
| Glasscock County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Goliad County | $34.03/hr | $1,139/mo |
| Gonzales County | $21.46/hr | $735/mo |
| Gray County | $24.19/hr | $823/mo |
| Grayson County | $31.57/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Gregg County | $28.77/hr | $970/mo |
| Grimes County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Guadalupe County | $31.41/hr | $1,055/mo |
| Hale County | $21.30/hr | $730/mo |
| Hall County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Hamilton County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Hansford County | $27.83/hr | $940/mo |
| Hardeman County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Hardin County | $27.21/hr | $920/mo |
| Harris County | $36.46/hr | $1,210/mo |
| Harrison County | $26.43/hr | $895/mo |
| Hartley County | $27.40/hr | $926/mo |
| Haskell County | $23.94/hr | $815/mo |
| Hays County | $42.15/hr | $1,370/mo |
| Hemphill County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Henderson County | $24.57/hr | $835/mo |
| Hidalgo County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Hill County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Hockley County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Hood County | $34.37/hr | $1,150/mo |
| Hopkins County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Houston County | $23.94/hr | $815/mo |
| Howard County | $39.30/hr | $1,290/mo |
| Hudspeth County | $20.55/hr | $706/mo |
| Hunt County | $31.57/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Hutchinson County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Irion County | $28.33/hr | $956/mo |
| Jack County | $23.94/hr | $815/mo |
| Jackson County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Jasper County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Jeff Davis County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Jefferson County | $29.39/hr | $990/mo |
| Jim Hogg County | $23.29/hr | $794/mo |
| Jim Wells County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Johnson County | $39.13/hr | $1,285/mo |
| Jones County | $26.90/hr | $910/mo |
| Karnes County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Kaufman County | $35.75/hr | $1,190/mo |
| Kendall County | $35.93/hr | $1,195/mo |
| Kenedy County | $24.66/hr | $838/mo |
| Kent County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Kerr County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Kimble County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| King County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Kinney County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Kleberg County | $27.15/hr | $918/mo |
| Knox County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| La Salle County | $23.98/hr | $816/mo |
| Lamar County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Lamb County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Lampasas County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Lavaca County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Lee County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Leon County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Liberty County | $27.21/hr | $920/mo |
| Limestone County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Lipscomb County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Live Oak County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Llano County | $25.03/hr | $850/mo |
| Loving County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Lubbock County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Lynn County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Madison County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Marion County | $23.20/hr | $791/mo |
| Martin County | $39.30/hr | $1,290/mo |
| Mason County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Matagorda County | $28.61/hr | $965/mo |
| Maverick County | $26.40/hr | $894/mo |
| McCulloch County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| McLennan County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| McMullen County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Medina County | $30.32/hr | $1,020/mo |
| Menard County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Midland County | $40.90/hr | $1,335/mo |
| Milam County | $26.90/hr | $910/mo |
| Mills County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Mitchell County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Montague County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Montgomery County | $38.42/hr | $1,265/mo |
| Moore County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Morris County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Motley County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Nacogdoches County | $27.21/hr | $920/mo |
| Navarro County | $24.57/hr | $835/mo |
| Newton County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Nolan County | $25.50/hr | $865/mo |
| Nueces County | $30.32/hr | $1,020/mo |
| Ochiltree County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Oldham County | $22.45/hr | $767/mo |
| Orange County | $28.46/hr | $960/mo |
| Palo Pinto County | $24.26/hr | $825/mo |
| Panola County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Parker County | $43.92/hr | $1,420/mo |
| Parmer County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Pecos County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Polk County | $28.15/hr | $950/mo |
| Potter County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Presidio County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Rains County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Randall County | $25.81/hr | $875/mo |
| Reagan County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Real County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Red River County | $21.77/hr | $745/mo |
| Reeves County | $26.15/hr | $886/mo |
| Refugio County | $23.94/hr | $815/mo |
| Roberts County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Robertson County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Rockwall County | $60.27/hr | $1,880/mo |
| Runnels County | $25.81/hr | $875/mo |
| Rusk County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Sabine County | $24.88/hr | $845/mo |
| San Augustine County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| San Jacinto County | $26.74/hr | $905/mo |
| San Patricio County | $31.57/hr | $1,060/mo |
| San Saba County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Schleicher County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Scurry County | $27.37/hr | $925/mo |
| Shackelford County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Shelby County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Sherman County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Smith County | $28.77/hr | $970/mo |
| Somervell County | $30.01/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Starr County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Stephens County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Sterling County | $26.62/hr | $901/mo |
| Stonewall County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Sutton County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Swisher County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Tarrant County | $47.83/hr | $1,530/mo |
| Taylor County | $28.77/hr | $970/mo |
| Terrell County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Terry County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Throckmorton County | $23.66/hr | $806/mo |
| Titus County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Tom Green County | $29.86/hr | $1,005/mo |
| Travis County | $47.66/hr | $1,525/mo |
| Trinity County | $25.03/hr | $850/mo |
| Tyler County | $25.03/hr | $850/mo |
| Upshur County | $28.77/hr | $970/mo |
| Upton County | $24.07/hr | $819/mo |
| Uvalde County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Val Verde County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Van Zandt County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Victoria County | $32.66/hr | $1,095/mo |
| Walker County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Waller County | $30.95/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Ward County | $31.85/hr | $1,069/mo |
| Washington County | $30.01/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Webb County | $28.46/hr | $960/mo |
| Wharton County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Wheeler County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Wichita County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Wilbarger County | $25.50/hr | $865/mo |
| Willacy County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
| Williamson County | $45.35/hr | $1,460/mo |
| Wilson County | $28.30/hr | $955/mo |
| Winkler County | $24.82/hr | $843/mo |
| Wise County | $26.12/hr | $885/mo |
| Wood County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Yoakum County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Young County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Zapata County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Zavala County | $22.58/hr | $771/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?