Moving to Texas? Saddle Up for Brisket, Heatwaves, and Big Skies
Are you tired of reading dry, impersonal Texas moving guides that feel more like geography textbooks, stuffed with census stats and no personality? Life in Texas can't be summed up by looking at average weather charts (hint: hotter than a cast-iron skillet on a campfire) or simple demographic stats (since they'd obviously miss the nuance of: endless brisket debates at church picnics and the age-old rivalry of Longhorns vs. Aggies). If you love tacos at midnight, live music that rattles your boots, or sunsets wide enough to make you pull over and snap a selfie for the 'gram, the Lone Star State might just be calling you home. Texas is more than just the biggest state in the lower 48—it's a way of life. Our playful and witty moving guide will prepare you for the good (Like landing a job where “business casual” means jeans and boots) and the bad (cockroaches big enough to file for voting rights) so you'll actually know what it's REALLY like to live, work, and play in Texas.
Snappy Summary: Texas means sweltering summers, coastal hurricanes, and sprawling cities with endless traffic—but it balances the challenges with brisket culture, wide-open skies, live music, and a mix of big-city energy and small-town charm that keeps people coming.
The Inside Scoop on Texas Cities
Major Cities In A Nutshell
Houston
Houston, perfect for: chasing big careers and bigger homes
Best known for: NASA space missions, spaghetti-bowl freeway interchanges, and endless sprawl in subtropic temps
If Houston were a person, it'd be: ambitious oil exec with a side of BBQ sauce
Move here if you want: international food scene and suburban comfort
Locals swear by: rodeo season and late-night pho
Housing vibe: ranch houses, McMansions, high-rise condos
Don't say we didn't warn you about: traffic thicker than gumbo
Local fashion forecast: cowboy boots paired with business suits
Dallas
Dallas is perfect for: climbing corporate ladders with brisket breaks
Well known for: shiny skylines and Friday night football, a certain 1980s TV show starring J.R. Ewing
City as a personality: sharp-dressed banker with southern swagger
Locals live here because: money, schools, suburban family bubble
Locals know best: Tex-Mex feasts and State Fair fried food
Home sweet home in Dallas is like: brick mansions and cul-de-sac sprawl
Be prepared for: summer heat bouncing off glass towers
The dress code here is: polished boots and tailored blazers, big hair
Austin
Austin is perfect for: live music junkies and taco lovers
Best known for: keeping it weird with tech startups and Slacker vibes
Austin in human form is: tattooed coder with cowboy hat
Move here if you want: creative media jobs and fun-filled weekends on the water
Nothing's more Austin than: two-stepping at Broken Spoke with a cowboy gentleman old enough to be your Grampa
Housing vibe: funky bungalows, sleek lofts, pricey downtown condos
The downside to Austin is: rent hikes faster than guitar riffs in a metal band
What you'll wear most often: flip-flops and vintage band tees
San Antonio
San Antonio, perfect for: families wanting culture and affordability
Widely recognized as the place for: rich history, endless Tex-Mex, and a picturesque river walk
If San Antonio were a person, it'd be: friendly abuela in a Spurs hat serving tamales
Move here for: slower pace, family roots, military ties
Locals swear by: Fiesta parades and puffy tacos
Housing vibe: stucco ranch homes and cozy neighborhoods
Don't be surprised. We warned you that: summer heat feels like being trapped inside a rice cooker
The dress code here is: Spurs jerseys, chanclas, and backyard BBQ aprons
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is perfect for: cowboy culture meets city convenience
Best known for: stockyards, honky-tonks, art museums, and cattle drives
City as a personality: rugged rancher with a fine art degree
Move here if you want: western roots without losing city perks
Locals know best: rodeos and Billy Bob's late nights
Housing vibe: Craftsman bungalows and ranch-style spreads
The downsides are: nightlife ends earlier than in Dallas
What you'll wear most often: well-fitted denim that works equally well at a rodeo or charity fundraiser
El Paso
El Paso, perfect for: desert sunsets and border-town flavors
Well known for: Mexican culture and mountain desert views
If El Paso were a person, it’d be: a sun-soaked storyteller sipping horchata on the porch with a beat-up guitar
Move here for: affordable living and desert vibes
Locals swear by: Chico's Tacos and UTEP games
Your housing options here are: adobe-style homes and desert sprawl
Don't be surprised. We warned you that: dry oven blast summer heat doesn't let up
The dress code here is: cowboy hats and desert casual
College Station
College Station is perfect for: Aggie pride and Friday tailgates
Best known for: Texas A&M spirit and age-old traditions
College Station in human form is: loyal alum yelling Gig 'em
Locals live here because: college jobs, the close-by countryside, and small-town comfort
Nothing's more College Station than: midnight yell practice at Kyle Field
Housing vibe: student apartments, sprawling Victorians, and brick suburban homes
Be prepared for: maroon everything, everywhere you look
What you'll wear most often: Aggie gear and cowboy boots
Eat Like a Local
Breakfast tacos are on flour tortillas, BBQ means beef, and the margaritas come with salt on the rim unless you order without.
Fun Facts
Fun Facts You Might Not Have Known About Texas
Think you really know Texas? It's a state dotted with Buc-ee's megastores so big they could eat Rhode Island for breakfast, a world-record-holding colony of bats on Congress Avenue in Austin that you'll have to see to believe, and BBQ brisket culture so deep and delicious that it makes vegetarians reconsider their life choices. Let's run through the facts, stats, and armadillo trivia that show off what makes Texas's big-hair legends irresistible.
- Common nicknames for Texas: The Lone Star State; Tejas; the Armadillo State
- Local Reality Check: Sweltering cowboy deserts? Try humid cities and rolling green Hill Country full of secrete swimming holes.
- You're most likely moving from: California, New York, or some other cold climate, high-tax state
- Strangely large concentration of: Buc-ee's megastores, H-E-B devotees, taco trucks, and kolache bakeries
- Music scene: Austin's live stages and megafestivals, Houston rap, San Antonio Tejano, Red Dirt country everywhere else
- You'll have to see it to believe it: Austin's Congress Avenue bats, 1.5M takeoff at dusk every night like a cloud of smoke
- Unique Geography: Gulf beaches, Hill Country, Piney Woods, Panhandle plains, Chihuahuan Desert
- Texas is home to: NASA's Johnson Space Center, The Alamo, Whataburger, SXSW, Dr Pepper
- Well known for its: Brisket, bluebonnets, oil fields, rodeos, Friday Night Lights, big trucks, & bigger skies
- Fun history fact: Independent republic from 1836–1845 before joining the U.S.
- Celebrity sightings: Matthew McConaughey at UT games, Simone Biles around Houston, Erykah Badu out and about in Dallas
- Noteworthy Census stat: fastest-growing large state this decade
- Most interesting sub-culture within Texas: Rattlesnake roundups—entire festivals centered around the venomous snake, including food, music, and snake wranglin' demos
- Population: 2nd largest state in terms of both population and land size
- Texas is roughly the same geographic size as: France
Locals Know Best
The New Years Day Polar Bear Plunge at Barton Springs: an invigorating, inspiring, hilarious way to start each year.
Most Likely Personalities to Love (or Hate) Texas
Is Texas right for me? If you're a cowboy, adventure junkie, or foodie, you'll two-step through Texas life, loving every sunset and floating every river. If you're a minimalist, Wall Street exec, or surfer dude, you'll find your vibe only sort of fits in here among the brisket pits and big hair.
Personality Fit Guide
| Personality | % | Recommended Cities | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboy | 96% | Fort Worth, Amarillo | Fort Worth Stockyards rodeos and Amarillo’s Big Texan steak challenge |
| Adventure Junkie | 91% | Austin, Big Bend | Kayaking Lady Bird Lake, climbing Hueco Tanks, and hiking Big Bend’s desert trails |
| Foodie | 89% | Houston, Austin, San Antonio | Houston’s Viet Cajun crawfish, La Fonda on Main in San Antonio, and Franklin Barbecue’s legendary brisket |
| Craft Beer Fan | 86% | Austin, Denton | Austin’s Jester King Brewery and Denton’s buzzing craft scene |
| College Student | 84% | Austin, College Station, Lubbock | Tailgates at UT, Aggie yell practice, and Raiderland parties |
| Tech Bro | 81% | Austin, Plano | Austin’s laid back Silicon Hills startups and Plano’s corporate tech parks |
| Dog Momma | 78% | Austin, Dallas | Zilker Park off-leash play and White Rock Lake trails |
| Farmer's Market Regular | 74% | Austin, Dallas, Fredericksburg | Mueller Market in Austin, Dallas Farmers Market stalls and Fredericksburg peach orchards |
| DIYer | 71% | Waco, Tyler | Waco’s Magnolia Market and Tyler’s flea market treasure hunts |
| Hipster | 68% | East Austin, Marfa | East Austin murals on dive bars and Marfa’s quirky never ending parade of high-concept art, like the Prada installation |
| Retired Snowbird | 64% | Corpus Christi, McAllen | Sun-soaked South Padre rolling sand dune winters and world-class birdwatching at Santa Ana refuge |
| Yoga Instructor | 61% | Austin, San Marcos | Barton Springs sunrise flows and San Marcos river meditations |
| Surfer Dude | 57% | South Padre Island | South Padre waves are decent even if they never reach the heights of California curls |
| CrossFit Regular | 55% | Dallas, Houston | Big box gyms dominate the big cities, but CrossFit groups are around, punching way above their weight |
| Coffee Snob | 52% | Austin, Dallas | Austin’s Houndstooth Coffee aces traditional espresso, and Ascension Coffee in Dallas offers gourmet twists |
| Vintage Thrifter | 49% | Houston Heights, Denton | Houston Heights boutiques don't disappoint and Denton’s quirky vintage stalls burst with surprises |
| Homesteader | 45% | Hill Country | Hill Country ranches offer wide open spaces, though heat tests the grit of non-natives |
| Binge Shopper | 42% | Dallas, Houston | NorthPark Center brings glitz and Houston Galleria offers wide range, but both lack NYC pace |
| Gamer | 39% | Austin | SXSW Gaming buzz exists, though eSports scene is a bit smaller than California |
| Garden Club Lifetime Member | 35% | Tyler, Dallas | Tyler Rose Garden shines but summers scorch delicate blooms |
| Stay at Home Mom | 32% | Frisco, The Woodlands | Family-friendly suburbs abound but summer heat tests patience |
| Beach Bum | 28% | Galveston, Corpus Christi | Galveston beaches are charming but the Texas beach sand lacks Florida’s white sparkle |
| PTA President | 25% | Plano, Katy | Top schools thrive yet Texas football's Friday night lights always outshine bake sales |
| Retired Military | 22% | San Antonio, Killeen | Bases anchor life though cities sprawl without coastal charm |
| Minimalist | 18% | Austin | Austin tries minimal, but Texas overall thrives on bigger, louder, and more |
| Wall Street Exec | 14% | Dallas | Dallas finance hums but with a drawl, and lacks Wall Street’s skyscrapers and scrappy intensity |
What Makes Texas Feel Like Home
Summer thunderstorms in Texas are loud, powerful, and offer a welcome break from the heat.
Things To Do
Fun Things to Do Around Texas
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Texas? If you like the idea of hiking through canyons, spending summer days floating down rivers, and checking out meandering historic streets, Texas is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from desert trails to neon skylines and give you a taste of Texas's bold cultural spirit.
- Go Outside & Hike: Climb Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg for epic pink granite, dogs are welcome too
- This is what locals do on the weekends: Road trip to Austin for live music on Friday then float the San Marcos River Saturday with a cooler tube full of craft brew
- Spend Time on the Water cooling off: Take a sunset sailboat ride on Lake Travis for Texas' big sky sunsets or rent a jet ski and take over the lake
- This is the Iconic Road Trip to take: Drive Big Bend National Park loop through desert and canyons, bring a swimsuit for a dip in Balmorhea State Park
- For the Sports Fans: Catch Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington or hit up an Austin FC soccer game at Q2 Stadium
- Maybe you should go chasing waterfalls: Hamilton Pool Preserve near Dripping Springs with turquoise waters
- Underground Adventure: Tour Natural Bridge Caverns just north of San Antonio is a way to cool down and see jaw dropping cave sights
- It's Fall: Texas Hill Country wine tasting and pumpkin patches everywhere will not disappoint
- Historic Forts: Hit the Mission Trail on a bike & catch 5 historic missions including the famous Alamo
- Stargaze in desolate dark nights: Marfa, pitch black skies filled with Milky Way brilliance, hit up the Davis Observatory for a professional peep at the skies
Hidden Gem Spotlight
Krause Springs: a lush, tropical paradise (with waterfalls!) tucked into the Hill Country.
Taxes, Politics & People
The Essential Texas Trifecta
State Income Tax: None, zero percent statewide!!
Property Taxes: Houston and Dallas areas higher, smaller cities slightly lower
Texas politics are: Deep red roots, but cities (especially Austin) swing progressive
Texans are: Famously friendly, fiercely proud, big on hospitality
The religious breakdown is: Mostly Christian, strong Baptist presence, growing diversity
Weather
Texas Weather: All the Facts, None of the Stats
Is it going to hail, flood, or maybe something worse? The summers are furnace hot, and the winters serve up Panhandle deep-freeze surprises. Here's what else is going on around Texas that will impact the time you spend outside.
- Summer temps be like: blast furnace (triple digits in West Texas)
- Winter lows are: light sweater tease (except in the Panhandle, where you'll happily don long johns and fleece-lined outerlayers)
- The humidity makes me: feel like I'm chewing the air because it's so thick
- Unique weather patterns: Gulf hurricanes, Hill Country hail, Panhandle dust storms
- Local weather fashion tip: Know your hat seasons. Felt is for fall and winter, straw is for spring and summer/
- Bugs be like: mosquitoes the size of small drones
- You're stuck indoors again today because: heat index feels like broiling oven
- Green thumb enthusiasts love: wildflowers exploding across Hill Country pastures
- Your friend with allergies is always saying: cedar fever is pure seasonal betrayal
My Favorite Thing About Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall in Texas
Outdoor music venues and food & wine festivals are still going strong in October!