Living in Texas Pros and Cons

Texas ranks among the fastest-growing states in the US. There are many reasons why many people and even businesses are moving to Texas. This pleads the question, is Texas a good place to live? Like any other state, there are both advantages and disadvantages to calling Texas home. Let’s find out.

1) Jobs and Quality of Life

Texas has a strong economy growth which creates a lot of new job openings. The oil and gas boom in Texas has drawn a lot of new residents. Jobs in Texas are often highly paid but are less popular because of the location. There are several cities including Austin, Plano, Irving, Dallas and Garland in the state which make Texas one of the best places for employment in the United States.

Although there are several job opportunities available throughout Texas, the overall quality of life ranking places it at 46th out of the 50 states. Access to healthcare is one of the major disadvantages of living here. The state ranks 46th in health care access and 45th in healthcare quality. Over 20% of the adults live without health insurance in Texas compared to the national average of 12%.
 

2) Tax Burden – No Income Tax, Higher Property Tax

The Lone Star State doesn’t collect income tax, which drastically lowers overall taxes paid by the average citizen. Texas has a lower tax burden than 80 percent of the United States. Tax incentives for businesses also help reduce the number of tax dollars..

In contrast to no income tax, Texas has a very high property tax and sales tax. Texas is 45th of 51 states for the highest property taxes in the U.S. The average household pays over $3,300 in real estate taxes each year. It is almost 60% higher than what the average American pays for their property taxes each year.

3) Affordable Housing and Booming Real Estate Market

Texas has a reputation as an affordable place to live — largely because the cost of housing is much less than on the coastline. The median property value in Texas was $200,000 in 2019, which was lower than the national average of $240,000. Buying land is also affordable in Texas. Land acquisition is easy. Even a middle-income family can own acres of land with plenty of room for expansion.
After the pandemic, the real estate market in Texas is booming from this growth, and the low supply of housing has led to the rise of home values. The median sales price of Texas homes topped $325,000 during the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 18.6% compared to the same period last year.

4) Weather

Texas is the perfect state to experience a warm to hot climate all year round. Warmer weather is attracting a lot of retirees. Texas enjoys relatively temperate weather during winter while most other states remain freezing throughout winter.
If you love watching the snowfall in the winter or enjoy the changing leaves and cooling temperatures of fall, then Texas may not be the place for you to experience all four seasons. Texas is closer to the equator than most others in the US, so moving here means you have to deal with the heat, humidity and sticky weather.

5) Living In Urban and Rural Areas with Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Texas nurtures several fastest-growing cities like Dallas, Houston and Austin that will help everyone begin to feel right at home from day one. The benefit to Texas having multiple big cities is that you don’t have to leave the state to find your preferred urban living. Texas also fosters a quiet environment of small towns and countrysides. There are plenty of diverse lifestyles available in the state.

Texas faces exposure to hurricanes and violent storms throughout the spring and summer every year. Texas is ranked second in the Top 10 States by Number of Tornadoes. Severe thunderstorms are common, bringing strong winds, hail, lightning, and tornadoes that can have an adverse impact on your property. The eastern section of the state is most vulnerable to hurricanes, thunderstorms and heavy rain.

6) Low Cost of Living and Hidden Expenses

Texas has a low cost of living in comparison with more popular living areas such as the west or east coast. The average cost of living in Texas is 7% lower than the national average. Rental costs are significantly lower in the state. The cheap housing prices allow people living in Texas to thrive more cheaply and retain more of their paycheck.

The cost of living is lower in Texas, making the wages in many areas lower. In boomtown areas, the cost of living such as housing prices is rising quickly. Hurricane insurance is separate from other property-damaging insurance. Therefore, such investments can boost the cost of living. Finding a salary to meet this increase is something to consider when job hunting in Texas.

7) Family-Friendly

Texas is amongst the most family-friendly states. It has good schools, plenty of family-friendly restaurants, and good-value housing that includes reasonable mortgages. The education scores for Texas are higher than expected. Texas is known as conservative, but it’s quite liberal in much of its thinking. The unofficial liberalism and tolerant attitude make Texas one of the more welcoming states across America.

Texas is said to be the best place for a lot of things, but raising a family isn't one of them. The Lone Star State ranked in the bottom half at No. 28 in a list of best states to raise a family. Texas got poor score in affordability, health and safety, education and child care and socio-economics.

8) Lifestyle and Open Gun Culture

There is a stigma about there are all cowboys living out in Texas. While it may be true that there are farmers and plenty of ruralness to Texas, but there are more modern towns where living doesn’t require a cowboy hat. Texas is a hub of exciting entertainment from energetic live music to vibrant and lively bar. For example, Austin, the live music capital of the world, has become one of the cooler cities with its forward-thinking population, good restaurants and active night-life.

Unfortunately, the presence of guns is a constant in the Texas state, and Texans are fiercely protective of their right to bear arms. Whether you find open gun culture appropriate or inappropriate can determine your opinion of the Lone Star State.

9) Diversity, Population Growth and Crime

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, with significant population growth, the racial demographics of Texas have also grown in diversity, with the second largest ethnic group being Hispanic and Latino people. Asian-Americans have become another significant population in the state, with sizable Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Hmong, Thai, and Cambodian communities.

Texas faces serious issue with crime. The ratio of police officers to the total population has been decreasing. There are only 1.5 police officers for every 1,000 people. Fewer officers result in more crimes. The rate of violent crime in the state of Texas has been climbing since 2015. .The top fifty most dangerous cities in US include more Texas cities.

10) Transportation Hub and Traffic

Due to the vastness of the Texas state, it’s much easier to travel via air than it is by road. Many other states don’t have access to international airports, but Texas boasts two Dallas and Houston. Dallas airport is the second biggest airport in the US and 12th busiest in the world. DFW offers service to approximately 273 destinations in 44 countries.

Texas is such a large state and intrastate travel is undoubtedly a journey. If you were to drive across Texas, it would take you about 12 hours. Texas has terrible traffic problems, especially along I-35. Most states deal with traffic congestion while Texas deals with traffic collisions. Drivers usually travel at high rates of speed which increases the chances of accidents. Texas has more motor vehicle accidents than any other state.

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