Houston - TX vs Seattle - WA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Seattle - WA is roughly 138% more expensive than Houston - TX in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Houston - TX (45 days vs 27), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Seattle - WA sees more listings with price cuts (34.2% vs 29.0%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Houston vs Seattle: what the numbers say

At today's 7.40% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,677 a month in principal and interest in Houston and $3,989 in Seattle, a gap of $2,312 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,638 in Houston and $2,250 in Seattle, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.0 times rent in Houston and 1.8 times rent in Seattle, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 15.4 years of rent in Houston and 26.7 in Seattle; the lower ratio in Houston means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -3.8% in Houston and -2.9% in Seattle; over just the last three months the change was -0.4% in Houston and -0.3% in Seattle.

Homes sell for 97.3% of list price in Houston and 99.3% in Seattle, after 45 and 27 days on the market, with price cuts on 29% and 34% of listings. The signs are mixed: Houston has longer time on the market and sales further below list, while Seattle has more price cuts.

The number of homes for sale is up 3% on a year ago in Houston and up 20% on a year ago in Seattle.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-15), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.