Top 5 Reasons Why Everyone is Moving to Texas

by Stuart Percle

In this blog, we will give you the top five reasons why Americans from across the country are moving to Texas.

Everything is bigger in Texas. But are things "better" as well?

It’s not just you—there definitely seems to be a mass migration to the Lone Star State. But why is everyone moving to Texas? Well, I'm sure you’ve heard everything’s “bigger” there, and that includes the opportunities.

And of course, just like anywhere, living in Texas has its pros and cons, but after reading this—you’ll understand why everyone (literally everyone) is moving to Texas. Here are the five top reasons why...

#1: Growing Industries

In recent years several companies have moved their headquarters to Texas. There’s Tesla, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle and Charles Schwab—just to name a few. But even before these big names moved to Texas from California, the Lone Star State had the 9th largest economy in the world.

Its large workforce, high wages, and growing industries make Texas a great place to work. Not to mention, Houston is home to the largest medical center in the country, Dallas has several oil and gas opportunities, and Austin is becoming Silicon Valley 2.0.

So, if “finding a job” was on your to-do list, Texas has plenty of them. Not interested in any of those fields? There is also a lot of opportunity for those in:

If you’re willing to work, Texas has a job for you.

Electricity Factors in a Texas Home From Energy Ogre’s CEO

“Hi, my name is Jesson Bradshaw, and I'm the CEO here at Energy Ogre. I want to talk to you a little bit about electricity cost for homes and types of things to consider when someone's either moving to Texas or moving within Texas, what types of things are going to affect the overall electricity profile of that home, and I think I'd like to break that down into two categories.

One is consumption. What types of factors are going to increase consumption? And then secondarily, in certain cases, there's a question about costs and how you can affect the costs. But when we start talking about consumption, one of the first things to think about is how large is the home? You know, larger homes are, generally speaking, going to consume more electricity than a smaller home that is of the same vintage.

Along those lines, the age of the home has a very large point to play in how much consumption that house is going to end up having. Newer homes tend to have much lower overall consumption profiles due to their energy efficiency in their building materials, as well as their construction techniques. Older homes may not be quite as well insulated and have potentially much higher electricity usage for their square footage.

Other factors like the age of the HVAC equipment, those pieces of equipment, they do degrade over time and they do become less efficient over time, as well as other options. Is there a pool in place? May there be a guest house? The window units - things of that nature. All those factors play into what the electricity consumption side will look like for any individual home within certain areas of Texas.

If we start thinking about the costs, some areas of Texas are available to choose their electricity provider, existing within the competitive marketplace. Well, there's a myriad of options that they might be able to choose from that can be specifically tailored to the lifestyle of the homeowner. Whereas, other parts of the state are behind municipal utilities or perhaps some other entity that's not open to competition. In that case, there are not a whole lot of options other than specifically trying to focus yourself on trying to reduce overall consumption.”

#2: Top Education

We’ve all heard of Friday Night Lights—and it’s no joke. Texans love their high school football teams, but what’s even more impressive than #33 Tim Riggins scoring a touchdown in overtime is the number of high-ranking universities Texas has to offer.

From the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M to Rice University and Southern Methodist University, Texas has a huge range of both public and private schools. Plus, the in-state tuition costs in Texas are lower than the national average. And with such a stable economy, Texas graduates can feel confident entering a job market that’s rapidly expanding.

Top 5 Public Universities with Tuition

University of Texas at Austin ($28,894/year)
Texas A&M University ($30,042/year)
Texas Tech University ($27,782/year)
University of Texas at Dallas ($32,606/year)
University of Houston ($27,687/year)

Top 5 Private Universities with Tuition

Rice University ($51,107/year)
Southern Methodist University ($58,540/year)
Trinity University ($46,456/year)
Texas Christian University ($51,660/year)
Bayor University ($49,246/year)

#3: Texas is Family Oriented

Whether you’ve already got a few kids in tow or are just now thinking about starting a family, Texas hosts a lot of family-friendly benefits. First, let’s just admit it—kids are expensive. From daycare and primary school to high school and college, education can cost a pretty penny.

Luckily, a lot of cities in Texas have both private and public schooling options so you can find a school that works for you and your budget. And like we said before, everything really is bigger in Texas, so when your kids grow up and you need more space, upgrading your home can go from “dream” to “reality” because of the cheaper housing market. Bigger rooms and bigger yards make for one big, happy family.

#4: Cultural Hotspot

Texans are proud of their home state—and for good reason! From state parks to live music, Texas has more than just cowboys and rodeos (though the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo can’t be missed!). Here's a glimpse at just a few of the things Texas has to offer.

Nature Getaways

Texas might not be known for its impressive mountain ranges, but nothing beats a southern sunset, and these natural hotspots make you feel like the Great Outdoors are closer than you think.

Hike along Enchanted Rock in Fredericksburg, Texas
Explore Sam Houston National Forest in Huntsville, Texas
Kayak or paddleboard along the Colorado River in Austin, Texas
Float the Frio River before dancing all night at Garner State Park in Concan, Texas
Visit Big Bend National Park in the Chihuahuan Desert, bordering Mexico

One of the biggest benefits to living in Texas is the weather. Without extreme seasonal changes, Texans can get outside year-round, enjoy the state’s natural beauty and save big on electricity costs. In fact, Energy Ogre makes sure of it by helping you find the most cost-efficient energy plans. Sunshine? Check. Beautiful landscapes? Check. Low A/C bill? Check.

Music & Arts

No matter where you are in Texas, there’s always something to see and do. Whether you like relaxing days at the museum or hearing a new band, Texas has you covered.

Enjoy San Antonio’s Riverwalk for a day of food, family fun and art
Experience live music anywhere you go with festivals like Austin City Limits, Float Fest, and SXSW (featuring artists and entrepreneurs), or Czhilispiel, a chili cookoff with live bands, beer and whole lot of spice.
Checkout the Texas Prison Museum in Huntsville or the Rothko Chapel in Houston

Whether you’re in a big city or a small town, there’s always something to check out.

Politics

As more and more people move to Texas from California and northern states, the state’s politics have begun to slightly shift. This is due to a more diverse population, new voters, and a new wave of politicians. Whether you’re on the right, left or somewhere in between, now’s the time to get involved from a local (or even state!) level and join the momentum!

As you can see, Texas really does have it all—good scenery, good food, good music, and even better people. Now that you can imagine what it’s like living in Texas for yourself, we’ve got the #1 benefit of being a Texas resident.

#5: Lower Cost of Living

One of the absolute top selling points of moving south is the cost of living in Texas. If you’re coming from the East coast or moving to Texas from California, you’ll be in for a treat. Let’s begin with the big one: there’s no income tax.

Yes, you read that right. Take that and consider that the state’s average salary is $9,000 more than the national average and you might be ready to move. And luckily when you do buy a home (remember that big one you need for your growing family?), the average home price is $247,210.

That price will fluctuate as you move closer to larger, denser cities—but when it comes to getting the best bang for your buck, Texas has the space to accommodate. So, if the cost of living is lower, the wages are stronger, and you can count on cheaper energy bills... It makes sense everyone is moving to Texas. Will you be next?

Want Even More Resources for Moving to Texas?

Check out our other articles that help provide extra intel on why you should be excited about moving to Texas—and some free resources that can make the transition even easier.

In addition to the blogs linked below, Energy Ogre also has an in-depth "Moving Checklist" just in case you’re already planning a move to Texas. In this checklist, we give you a tangible list of things to do and when to do them! Check out the checklist right below!

Download "Moving to Texas" Checklist

Other articles you may enjoy:

Moving to Texas? What to Know About Big & Small TX Cities

What to Know Before Moving to Texas

Moving to Texas? Use this Moving Checklist