Harris County vs Travis County
Harris County, Texas versus Travis County, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Travis County edges out Harris County on overall objective livability (46 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Harris County | Travis County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $57k |
| Home Value | $235k | $445k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $925k | $285k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.77% | 1.61% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.59% | 10.43% |
| Unemployment | 6.4% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 54°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.8 in | 37.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 192 days | 226 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 122 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 99.9 | 97.7 |
| Air Quality | 64 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.3 | 86.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2387/100k | 1837/100k |
| Property Crime | 3602/100k | 3003/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,726,177 | 1,289,054 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 27.6% | 47.7% |
| Black (%) | 18.5% | 7.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 43.9% | 33.3% |
| Asian (%) | 7.0% | 7.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 92.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.29 | 8.33 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Harris County or Travis County more affordable?
- Harris County has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Harris County's $48k and Travis County's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Harris County versus $2k in Travis County.
- Is Harris County or Travis County safer?
- Travis County has the lower violent crime rate. Harris County reports 2387/100k and Travis County reports 1837/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Harris County or Travis County?
- The median home value is $235k in Harris County and $445k in Travis County, so homes are more affordable in Harris County.