Overall
95.8
-4.2 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Midland, TX
Cost-of-living indicators for Midland, TX, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 33260 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #150 of 387
Midland, TX has a cost of living index of 95.8, meaning it's 4.2% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 6.2% less, services 16.8% less, and rents are 1.5% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $104,403 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Midland
Midland ranks #150 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 95.8, Midland, TX is 4.2% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Midland's most and least expensive categories — rents at 101.5 versus services at 83.2 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $104,403 inside Midland, while a household needs roughly $95,783 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 101.5 — 1.5% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Midland's overall index has stayed within 0.7 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 93.8 and services at 83.2, meaning everyday spending in Midland is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Midland Cost Index at a Glance
Midland all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Midland category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
93.8
-6.2 below avg
Services
83.2
-16.8 below avg
Rents
101.5
+1.5 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 95.8 (-4.2 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 93.8 (-6.2 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 83.2 (-16.8 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 101.5 (+1.5 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +1.5% (101.5)
Below National Average
Services -16.8% (83.2)
Goods -6.2% (93.8)
Overall -4.2% (95.8)
Income Adequacy in Midland
Midland income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 95.8
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$95,783
in Midland, TX purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$47,892
$75,000 nationally
$71,837
$125,000 nationally
$119,729
$150,000 nationally
$143,675
$200,000 nationally
$191,566
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 0.7 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.5 |
| 2009 | 96.2 |
| 2010 | 98.6 |
| 2011 | 101.1 |
| 2012 | 100.3 |
| 2013 | 101.5 |
| 2014 | 103.2 |
| 2015 | 104.3 |
| 2016 | 102.6 |
| 2017 | 100.6 |
| 2018 | 99.8 |
| 2019 | 100.5 |
| 2020 | 95.8 |
| 2021 | 97.7 |
| 2022 | 95.9 |
| 2023 | 95.4 |
| 2024 | 95.8 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Midland, TX's index of 95.8.
Other TX Metros
Related Data for Midland
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Midland area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Midland metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Midland
School Districts
NCES school data for Midland area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Midland area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Midland, TX? ▼
Midland, TX has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 95.8, meaning it is 4.2% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 93.8, services at 83.2, and rents at 101.5. It ranks #150 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Midland, TX to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $95,783 in Midland, TX. Conversely, $100K earned in Midland, TX has the purchasing power of $104,403 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Midland, TX? ▼
Rents in Midland, TX are indexed at 101.5, which is 1.5% above the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Midland, TX getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Midland, TX's overall cost index changed by -0.7 points (from 96.5 to 95.8). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What costs the most in Midland, TX? ▼
The most expensive category in Midland, TX is rents at 101.5, which is 1.5% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 83.2, 16.8% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Midland, TX? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Syracuse, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Midland, TX's 95.8.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
