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City · 5,718 residents · Polk County, Texas

Livingston , Texas

In Livingston, a typical home is worth $200,100 and typical rent is $1,104 a month. Compared with all of Polk County, typical household income is 22% lower, typical rent is 12% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 28 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $200,100

    8% above the county

    29% below Texas

    • Livingston
    • Polk
    • Texas

  • Typical rent

    $1,104a month

    12% above the county

    21% below Texas

    • Livingston
    • Polk
    • Texas

  • Typical household income

    $48,841a year

    22% below the county

    38% below Texas

    • Livingston
    • Polk
    • Texas

  • Households that own their home

    50%

    28 points below the county

    12 points below Texas

    • Livingston
    • Polk
    • Texas

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$190,386
4.1% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,304 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Livingston is in Polk County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Polk County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Livingston apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 50% of households in Livingston own their home, against 78% in Polk County.

  2. Nearby, in Willis, the typical home value is $124,300: 38% less than in Livingston ($200,100).

  3. The typical household income in Livingston is $48,841, 22% less than in Polk County as a whole ($62,259).

  4. Nearby, in Cleveland, the typical rent is $930: 16% less than in Livingston ($1,104).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Livingston

What homes there are in Livingston, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Livingston, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Polk County.

Year built

The typical home in Livingston was built in 1976, 13 years before the typical one in Polk County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,465 a month

Polk County: $1,556 a month

Without a mortgage

$516 a month

Polk County: $490 a month

Owners with a mortgage

36%

Polk County: 37%

In Livingston, 36% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,465 a month, against $1,556 in Polk County. Without one it drops to $516.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Livingston rose 85%; in Polk County, it rose 68%.

Rents in Livingston rose faster than in Polk County: 56% since 2015–2019, against 29%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLivingstonPolk CountyTexasUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate9.9%7.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate6.6%4.8%3.4%
People per household 2.242.512.692.53
Drive alone 80%77%71%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate11%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%14%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.24 on average, against 2.51 in Polk County.

To get to work, 80% of workers in Livingston drive alone; in Polk County, 77%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Livingston?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Livingston, worth $200,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in Livingston, which is $48,841 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $71,555 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Polk County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Livingston. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,004 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,670

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$196,475
Total interest
$282,682
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,379 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,140 a month

  • Tight

    $1,140 to $1,465 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,465 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in Livingston ($48,841 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,670
Principal & interest$1,331
Property tax$167
Home insurance$83
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$89

You need at least $7,004 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Livingston and Polk County

Livingston is in Polk County, Texas. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Livingston's own numbers

Typical home value
$200,100
Typical monthly rent
$1,104
Typical yearly household income
$48,841
Households that own their home
50%
Effective property tax rate
1%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Polk County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,227
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+33%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
7%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Polk County.

Everything about Polk County

Buying

Buying a home in Livingston

A typical home in Livingston is worth $200,100: 8% above the county and 29% below Texas. With the typical household income in Livingston ($48,841 a year), a typical home costs 4.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Livingston 4.1 years
  • Polk 3.0 years
  • Texas 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Polk County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Polk County rose 59% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Polk County.

Period County Texas U.S.
Last year (2025) −0.7% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +33% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +59% +88% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Livingston next to Polk County, Texas and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Livingston $200,100
  • Polk $184,800
  • Texas $283,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Livingston $1,104
  • Polk $987
  • Texas $1,403
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Livingston $48,841
  • Polk $62,259
  • Texas $78,476
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Livingston next to Polk County and Texas
Measure Livingston Polk County Texas U.S.
Typical home value $200,100 $184,800 $283,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,104 $987 $1,403 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $48,841 $62,259 $78,476 $80,734
Households that own their home 50% 78% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,002 $1,661 $4,232 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1% 0.9% 1.49% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 53% 46% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Polk County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Livingston

For a typical $200,100 home in Livingston, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Livingston's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,670a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,004
    Cash to close
    $13,007
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $89

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,633a month

    Down payment
    $10,005
    Cash to close
    $16,008
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $95

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,335a month

    Down payment
    $40,020
    Cash to close
    $46,023
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,520a month

    Down payment
    $30,015
    Cash to close
    $36,018
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Livingston and for Polk County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Livingston

1%of the home’s value each year

$2,002 a year for the typical owner in Livingston.

  • Livingston 1%
  • Polk 0.9%
  • Texas 1.49%

What Texas publishes School-district homestead exemption (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts)

Exemptions and deadlines in Texas

Flood risk in Polk County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Polk County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
7%
1,538
Of those, with NFIP insurance
25%
County Texas U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 7% 4.1% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 25% 48% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Livingston

Typical rent in Livingston is $1,104 a month: 12% above the county. In Livingston, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Polk County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,227 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.60 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Polk County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $933 $17.94 $37,320
1 bedroom $938 $18.04 $37,520
2 bedrooms $1,227 $23.60 $49,080
3 bedrooms $1,462 $28.12 $58,480
4 bedrooms $1,767 $33.98 $70,680

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Livingston

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Livingston is in ZIP code 77351.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,250: $23 more than the fair market rent for Polk County ($1,227).

  • 77351 $1,250$1,490

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Livingston when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Livingston

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Livingston. These are the largest.

  • Circle Site 107 Circle Dr, Livingston 77351 110 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Livingston · Average payment: $400 a month · Average wait: 2 months (936) 327-5100
  • Hudman Addition 100 Hudman Dr, Livingston 77351 80 low-income homes · For families (936) 327-5100
  • Livingston Pioneer Crossing 1549 N Dogwood Avenue, Livingston 77351 80 homes, 76 low-income · For older adults, people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Livingston Seniors Apartments 1600 N Houston Ave, Livingston 77351 36 low-income homes · 1 bd: 32 · 2 bd: 4 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Livingston Plaza 1001 Forest Holw, Livingston 77351 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 16 · In service since 1994

See all 7 buildings in Polk County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Livingston

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Polk County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Livingston

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Livingston or Polk County. The ones below are statewide in Texas: they work in Livingston the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Texas

  • My First Texas Home

    Statewide in Texas

    Texas state program for first-time buyers: a 30-year mortgage with down payment assistance. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    DeferredForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • My Choice Texas Home

    Statewide in Texas

    Texas state program with down payment assistance for any buyer, not only first-time buyers. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    DeferredForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

    Statewide in Texas

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    Texas state certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal tax return. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Livingston

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Livingston, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Nid-Hca Dightman

    113 N Avenue H, Humble · 53 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (281) 895-0563

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Houston, TX

    14425 Torrey Chase Blvd Ste 200, Houston · 60 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (713) 706-3400

  • Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas

    2780 Eastex Fwy, Beaumont · 64 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (409) 924-4425

All counseling agencies in Texas

Help in Spanish near Livingston

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Livingston

HUD’s record names them for Livingston or Polk County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

One other authority has an office in Polk County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Polk County

These cities are also in Polk County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Polk County Housing in Texas

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Livingston, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Polk County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Livingston.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Livingston

Short answers with the numbers for Livingston and all of Polk County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Livingston?

The typical home value in Livingston is $200,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Polk County it is $184,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Livingston?

Typical rent in Livingston is $1,104 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Polk County is $1,227.

What is the FHA loan limit in Livingston?

Livingston uses the FHA limit for all of Polk County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Livingston?

The typical homeowner in Livingston pays $2,002 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1% of the home’s value; in Polk County, the rate is 0.9%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Livingston?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Polk County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).