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Texas

R+14  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 97

B+

0%

Income Tax

447

Violent Crime / 100K

76.3

Life Expectancy

$340K

Median Home

$1,050

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

51/100
255075100TAXES67SAFETY50HEALTH29SCHOOLS29AFFORDABLE79LONGEVITY52

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Taxes

Income Tax

None

Property Tax

~$5,440/yr on median home

1.6% / yr

Sales Tax

8.19% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Fully Exempt

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Not taxed

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

97

Median Home Price

$340,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,600/mo

Home Insurance

Well above national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$3,200/yr

Flood Insurance

$900/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

447 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,478 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

13.6 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#36 of 50

Life Expectancy

76.3 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Not Expanded

Uninsured Rate

Above national avg (~9%)

18.4%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#36 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,050/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$145/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$480/mo

Road Quality Rank

#31 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

200+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Highly urban — big city feel

85% urban

Restaurant Density

490/100K

Religious Congregations

230/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

11 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

20 venues

Craft Breweries

1.5/100K residents — Growing

430 breweries

Craft Distilleries

One of the nation's top distillery states

215 distilleries

Live Music

Austin Live Music Capital of the World; SXSW; Deep Ellum (Dallas); Houston rap capital; ACL Festival

World-class

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$2,140

Traffic Fatality Rate

13.6 / 100K

Broadband Access

84% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban; SB8 bounty law and trigger law

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Illegal

Casino Gambling

Tribal casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Only Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino near Eagle Pass. Bingo halls widespread. Licensed horse racing tracks. Sports betting repeatedly blocked in legislature.

Yes

Age of Consent

17

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Hippie Hollow (Lake Travis, Austin) · Bluebonnet Nudist Park (Alvord) · Sandpipers Holiday Park

Nude beach

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

43

Natural Disaster Risk

Very High

Primary Hazards

hurricanetornadofloodextreme-heat

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+14

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Not Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land2% of state
Resident Deer License$25
Deer Archery SeasonOct 1 – Nov 1 (South Texas), Nov 1 – Dec 1 (most zones)
CrossbowFull season

Only 2% public land — most hunting is on private ranches or lease clubs. Lease prices can run $500-$2,000/year. White-tail deer population is the largest in the US.

Texas Parks & Wildlife — Official Season Dates ↗

Finding nearby venues...

From r/hunting

My buddy just went on a Texas Elk hunt and came back ...

Elk in Texas are classified as a exotic animal which means they have no bag limit or season. This also means that you cannot kill one on pub...

reddit.com ↗

What is elk hunting on public land really like?

I've hunted and lived in co for 8 years. I've hunted elk hard every year and just got my first elk (a cow during late rifle season) last sea...

reddit.com ↗

Hunting in the USA

There are different season dates for different weapons opening, usually in early Sept. Muzzle loaders in Oct, and modern firearms in late Oc...

reddit.com ↗

r/Hunting on Reddit: If you could move a family to any state ...

r/Hunting - My buddy just went on a Texas Elk hunt and came back ... Without a 'magic bullet' for Michigan's deer woes, hunting season chang...

reddit.com ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+2.8% job growth · 4.1% unemployment

Strong

Top Industries

EnergyTechnologyHealthcare

Tech Jobs

Top tech job market nationally

#4 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#20 of 50

Remote Work

20% of workers

Median Household Income

$73,035

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

0.75% gross receipts tax applies

Gross receipts tax

LLC Formation Fee

$300 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

None

Business Climate Rank

#13 of 50

0.75% franchise tax on gross receipts (0.375% for retail/wholesale); no annual LLC fee if no public info report required

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.36 vs national avg)

$2.94/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal; counties can opt out

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 56°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

96°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

28" / yr

Tornado Risk

Very High

Hurricane Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

High

Flood Risk

High

Natural Hazards

81EXTREME danger
Tornado EXTREME (Red River Valley to DFW)Wildfire EXTREMEHurricane HIGH (Gulf Coast)Brown recluse zoneArmadillo leprosy zoneScorpion density HIGHTarantula migration I-35Western diamondback everywhere

Venomous Snakes

Extreme

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Scorpions

High

Hurricane Risk

High

Tornado Risk

Extreme

Wildfire Risk

Extreme

Earthquake Risk

Moderate

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

High

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

8.1% of state population are veterans

98/100

Property Tax Exemption

100% disabled: full property tax exempt

Full (disabled)

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Excellent

Notable Benefits

No income tax. Large military presence. Top state.

Explore Texas counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Texas

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

Calculate

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Trending in Texas

100 days left in Texas governor race, Gina Hinojosa camp hits streets - El Paso Times

El Paso Times · Jul 26

Governor Abbott Surveys Flood Damage In Cotulla, Requests Additional Counties For Major Disaster Declaration - Office of the Texas Governor (.gov)

Office of the Texas Governor (.gov) · Jul 24

Texas Housing Insight | July 2026 - Texas Real Estate Research Center

Texas Real Estate Research Center · Jul 23

California’s economy isn’t just bigger than Texas and Florida — it’s growing faster, too - California State Portal | CA.gov

California State Portal | CA.gov · Jul 24

North Texas housing advocates say the affordability crisis has deep roots - KERA News

KERA News · Jul 24

What Residents Say

"It's cheap to live in Texas" is a lie.

Texas doesn't have income tax, but that sales tax is 8.25% and the average property tax is 1.8%. Home prices are much higher in Maryland....

reddit.com ↗

Relocation to Texas looks richer at first. Our math says ...

HHI 210k in Bay Area. Two kids 4 and 1. Current costs per month. Rent 3,200. Daycare 2,050 for both. Health premiums 380. Utilities 260. Cars insurance ......

reddit.com ↗

For people that moved to Texas, what are the pros and ...

No income tax. Strong economy and plentiful jobs. Cons: Miserably hot and it never ends. Cost of living is good. Very walkable. Pros: Cost of ......

reddit.com ↗

"It's cheap to live in Texas" is a lie. : r/maryland

Texas doesn't have income tax, but that sales tax is 8.25% and the average property tax is 1.8%. Home prices are much higher in Maryland....

reddit.com ↗

Thinking of moving from TX : r/illinois

The property taxes might be higher in Texas but there is no income tax. Also San Antonio area is going to be more expensive than anywhere else ......

reddit.com ↗

Does the "cost of living is lower" argument still hold?

Was talking to a friend, and he moved from Seattle. I asked him about the savings, but surprisingly he said that he isn't saving much. Essentially, ......

reddit.com ↗

Texas cost of living : r/texas

Most people stay in their homes 5 - 10 years and taxes for that home can increase up to 136% in that time period. 16% Tax Rate 22% Year 19?...

reddit.com ↗

Paid-off home in Texas would cost the same as renting ...

Property taxes: ~$600/month. Even if you've paid off your home, you could potentially pay $5,000 to $12,000 or more in property taxes and ......

reddit.com ↗

For those moving to higher tax states...

Texas has higher property taxes than Maryland. A $600k home in Texas would pay over $3k more per year in property taxes than the same value home ......

reddit.com ↗

Should We 26F 26M Move to Seattle from Dallas Texas ...

So I 26F and my husband 26M are looking at potential cities to move to to start a family. We currently live in Dallas, Texas and due to the political craziness,...

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Texas tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Texas Guides

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Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable