Texas is the country’s second-largest state by land size as well as its second-most populous, with a population of over 29 million, as Statista.com reports. While there are many differences between living in a small town like Fredericksburg and a big city like Dallas or Austin, there are similarities too, both good and bad.
There are many reasons people have been flocking to Texas, from its relatively affordable housing costs to impressive job growth. But to help you make the best decision as to whether or not you want to move into one of the houses for rent in San Antonio or buy a place anywhere else in the Lone Star State, here’s what you should know.
The Best
The Job Market
As Dallas News reports, Texas cities have been leading the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, with the Dallas-Fort Worth area the No. 1 metro area in the country when it comes to labor market performance. The publication notes that much of that has been driven by job growth, wage growth, and net migration. The Austin-Round Rock area came in at No. 3.
Corporate giants like State Farm and Toyota have offices in North Texas, which have added plenty of jobs, with the top industries in the Dallas area financial services, technology, and defense. In Fort Worth, it’s oil and gas, aviation and aerospace, and manufacturing. In the capital city, the top employment sectors include health services, government, hospitality, retail, and business services. Clean technology, advanced manufacturing, and space technology are key industries in Austin.
The Cost of Living
Overall, the cost of living in Texas is below the national average. While home prices are rising in many areas, they’re still more affordable than many places throughout the country, with the typical single-family home value at just over $248,000 in 2021. That’s one of the reasons this state has attracted so many new residents. After all, as such as large state, it offers plenty of empty space to build on.
A Centralized Transportation Hub
If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll definitely appreciate living in Texas, especially if you’re close to Dallas or Houston. Many airlines book cross-country flights with connections in the state due to its central location. That makes for cheaper airfare and even time in the sky. In fact, there are a number of nonstop flights available from Texas’ international airports that will bring you to Europe.
The Climate
While the climate can vary depending on location due to the size of the state, in general, you’ll experience more mild, warm weather. The central interior area of Texas experiences all four seasons, with warm and humid summers and even snow on occasion. El Paso has more of a southwestern climate with lots of sunshine. You’ll find warm, coastal weather along the extensive Gulf of Mexico, although you’ll want to be prepared for hurricanes and flooding, so perhaps “climate” is a bit of the best and the worst based on the locale.
The Worst
Hurricanes
Speaking of hurricanes, anywhere from border cities such as Brownsville to northern hubs like Port Arthur and any area on the Texas coast are vulnerable to them. But the cities of Houston and Galveston by far have suffered from the most severe storms over the past century. So if you choose an area at high risk, you’ll have to carry a separate insurance policy to protect your property from flood damage.
Guns are Just Part of Life Here
While it may depend on your perspective, it’s important to be aware that guns are a way of life, which for many people who aren’t used to it, would be one of the worst things about moving to Texas. Many households own more than one gun, and lots of people carry concealed weapons.
More Violent Crime
Texas has one of the higher violent crime rates in the country. In 2020, there were over 131,000 violent crimes, equating to 446 for every 100,000 people, the 15th highest among the states.
