| Index | Merkel | Texas | National |
| Cost of living | 82 | 92 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 93 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 95 | 96 | 100 |
| Health care | 93 | 94 | 100 |
| Housing | 51 | 83 | 100 |
| Transportation | 94 | 92 | 100 |
| Utilities | 103 | 104 | 100 |
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $73,403 | $6,117 | $1,713 | $2,202 |
| Renters | $21,360 | $1,780 | $498 | $641 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Texas | 6.25% | 8.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Texas | 0% | 0% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $30.33 | $24.26 | 25.0% |
| Beauty Salon | $31.44 | $45.56 | 31.0% |
| Toothpaste | $3.66 | $3.70 | 1.1% |
| Shampoo | $1.19 | $1.28 | 7.1% |
| Movie | $10.26 | $12.13 | 15.5% |
| Bowling | $15.22 | $18.00 | 15.4% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $5.46 | $5.84 | 6.5% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 | 6.2% |
| Milk | $4.51 | $4.67 | 3.4% |
| Potatoes | $4.88 | $4.93 | 1.2% |
| Pizza | $12.69 | $12.09 | 5.0% |
| Beer | $10.46 | $10.41 | 0.5% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $141.52 | $125.68 | 12.6% |
| Doctor | $117.53 | $135.78 | 13.4% |
| Dentist | $115.28 | $113.29 | 1.8% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.09 | $10.65 | 5.3% |
| Lipitor | $377.45 | $468.60 | 19.5% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $65,600.00 | $184,700.00 | 64.5% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $2,061.92 | $2,346.69 | 12.1% |
| Apartment Rent | $816.00 | $949.00 | 14.0% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.13 | $3.46 | 9.6% |
| Tire Balancing | $61.81 | $59.92 | 3.1% |
| Item | Merkel | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $193.23 | $193.99 | 0.4% |
| Phone | $209.24 | $192.25 | 8.8% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Trent, TX | 189 | 78 | 21.5% |
| Tye, TX | 1,090 | 81 | 18.7% |
| Hawley, TX | 447 | 83 | 16.6% |
| Buffalo Gap, TX | 609 | 92 | 7.6% |
| Merkel, TX | 2,618 | 82 | 18.4% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Indian Springs Village, AL | 2,618 | 133 | 33.4% |
| Pearl River, LA | 2,618 | 96 | 3.9% |
| Ruleville, MS | 2,617 | 79 | 20.8% |
| Freemansburg, PA | 2,617 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Homestead Valley, CA | 2,619 | 104 | 4.2% |
| Merkel, TX | 2,618 | 82 | 18.4% |
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