Detroit-Warren-Dearborn → Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 100.3 to 98.6 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $316/mo.

-$1,973
BLS median salary lower in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
431 to 395
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
16.7:1 to 14.4:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$122
DOL infant care higher / yr in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 100.3 → 98.6
Rent Delta: -$316/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $316/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 100.3 to 98.6 (ratio 0.98), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $316/mo ($3,792/yr) from $1,411 in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to $1,095 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands sits #248 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn is #346/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $1,973 lower ($71,303 → $69,330). Labor-market size: 1,883,860 tracked jobs at origin vs 3,246,270 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Texas scores 65 (C, #19/51) vs Michigan at 49 (F, #42/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 100.3
RPP 98.6
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Rent (2BR)
$1,411/mo
$1,095/mo
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Wages
$71,303
$69,330
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Crime
431 per 100K
395 per 100K
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Schools
16.7:1
14.4:1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Childcare
$7,444/yr
$7,566/yr
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Environment
1120 violations
35693 violations
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Michigan
49 F #42/51
Income tax
72
Property tax
59
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
16
Destination state · Texas
65 C #19/51
Income tax
100
Property tax
55
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
44

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to see what you'd need to earn in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
-

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026