What salary do you need to live in Killeen, TX?
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Killeen? Running the same score the where-to-live calculator uses, the answer for a two-bedroom at the local median rent of $1,099 is about $116,000 a year before tax. Below is how that line was found, what changes with a smaller or larger home, and how Killeen compares with similar metros.
The cost side of living in Killeen
Census figures put the median gross rent in the Killeen-Temple, TX metro at $908 for a one-bedroom, $1,099 for a two-bedroom and $1,386 for a three-bedroom. Moving from one to two bedrooms adds $191 a month, and the third bedroom another $287.
On the ownership side, the typical owner-occupied home is valued at $234,500. Against a median household income of $69,923, the ratio is 3.4× — one of the gentler home-price-to-income ratios in the country.
The Regional Price Parity, BEA's index of local prices with the US at 100, is 91.1 here. Below 100 means a paycheck stretches further: $100,000 in Killeen has the buying power of roughly $109,731 at national average prices.
The salary lines for a two-bedroom in Killeen
For two bedrooms, $116,000 is where Killeen turns Comfortable. Below that, $58,000 marks the start of Okay and $29,000 the start of Tight; under $29,000 the score reads Stretched. Rent at the Comfortable line is 11% of gross pay.
The Royal grade is within reach at $327,000 a year, where both rent and the median home price look small next to income.
Nothing here is a separate rule of thumb; plug any of these incomes into the calculator with two bedrooms and Killeen shows the matching grade.
| Grade | Starts at | Rent ÷ income | Home ÷ income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal | $327,000 | 4% | 0.7× |
| Comfortable | $116,000 | 11% | 2.0× |
| Okay | $58,000 | 23% | 4.0× |
| Tight | $29,000 | 45% | 8.1× |
Scores at $50K, $75K, $100K and $150K in Killeen
At $75,000 home size barely changes the picture: one, two and three bedrooms all grade Okay, with scores from 49 to 56.
Read down the two-bedroom column and the first Comfortable row is $150,000, consistent with the $116,000 line above.
| Income | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | 44 · Tight | 41 · Tight | 37 · Tight |
| $75,000 | 56 · Okay | 53 · Okay | 49 · Okay |
| $100,000 | 64 · Okay | 61 · Okay | 57 · Okay |
| $150,000 | 75 · Comfortable | 72 · Comfortable | 69 · Comfortable |
Where Killeen falls nationally
Ranked against all 387 metros, Killeen sits 265th on overall price level and 217th on the two-bedroom rent median, counting from the most expensive. Its median home value ranks 232nd.
Next to Killeen on the national rent ranking: Lawrence, KS ($1,100) and Elmira, NY ($1,098).
Killeen next to Texas and similar metros
Statewide, Texas's median two-bedroom rent is $1,395 and its median home value $283,800. Killeen's rent is −21% against that, and its home value −17%; the price parity is 91.1 versus 97.1 for the state.
The Texas figure for the Comfortable line, using state medians, is $166,000 against $116,000 for Killeen.
If Killeen is on your list, College Station-Bryan, TX, Lubbock, TX, and Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX are the most similar Texas metros by two-bedroom rent and price level; the table shows where each turns Comfortable.
| Metro | 2-bed rent | Median home | Price parity | Comfortable from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen, TX | $1,099 | $234,500 | 91.1 | $116,000 |
| College Station, TX | $1,097 | $279,700 | 91.0 | $125,000 |
| Lubbock, TX | $1,112 | $202,700 | 91.3 | $110,000 |
| Beaumont, TX | $1,105 | $173,600 | 90.0 | $99,000 |
Does the typical Killeen income clear the bar?
The median household in the metro earns $69,923 (ACS 2020-2024). Run through the calculator with two bedrooms, that scores 51, Okay. The Comfortable line is 66% above what the median household makes. Statewide, the Texas median household ($78,476) grades Tight on the state's own medians. Since a household can have two or more earners, compare it with a combined income rather than one paycheck.
These are pre-tax estimates from public statistics, not financial advice.
Score your own income in Killeen
Enter your pre-tax income and home size to see Killeen next to all 387 metros.
Open the calculatorSource: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional price parities by MSA (MARPP), line 1 "RPPs: All items"; metros per OMB bulletin 23-01, 2024 (released February 19, 2026); downloaded 2026-10-30.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year B25031 Median Gross Rent by Bedrooms (_003/_004/_005 = 1/2/3 bedrooms), 2020-2024; downloaded 2026-10-30.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year B25077 Median Value (Dollars), owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024; downloaded 2026-10-30.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year B19013 Median Household Income (display only), 2020-2024; downloaded 2026-10-30.
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.