Texas has long attracted migrants from other states who were lured to the state by rumors of abundant jobs and a low cost-of-living. While Texas ranks No. 8 on a list of most affordable states to live in, according to the Dallas Business Journal, extra costs chip away at the gains. 

StudentLoanHero.com ranked the top 10 cheapest states. Even though much has been written about increasing housing costs in North Texas, the state overall still has a cheaper-than-average housing cost.

Texans also benefited in the rankings because the median income of $58,146 is close to the national median income of $59,039. Grocery costs for Texans were also below the national average.

But the report also cited factors that add extra fees to living in Texas, which makes the state less affordable than it may appear on the surface. It’s true that Texas has no state income tax, which can be attractive to residents of certain states. However, Texas has high property tax rates and sales taxes. In fact, the report says Texas’ property tax and sales tax rates are both in the highest 20 percent in the country.

Student Loan Hero’s analysis ranked Mississippi as having the cheapest cost of living, largely because of very affordable housing. However, Mississippi also has the lowest median personal income and comparatively high tax rates and grocery costs. Clearly, the cost of living is not the only factor that determines the livability of a certain place.