Beaumont vs Houston
Compare Beaumont, TX and Houston, TX on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Beaumont is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $992/mo versus $1,301/mo in Houston — a gap of about $309/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,126/mo against $1,357/mo. Across the four public-data screens Houston comes out ahead (257 vs 233 summed points), though Beaumont still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 92°F and 94°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Beaumont; if walkable daily life matters more, Houston screens stronger on the walkability proxy (22 vs 3). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Beaumont leads 77 to 66 on the cost and climate screen.
Houston leads 78 to 75 on the work screen.
Houston leads 55 to 30 on the daily life screen.
Houston leads 58 to 51 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Beaumont is roughly $28,333 in Houston using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Beaumont | Houston | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $992/mo | $1,301/mo | Beaumont |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,126/mo | $1,357/mo | Beaumont |
| Median home value | $155,000 | $254,000 | Beaumont |
| State income tax | None | None | Tie |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 32.5 min | Beaumont |
| Safety score | 44/100 | 31/100 | Beaumont |
| School score | 3/10 | 6/10 | Houston |
| Walkability estimate | 3/100 | 22/100 | Houston |
| Outdoor score | 5/10 | 7/10 | Houston |
| Restaurants per 100k | 163.8 | 181.2 | Houston |
| Mountain distance | 264 mi | 299 mi | Beaumont |
| Coast distance | 19 mi | 19 mi | Tie |
What stands out
Beaumont stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Named beach within 29 miles
- Coast access within 19 miles
Beaumont tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Houston stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Major airport access
- Trail access within 45 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
Houston tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Beaumont cheaper than Houston?
On public benchmarks Beaumont is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $992/mo in Beaumont vs $1,301/mo in Houston; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,126/mo vs $1,357/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 0%.
Is Beaumont or Houston safer?
Beaumont screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 44/100 for Beaumont and 31/100 for Houston (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Beaumont or Houston?
School screens show 3/10 for Beaumont vs 6/10 for Houston, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Beaumont and Houston?
Beaumont: summer highs near 92°F, winter lows near 38°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Houston: 94°F / 42°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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