Longview, TX
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.73×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Texas
- 2.95×-0.22
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.70
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
23.2%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Texas
- 23.2%=
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-0.1
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.52%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Texas
- 5.06%+0.45
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+1.17
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.09%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Texas
- -0.00%+0.09
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.06
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
tight
Permit pipeline
0.81
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Texas
- 5.01
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
softening
Unemployment
4.2%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Texas
- 3.7%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+54.1%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.9%
Median home value
$178,200
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $960 | $11,520 | 17.7% |
| 2 BR | $1,260 | $15,120 | 23.2% |
| 3 BR | $1,511 | $18,132 | 27.8% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
4.2%
Median household income
$65,210
What's being built
Total TTM
232
+1.8% YoY
Single-family
224
2–4 unit
8
5+ unit
0
All 4 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregg County | 124,245 | $185,800 | $64,809 | 164 | +7.9% |
| Harrison County | 69,098 | $178,200 | $66,040 | 41 | |
| Rusk County | 52,755 | $166,900 | $67,506 | 1 | 0.0% |
| Upshur County | 41,261 | $171,200 | $62,794 | 26 |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Longview | 287,359 | $65,210 | 2.73× | 5.52% | +54.1% | 0.81 | 4.2% |
| Merced, CA | 282,290 | $65,044 | — | — | +42.5% | — | 9.6% |
| Waco, TX | 278,103 | $63,880 | — | — | +49.5% | — | 3.6% |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 291,348 | $68,830 | — | — | +58.7% | — | 4.0% |
| Amarillo, TX | 269,278 | $66,571 | — | — | +39.5% | — | 2.8% |
| Laredo, TX | 267,282 | $62,506 | — | — | +48.0% | — | 4.1% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+247
+0.09% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Gregg County, TX | 1,372 |
| Harrison County, TX | 655 |
| Smith County, TX | 640 |
| Upshur County, TX | 492 |
| Rusk County, TX | 443 |
| Dallas County, TX | 316 |
Who lives in Longview
- Median age
- 38
- Bachelor's+
- 20.8%
- Owner-occupancy
- 69.5%
- Vacancy rate
- 12.8%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 43.1%
- Median household income
- $65,210
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.