Moving to Texas? Whether you are moving to Dallas, Austin, Houston, Plano, Fort Worth, San Antonio, or any other Texas city, we are here to help. This crash course will give you 10 things to know before moving to Texas, including Texas culture, city living, weather and more.
1. Low Cost of Living compared to other US Cities
Cost of living varies from city to city, but a majority of Texas cities are below the national average with the whole state ranking at 11% below the national average. When looking into a new city, do your research and see what your new city compares to your current one. For example, San Antonio and Corpus Christi have housing as their highest costs, while food ranks as the highest cost index in Lubbock.
Image Via: 1
2. There are a ton of places to get outdoors
Texas is a massive state with plenty of options for getting outside and exploring nature. Whether you are looking for sandy beaches at Mustang Island State Park, or taking your kids for an educational adventure at the Natural Bridge Caverns, there is plenty to do.
There are plenty of road trips from Houston that will take you to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Big Bend National Park and beyond. No matter where you live in Texas, there are fabulous road trips and adventures waiting in the great outdoors. Some of our favorite spots are road trips from Dallas that can be done in a weekend.
Image Via: 1
3. Texas is a foodie state
While Texas is often known for it’s barbecue, and Tex-Mex, Texas is actually a big foodie state. In 2015, Houston was ranked the #5 Best Food City in America by The Washington Post. Dallas was ranked #24 of the Hottest Food Cities of 2016 by Zagat; with Houston topping it as the #23 city, and Austin as #18.
Image Via: 1
4. Football is the sport of Texas
Football is HUGE in Texas and it isn’t just the NFL. High School football is an institution in Texas; with professional style jumbo-trons and enormous stadiums, you can’t stay away from football when you live in Texas. Rivalries are strong at all playing levels so you’ll need to pick your allegiances early on.
Image Via: 1
5. You’ll learn to love barbecue (if you don’t already)
While Texas has some upscale foodie options out there, you can’t go wrong with a Texas staple: barbecue. There are even road trips dedicated to devouring the best barbecue in the state. Austin for example, has a ton of delicious barbecue waiting for you to dive into. From the well known and loved Franklin’s BBQ or Kerlin BBQ, you’ll become a true carnivore in Texas.
Image Via: 1
6. You’ll save on your electric bills
Little known fact: Texas has a deregulated electricity market which means Texas companies are able to buy power from the same grid, and then resell it to their customers. This means, that you have more options for your power provider and with higher competition, residents save. Plus, Texas is one of the only cities in America doubling down on renewable energy with wind energy.
Image Via: 1
7. You won’t have to pay state income tax
Believe it or not, Texas is 1 of 7 states in the United States without an income tax on wages. Crazy right?
Image Via: 1
8. Texas isn’t exactly the cowboy’s version of the wild, wild west
When you go to Texas, you might expect sand, cacti and tumbleweeds but you will be surprised. Texas Hill Country, appropriately named, is covered in rolling hills, grass, wild flowers and large trees. While yes, there are some arid areas, many parts of Texas are lush, and green. Texs is divided up into 5 distinct climates: South Texas, Piney Woods, Northern Plains, Trans-Pecos Region, and Texas Hill Country.
Image Via: 1
9. Texas has a booming tech industry
If you are looking for tech jobs, or to try your own tech start up, Texas is the place to go. Some reports are even calling Austin America’s Next Silicon Valley. Since Texas is quite affordable, and has no state taxes, it makes it easier for businesses to set up in the state. Forbes credits the tech boom to: relatively low housing costs; low unemployment rates; Median Tech salaries higher than the median salary for the city’s total workforce; The presence of major Tech companies and Venture capital funding to spawn new businesses.
Image Via: 1
10. Texas is a great place for higher education
There are more than 200 colleges and universities in Texas to choose from. A few of the high-ranking universities include: Texas Tech University, Texas A&M, Southern Methodist University and Rice University. If you’re looking for advanced degree, you have plenty of options in Texas.
Image Via: 1
There you have it! These are 10 things to know before moving to Texas. What do you think? What are you most surprised to learn? Let us know in the comment section below!
Stay tuned for fresh content on all things apartment living with our newsletter. You can also find local resources with our teams in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
