Moving to Texas: City Guides, Checklist & Tips

Updated July 2026

Northern mockingbirdState birdBluebonnetState flowerMonarch butterflyState insectPecanState treeDallasKilleenAustinSan AntonioHoustonEl Paso

Texas levies no state income tax, a break that can add $4,000 to $15,000 a year in take-home pay depending on income and the state you're leaving. Where you land inside Texas changes the math entirely. Houston costs almost exactly the national average — a cost of living index of 101 and a $330,000 median home — while running the fourth-largest city in the country on energy, the Texas Medical Center, and aerospace. Dallas runs a modest premium at index 106 and a $395,000 median home, anchoring a 7.7-million-person metroplex on Fortune 500 finance and logistics. Austin costs the most of the four at index 122 and a $530,000 median home, trading affordability for a tech job market built around Dell, Apple, and Tesla. Killeen is the outlier — 16% below the national average at a $226,000 median home, built almost entirely around Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the country. This hub collects our city-by-city relocation guides for Texas, plus the practical steps to become a resident.

Texas City Guides

Texas Living and Vacationing Quick Reference

Living here

State income tax
None on wages or salaries — the break can add $4,000 to $15,000 a year in take-home pay depending on income and the state you left
Sales tax
6.25% statewide base, reaching up to 8.25% combined once local city and county rates are added
Median home price
About $305,000 statewide as of 2026 — ranging from $226,000 in Killeen to $530,000 in Austin
Cost of living
Close to the national average statewide; Houston sits right at index 101, Dallas at 106, and Austin runs highest at 122
Driver's license deadline
90 days after moving, though you must register your vehicle within 30 days — two separate clocks
Population
About 31.7 million as of 2025 — the second most populous state, adding more people each year than any other

Visiting first

Main airports
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), the second-busiest airport in the country, and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
National parks
Two — Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains, both in far West Texas and about 3.5 hours apart
Best scouting months
March through May or October through November — outside the worst of the summer heat and humidity
The summer heat, honestly
Dallas, Austin, and Houston all see weeks of 100-degree-plus days most summers, and Houston pairs that heat with heavy humidity
It is four different states in one
Piney East Texas, the Gulf Coast, the Hill Country around Austin, and the desert of West Texas share a border but little else
Getting around
No state has more public road miles — expect long commutes and a car as a non-negotiable in every city on this hub

How Texas Got Its Name

Texas takes its name from taysha, a word in the Caddo language meaning "friend" or "ally," which Spanish explorers heard from the Hasinai people of East Texas and recorded as Tejas. The state motto — "Friendship," adopted in 1930 — points straight back at that root. The military identity runs just as deep. Fort Hood, outside Killeen, is one of the largest military installations in the country and home of the 1st Cavalry Division. It spent 2023 to 2025 as Fort Cavazos, honoring Richard E. Cavazos, the Army's first Hispanic four-star general, before the Army restored the Hood name in July 2025 — this time for Col. Robert B. Hood, a decorated World War I artilleryman, rather than the Confederate general it originally honored.

How to Become a Texas Resident

Establishing residency unlocks a Texas driver's license, vehicle registration, in-state tuition, and resident access to state parks and programs. You establish residency in Texas by doing any one of the following — you don't need all of them:

Texas Moving Checklist

Questions Movers Ask About Texas

Does Texas have an income tax?

No. Texas has no state income tax on wages or salaries, a break that can add $4,000 to $15,000 a year in take-home pay depending on your income and the state you are leaving. The state makes up the difference with property taxes that rank among the highest in the country and a sales tax that reaches up to 8.25% combined in most cities.

How expensive is it to live in Texas?

It depends heavily on the city. Houston costs almost exactly the national average at a cost of living index of 101 and a $330,000 median home. Dallas runs a modest premium at index 106 and $395,000. Austin costs the most at index 122 and $530,000. Killeen is the outlier, about 16% below the national average at a $226,000 median home.

How long do I have to get a Texas driver's license after moving?

You have 90 days to get a Texas driver's license after establishing residency, and your out-of-state license is valid to drive on until then. Vehicle registration runs on a separate, shorter clock — 30 days from the date you establish residency.

Is it really that hot in Texas?

Yes. Dallas, Austin, and Houston all see multiple weeks of 100-degree-plus days most summers, and Houston adds heavy Gulf humidity on top of the heat. The trade-off is a short, mild winter — scout in spring or fall if you want to see the state at its most comfortable.

When should I visit Texas before deciding to move?

March through May or October through November, when temperatures are milder across the state's four distinct regions. A summer visit will show you the heat you would actually live with — useful information, but not the most flattering first impression of Austin, Dallas, or Houston.

Which Texas city should I move to?

It depends on your budget and industry. Houston offers the closest-to-average cost of living among the four with a diversified energy and medical economy. Dallas anchors Fortune 500 finance and logistics at a modest premium. Austin costs the most but has the deepest tech job market. Killeen is the most affordable, built almost entirely around Fort Hood.

Moving to Texas from Another State?

We compare the two states side by side — taxes, housing, and what changes on day one:

Sources and Data Notes

Residency options, license and vehicle-registration deadlines, and tax rates on this page reflect requirements published by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Cost, housing, and job-market figures draw on the public datasets used across ScoutLocale's city guides, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BestPlaces.net, and Niche.com.

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