79% of rentals in Houston are affordable for teachers – among the highest shares in the nation
For many teachers, finding a place to live that doesn’t break the bank can be nearly impossible, as rising costs of living and meager wage increases strain budgets.
However, Houston, TX bucks this trend: 78.8% of Houston rentals are affordable for teachers, up from 76.3% last year but nearly 5% lower than 2019.
Nationwide, 47.9% of rentals are affordable to teachers – up from 40.7% last year but much lower than 2019, when 58% of rentals were affordable. These figures underscore how much rents have outpaced wages, especially since the pandemic. This effect is beginning to wear off, though, as rent prices stabilize.
So why are so many Houston rentals affordable for teachers? Let’s find out.
Why are Houston rentals affordable to teachers?
Houston is so affordable for teachers largely because of its low housing costs and near-average wages.
As of 2024, the median wage for Houston teachers was $65,624, up 5% from last year but under the national median of $72,000. The median rent for teachers in Houston is $1,299, up 9.6% from 2023 and far below the nationwide median of $1,647, which is up over 30% from 2019.
Asking rents in Houston have risen dramatically since the pandemic – 40% from 2020-2022 – leading to higher eviction rates and pushing some residents out. The surge in prices were largely due to demand from people searching for a sunny and affordable place to live. Many chose to move to surrounding suburbs like Fort Bend and Montgomery.
Rents have now started cooling down throughout the metro due to a surplus in apartment supply, mirroring national trends.
Teacher pay in Houston is actually quite high, especially when compared to other Texas metros. The average starting salary for a Houston ISD teacher for 2024-25 is $64,000, compared to $55,616 statewide. Those with more experience can make well over $80,000, especially at NES schools (which serve historically underrepresented communities).
Overall, the average median wage for all Houston teachers has increased by over $6,000 since 2019, helping offset the spiking rents.
What’s happening with teacher affordability nationwide?
Nationally, teacher salary growth has actually outpaced rent price growth. The average public school teacher salary in 2023-2024 is ~$72,000, up 3.1% from the year prior, while median asking rents increased just 0.4% over the same time period. Rent growth is slowing or reversing in some parts of the country due to an increase in apartment supply.
Still, many teachers are struggling to find affordable rentals. Rent growth has slowed but remains just $53 below its 2022 record high, and teacher salaries have not kept pace with recent historic inflation. In fact, teacher salaries are actually 5% lower than a decade ago when adjusted for inflation. The combination of high rent prices, persistent inflation, and modest wage increases has resulted in record-low affordability.
However, in metros where teachers are paid more, affordability is often slightly better. An exception is in places with exceptionally expensive rentals, like San Jose and New York. These metros have among the lowest number of rentals affordable to teachers, even though median wages reach above $100,000.
Where do we go from here?
Homeownership remains out of reach for many educators, who, unlike many modern workers, don’t have the flexibility to work remotely from somewhere more affordable. Unfortunately, rentals are also quite expensive in many cities.
A few ways to help increase the amount of housing affordable to teachers include building affordable housing near schools, increasing pay, and allowing collective bargaining.
10 Most Affordable Metros for Teachers Looking to Rent
| Metro | Average share of rentals affordable to teachers* | YoY change in share of affordable rentals (ppts)* | Median asking rent | YoY change in median asking rent | Median teacher salary | YoY change in median teacher salary |
| Portland, OR | 91.3% | +16.4 ppts | $1,799 | -3.8% | $95,486 | +16.0% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 83.9% | +8.3 ppts | $1,465 | -3.5% | $71,162 | +3.9% |
| Atlanta, GA | 82.0% | +21.0 ppts | $1,573 | -0.9% | $76,004 | +15.3% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 80.6% | +37.0 ppts | $1,465 | -14.3% | $68,436 | +4.3% |
| Houston, TX | 78.8% | +2.0 ppts | $1,299 | +9.6% | $65,624 | +4.8% |
| Riverside, CA | 78.4% | +4.0 ppts | $2,315 | +1.8% | $102,309 | +2.0% |
| Seattle, WA | 77.5% | +9.4 ppts | $2,075 | -3.5% | $98,573 | +8.0% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 74.2% | -3.9 ppts | $1,356 | +9.9% | $65,464 | +4.9% |
| Detroit, MI | 69.9% | -2.1 ppts | $1,392 | +1.6% | $64,139 | -0.1% |
| Sacramento, CA | 67.2% | +17.0 ppts | $2,047 | +1.6% | $90,426 | +10.5% |
Table sorted by average share of rentals affordable to teachers
*Within commuting distance of school
Methodology
According to a Redfin analysis of local median teacher salaries and rental listings in commuting distance of public and private PreK-12 schools across 33 major U.S. metropolitan areas, as of July 2024. Rental data only covers apartments listed on Rent. and Redfin.
School location data came from GreatSchools. The 20-minute rush hour commute time was determined for each school using the WalkScore Travel Time API.
Annual teacher wage data came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program and covers the 2022-2023 school year (valid May 2023), unless otherwise noted.
A listing is considered “affordable” if the monthly payment was estimated to be no more than 30% of the metro area’s median monthly teacher income.
