Texas leads the rest of the country when it comes to housing affordability
Affordable Living
Texas leads the rest of the country when it comes to housing affordability, according to second quarter 2009 Texas Housing Affordability Index (AI) numbers. The ratio reflects the ability of a median-income family to purchase a median-priced existing home in its area. Texas had a ratio of 1.85 in second quarter 2009 compared with the nation’s 1.57. Here are 6 of the most affordable markets in Texas.
| MLS Area | Ratio | Median Sales Price | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garland | 3.10 | $105,100 | $67,600 |
| Sherman-Denison | 3.03 | $91,900 | $57,900 |
| Fort Worth | 2.71 | $114,700 | $64,600 |
| Brazoria County | 2.58 | $131,400 | $71,400 |
| Palestine | 2.56 | $88,100 | $46,900 |
| Paris | 2.46 | $95,000 | $48,500 |
Source: Texas A&M University Real Estate Center
Return on Investment
Forbes’ biennial ranking of the top U.S. business schools, which is based partly on the return on investment achieved by 17,000 class of 2004 MBA graduates from 103 schools, includes these Texas MBA programs.
| School of Business | Pre-MBA earnings (2004) | Earnings in 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| McCombs at UT-Austin | $57,000 | $125,000 |
| Mays at Texas A&M | $47,000 | $102,000 |
| Cox at Southern Methodist University | $52,000 | $122,000 |
| Neeley at Texas Christian University | $41,000 | $85,000 |
Source: Forbes.com