Cost of Living in Kilgore, Texas
Kilgore offers affordable East Texas living with the advantages of being part of a metro. Home prices and everyday costs run below national averages, there's no state income tax, and as part of the Longview–Kilgore metropolitan area, the city pairs small-town prices with metro-level access to jobs, healthcare, and shopping just ten minutes north.
Here's a realistic look at what it costs to live in Kilgore.
Housing
Housing in Kilgore runs below the national average, with a range from historic homes near downtown to mid-century neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, and rural and lake-area property in the surrounding Gregg and Rusk county countryside. For buyers, the money goes considerably further than in a Texas metro, while still keeping the conveniences of metro life close by.
As part of the Longview metro and a steady oilfield-services and college town, Kilgore has a healthy housing and rental market with below-average rates. The trade-off for low home prices, as everywhere in Texas, is property taxes, which buyers should factor into their monthly housing budget.
Everyday Costs and Metro Access
Day-to-day expenses in Kilgore generally run at or below national averages. Groceries, gas, and routine services are affordable, and the city has the retail, dining, and services of a college town, plus famous local barbecue. Kilgore College adds cultural amenities — the oil museum, the Rangerettes, the Texas Shakespeare Festival — that punch well above the town's size.
The big bonus is the Longview metro. Longview, just ten miles north on US 259, offers major hospitals, big-box shopping, a regional airport, and a much larger job market — all an easy commute. That metro access, combined with Kilgore's lower costs, gives residents an appealing balance. Utilities are typical for the humid East Texas climate.
Taxes and the Bottom Line
Texas has no state income tax, a meaningful advantage for working households. The state relies more on property and sales taxes, so Kilgore homeowners should plan for relatively high property taxes even with low home values.
The overall picture: Kilgore is an affordable place to live with metro-level access and surprising cultural amenities for its size. For people who want low housing costs, a steady energy-and-college-town economy, and Longview's conveniences ten minutes away, Kilgore offers a strong combination among East Texas cities.
Kilgore is well below the national average on cost of living, and housing is where you feel it most. Groceries and utilities are close to normal. Your paycheck stretches further here than in most of Texas, though wages tend to reflect that — this isn't a high-salary market.
78
Overall Index
vs. 100 national avg
65
Housing
91
Groceries
90
Utilities
FAQ: Cost of Living in Kilgore
Yes. Kilgore has a below-average cost of living driven by affordable housing, and Texas has no state income tax. Everyday expenses run at or below national averages, and as part of the Longview metro, the city offers metro access alongside small-town prices.
Home prices in Kilgore run below the national average, with options from historic downtown homes to newer subdivisions and rural or lake-area acreage. Exact prices vary, but housing here is affordable for a city within a metro area.
Kilgore is about ten miles south of Longview on US 259 and is part of the Longview–Kilgore metropolitan area. That puts Longview's major hospitals, shopping, airport, and larger job market within an easy commute.
Like the rest of Texas, Kilgore has relatively high property taxes, the trade-off for the state having no income tax. Buyers should factor the annual property tax bill into their housing budget.
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