C+
16%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
57%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Little Elm Texas National
Cost of living11692100
Goods & Services10196100
Groceries9795100
Health care8797100
Housing15783100
Transportation9792100
Utilities104102100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Little Elm, TX

Knowing the cost of living in Little Elm allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Little Elm stands at 116, marking it 16% higher than the national average.

Housing costs significantly influence the Little Elm cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 56.7%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

Is Little Elm Affordable?

Is Little Elm an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Little Elm is 50.7% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 70.8% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Little Elm has a median household income of $141,647, which is 74.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Little Elm?

Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Little Elm, the housing index stands at 56.7% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Some cities and states may extend government subsidies or aid programs aimed at reducing the cost of living for their residents. These initiatives encompass diverse forms of support, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Regions with limited subsidy provisions may witness an increase in their overall cost of living.

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Little Elm, the general sales tax rate starts at 6.25%, and income tax rates begin at 0%.

Where is the Data From?

The Little Elm cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Little Elm is 26% higher than the Texas average
  • The cost of living in Little Elm is 16% higher than the national average
  • Little Elm housing is 57% higher than the national average
  • Texas general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Texas state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Little Elm

See all the best places to live around Little Elm

Compare Little Elm, TX Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$157,346$13,112$3,671$4,721
      Renters$95,699$7,975$2,233$2,871
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Little Elm, TX, as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Little Elm homeowners, is $157,346. This would allow for a maximum of $3,671 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $95,699 which would result in a maximum of $2,233 to be spent on rental costs.

      Texas Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Texas 6.25% 8.25%

      Texas Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Texas 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      Haircut $28.07$27.621.6%
      Beauty Salon $51.55$51.110.9%
      Toothpaste $4.02$4.091.8%
      Shampoo $1.58$1.542.5%
      Movie $12.33$12.884.3%
      Yoga $21.53$19.669.5%

      Groceries

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.28$7.705.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.60$1.663.7%
      Milk $4.48$4.735.3%
      Potatoes $5.51$5.264.8%
      Pizza $11.19$12.7612.3%
      Beer $11.06$10.554.8%

      Health Care

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $78.33$140.0644.1%
      Doctor $133.33$153.8213.3%
      Dentist $124.33$123.151.0%
      Ibuprofen $11.61$11.731.0%
      Lipitor $15.39$23.6134.8%

      Housing

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      Home Price $492,069.00$326,622.0050.7%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,137.16$2,480.2513.8%
      Apartment Rent $2,466.00$1,444.0070.8%

      Transportation

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.80$3.068.4%
      Tire Balancing $72.14$65.2110.6%

      Utilities

      Item Little Elm National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $227.75$220.123.5%
      Phone $205.01$195.714.8%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Bristol, TX4621087.7%
      Lincoln Park, TX1998019.8%
      Sanger, TX8,7471011.4%
      Lake Dallas, TX8,2921043.9%
      Aubrey, TX4,4931065.8%
      Little Elm, TX51,39511616.5%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Stillwater, OK51,366955.3%
      East Hartford, CT51,3521055.2%
      Poway, CA51,31118584.8%
      Enid, OK51,3018712.5%
      Plainfield, NJ51,29511716.9%
      Little Elm, TX51,39511616.5%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.