Moving from California to Texas: Why so many are eager to swap states
By: USA TODAY
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Swapna Venugopal RamaswamyUSA TODAY
The exodus of people from California to Texas is picking up steam.
In 2021, it was the most popular interstate move in the country, with 111,000 people - or 300 people a day - headed to the Lone Star from the Golden State, a whopping 80% increase compared to 2012, according to an analysis of U.S. Census and IPUMS data by StorageCafe.
During the pandemic, as remote work became a reality for many, the trend of people moving from high-cost cities to more affordable areas began started taking root.
The number of people leaving the Golden State for Texas has grown by 36% between 2016 and 2021 while the migration stream from all other states to Texas did not change, rising a mere 0.1%, according to data from the American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
"The steep housing prices and cost of living in California represent major reasons," for the movement, says Prof. Rogelio Saenz, department of demography, at the University of Texas at San Antonio. "One way to assess the difficulties in purchasing a home in California or Texas is to compute the ratio of the median household income to the median home value in each state."
According to the 2021 American Community 1-Year Estimates, the value of homes was $7.63 for every $1 of household income in California in 2021 compared to $3.55 per $1 in Texas. The median value of a home in California was 2.7 times higher than in Texas in 2021.
The continual soaring housing prices and cost of living in California and much greater affordability in Texas is likely to sustain the significant flows of Californians toward Texas in the coming decades, he says.
Lower housing costs, affordability in Texas
Other than lower housing costs, the factors that make Texas attractive to Californians are the no-income tax policy, the lower cost of living and employment opportunities bolstered by the tech and energy sectors. Utilities are generally lower-priced in Texas as well, roughly 20% less than in California.
On the business front, Texas has actively pursued an economic strategy that includes creating a business-friendly environment that helped not only to retain businesses but also attract new one. Over 100 companies moved their headquarters to Texas since 2020, with 40% of them coming from California.
Who's moving to Texas? Millennials.
Most people moving from California to Texas are millennials, making up 46% of those decamping to Texas.
Millennials who moved to Texas had an average household income of $114,000 per year, 21% more than what millennials bring home overall at a national level ($94,000 per year).
The million-dollar difference
Homes cost, on average, about $282,000 less in Texas compared to California, amounting to a 70% price-tag difference.
In particular, two moving routes can result in savings of over $1 million. Buying a home in the Dallas area as opposed to one in San Jose can result in savings of over $1 million on average, as the home price difference between Santa Clara and Dallas counties is a whopping 258%.
The second biggest difference in listing prices is between San Mateo and Travis counties, at 243%, giving homebuyers a chance of nearly $1.3 million on average in savings.
Most Californians can save over $1,000 in rent when moving to Texas
In 18 of the moving routes, renters can save over $1,000 a month in Texas as compared to in their Californian county of origin. Not only that, but they can also make hefty savings if they switch renting from one state to the other. Except for the Los Angeles County to Collin County route, renters pay over 50% more in California versus their Texas destinations.
For instance, a move from Los Angeles to El Paso can save renters $1, 578 per month.
The second-best savings go to those moving from the San Diego area to San Antonio, with a 110% difference in rental rates, a saving of roughly $1,470 on rent per month.
Is everything big in Texas?
On average, homeowners get to enjoy 17% bigger homes in Texas versus California whereas apartments are about 6% larger.
For those prioritizing living space at home, a move from Los Angeles County to Collin County would be the most rewarding. This route brings the most space gains for both homebuyers (1,055 sq. ft.) and apartment dwellers (124 sq. ft.).
Besides the Los Angeles County to Collin County moving route, Californians get to enjoy an additional 1,000 square feet of living space when they buy a home after traveling on two other moving routes to Collin County: From Santa Clara County to Collin (1,002+ sq. ft.) and from Orange to Collin (1,000+ sq. ft.). In both cases, Californians get a home that's on average 57% larger than the ones in their state of origin. Switching Los Angeles County for Denton County will also bring newcomers from the Golden State an additional 930+ square feet of living space at home.
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
Tags
Who is online
120 visitors
Exodus, California style.
Bob foretold of this.
After WWI there was a Black migration from Southern States to Norther, Midwestern States and California.
During the Great Depression, there was a white migration from the Plains states to California.
There is now a reverse migration of Black and White people underway.
You would think, but those states seem to be losing population.
I've seen a lot of vacant housing in Baltimore, just needs a little sprucing up.
Yeah, well, there are good reasons for that that have nothing to do with political parties. Here’s one . . . Or 30, depending on how you look at it.
Maybe they weren't allowed to play "Cowboys and Indians" as kids so this will give them a chance to act like children and dress up as cowboys and swagger into bars openly wearing a couple of six-guns. You know, boys will be boys."
HI ho Silver, awaaayyyyy
Because they grew up in California?
Actually you're right. I'm sure there's no shortage of guns in California. However, I regret my sarcasm. I was in Texas twice during the time Ann Richards was Governor - she spoke at a conference I was at. I thought she was fantastic - should have been POTUS, and I enjoyed the biggest wonderful steak I ever ate in my life at the Traildust in Dallas (didn't wear a tie so they didn't get one to cut off), and had the most delicious brisket sandwich ever at a little restaurant in Fort Worth. Texas was okay back in those days, and I'm sad about what it's become.
This one term governor was colorful, but she criminalized homosexual sex.
How do you figure that? The Texas Sodomy Law was enacted in 1973. Ann Richards was Texas Governor 1991-1995...
When Democrats Do Bad Things - Response (glapn.org)
In 1993, Richards signed into law the re-codified Texas Penal Code which included anti-homosexual Section 21.06, the state's "Homosexual Conduct" law which states: "(a) A person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex. (b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.". [12] In 1990, Richards had campaigned in Houston to repeal the law. But, as governor, her signature criminalized same-sex sexual relations in Texas.
Ann Richards - Wikipedia
Sort of? My understanding is that it was already criminal and she was in favor of removing the ban as part of some comprehensive legislative package. The legislature put the ban back into the bill against her wishes. Unfortunately, she signed the bill to get all the progressive things in the bill that she wanted.
I think you can make an argument that she should have vetoed it, but it’s not like she took a legal action and made it criminal.
When Democrats Do Bad Things - Response
By Dale Carpenter in
It came up for revision in 1993.
I have very conservative, Trump supporter family, move from Californina to Texas 4 years ago because their 2 daughters moved there. They hated Texas, said house prices may be lower than California but property taxes were much higher in order to support schools which had professional level facilities. They hated the weather, the bugs, and the traffic was worse than California. They lived on the outskirts of San Antonio. After 2 years they moved to Montana and love it there.