Houston, TX vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026
Houston, TX vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria side by side
| Metric | ● Houston, TX | ● Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 37 | 25 |
| Price Momentum | 26 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 29 | 1 |
| Affordability | 55 | 15 |
| Economic Strength | 10 | 40 |
| Rental Yield | 76 | 26 |
| Median Sale Price | $337K | — |
| Price-to-Income | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Payment-to-Income | 24.9% | 27.4% |
| Months of Supply | 5 | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 4.9% | 4.3% |
| Overvaluation Index | 50 | 20 |
Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.
How Houston, TX and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Houston, TX leads — Houston, TX 55/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 15/100.
- Price Momentum: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria leads — Houston, TX 26/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 50/100.
- Inventory Health: Houston, TX leads — Houston, TX 29/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 1/100.
- Economic Strength: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria leads — Houston, TX 10/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 40/100.
- Rental Yield: Houston, TX leads — Houston, TX 76/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 26/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Houston, TX or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Houston, TX scores higher — 37 vs 25 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.
Is Houston, TX or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria more affordable?
Houston, TX is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 4.2 in Houston, TX and 4.5 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Houston, TX or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has stronger price momentum — 50/100 vs 26/100.
Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Houston, TX market brief and the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria brief.