Moving to Texas Statistics: Our 2024 Report (2024)

Whether it’s the draw of Texan culture, a robust energy sector or a lack of state income tax, Americans have many reasons to move to Texas. One of the biggest reasons to move to Texas could lie in the state’s relatively affordable cost of living, as Texas ranks the 20th most affordable state in the country.

The USA TODAY Homefront research team explored moving trends, housing costs, and other facts and figures surrounding Texas to uncover why so many people moved to the Lone Star State in recent years.

For those interested in making a move, hiring the best moving companies in Texas can help make the transition easier.

How many people are moving to Texas?

Texas saw the second-highest net migration (behind Florida) of 174,261 people in 2022. Over 668,000 people migrated to Texas — including 102,442 Californians — and just over 494,000 moved out. The Lone Star State also had the lowest out-migration rate (11.7%) in 2022, with 42,279 residents moving to California and 38,207 moving to Florida, according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data.

Additional U.S. Census Bureau data shows that Texas’ population hit 30,029,572 in 2022, with California as the only other state to surpass 30 million residents. Texas’ 43% population growth translates to an increase of 9,085,073 people, or an average of 412,958 new residents annually from 2000 to 2022. Natural population increase from births (roughly half), net domestic migration (approximately 29%) and net international migration (22%) are the main factors responsible for the state’s population growth.

Harris County, home to Houston, was the second-largest-gaining county in the nation, behind Maricopa County, Arizona. Rockwall County was the fastest-growing county in Texas and the second-fastest in the nation behind Lincoln County, South Dakota.

Eleven of Texas’ 254 counties, including Hays, Williamson, Fort Bend, Kaufman, Comal, Collin, Montgomery and Denton, more than doubled in population from 2000 to 2022. In 2022 alone, the Lone Star State’s population grew by 470,708 people, the U.S. Census reported.

What cities in Texas have gained the most in population?

The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area gained over three times the population that the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos and the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area gained from July 2022 to 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Below are the population gains for the four largest areas in Texas.

What are the cheapest cities to move to in Texas?

Pampa and Bay City have the most affordable typical home values and typical rents in Texas, while Fredericksburg, Austin and Dallas have the highest typical rents and typical home values, per Zillow housing data. Fredericksburg’s typical home values and typical rent far exceed the cheapest cities to buy a home or rent in Texas.

Cheapest and most expensive cities to buy a home

The graph below illustrates typical home values in the top cheapest and most expensive cities in Texas, according to Zillow. The typical home value in each of the top 10 cheapest Texas cities is less than $125,000, while the top 10 most expensive Texas cities range in typical value from $301,456 to just over $533,000.

The typical home value in Fredericksburg, Texas, ($533,039) is nearly six times that of typical home values in Pampa ($89,229) and over four times that of typical home values in Snyder ($121,033), according to Zillow.

If buyers were to make a 20% down payment on a home of typical value in Snyder, it would cost them $24,207. Alternatively, a similar percentage down payment on a home of typical value in Fredericksburg is $106,607. That means this down payment is about the same as it would cost to purchase a typical home in Pampa, Lamesa and Vernon (principal only).

Cheapest and most expensive cities to rent

The median monthly rent in Texas is $1,963, according to Zillow Rental Manager. The Zillow Observed Rent Index illustrates typical rent in the top 10 cheapest and most expensive cities in Texas. Note that none of the cheapest cities for typical rent match any of the cities that appear on the top 10 cheapest cities for typical home values graph. However, Fredericksburg, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Kerrville and Midland made both lists for the most expensive typical rent and typical home values.

The typical rent in Kerrville ($1,612) and El Campo ($1,611) differs by only $1, per Zillow. However, the monetary difference between the typical rent in the most expensive of the cheapest cities (Lufkin, at $1,191) and the cheapest of the most expensive cities (El Campo, at $1,611) is $420. The typical rent in Fredericksburg ($2,525) is nearly three times that of Bay City ($857), the cheapest city in Texas for typical rent.

What are some key statistics about living in Texas?

Measuring 261,194 square miles, Texas is home to over 30 million people. Homeownership rates among Texans are 2.7 percentage points lower than the national average (65.2%). Although the median gross rent is just $10 lower than the $1,300 national average, the median household income ($72,284) falls short of the national average by $2,471. Texas also has a higher poverty rate (14%) than the 12.6% national rate.

Over a third (33.9%) of the Texan population holds a bachelor’s degree or higher. The largest industries include educational services, health care and social assistance (21.1%), and professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (12.9%). The average age is 35.6 years old, but the second-largest population (behind the 10–14-year-old population) is 30–34 years old, with 1,038,036 people.

The Hispanic or Latino population in Texas is 11,441,717 people. More people speak a language other than English (35.1%) compared to the nation as a whole (22%). Nearly 3 in 10 (28.3%) Texans are Spanish-speaking.

What should you consider before moving to Texas?

Hurricanes, the energy sector and the state’s job market outlook can influence your decision to move to Texas. What’s more, Texas does not have income tax and estate or inheritance tax, per the Tax Foundation. Only 41 of the 50 states collect income tax on salary and wages, according to USA.gov.

Texas’ hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30, with most tropical storms targeting the Gulf Coast, per the Texas Comptroller. Hurricane Harvey — the costliest hurricane to make landfall in Texas and Louisiana — caused $125 billion worth of damage in 2017, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center.

The Texas Hurricane Center for Innovative Technology at the University of Houston’s 2024 forecast shows a 50/50 chance of hurricanes based on the two-year cycle for Texas, but the forecast based on the 10-year cycle (69% chance of no hurricanes) has already been disproven by the current season’s three hurricanes thus far.

The Texan job market is expected to increase by 2.3% (329,400 jobs) in 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Texas Employment Forecast released earlier this year. Experts predict December 2024 employment numbers to reach 14.4 million, exceeding historical trends.

The energy sector represents one of the largest in Texas, having supported over 1.37 million jobs in 2021, per the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. Over $83 billion has been invested in alternative energy projects in Texas. However, energy regulation in Texas differs slightly from that in other parts of the nation.

In contrast to monopolistic energy providers that restrict availability and pricing in other states, the Lone Star State’s deregulated energy sector grants consumers the freedom to select their electricity supplier. Through the Power to Choose marketplace, Texans can compare providers, plans and pricing and benefit directly from free market competition and lower electricity rates.

Adjusting to this new way of obtaining electricity can take some getting used to at first, but it’s similar to selecting providers for any other service, be it moving, pest control or a home warranty.

What’s next?

Given the affordable housing and strong job market in Texas, the second-largest U.S. state by size provides numerous opportunities that continue to draw people from across the nation. Those looking to establish themselves to take advantage of the job market can find some of the best cities for renters, including Frisco. It might just be time to tell your current landlord that you’re moving out and starting fresh in Texas.

Additional home services in Texas

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• Best cities in Texas
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• Texas energy rates