Moving from California to Texas: What It Actually Costs and Where to Land
Moving from California to Texas is the single most common relocation our agents handle, and the numbers explain why: more than 150,000 Californians moved to Texas in 2025 alone, and Texas added over 391,000 new residents in a single year — the largest gain of any state. If you're reading this, you're thinking about joining them. You're not running away from something; you're choosing something better for your family. Our founder made this exact move from California to Texas in 2017 — and built Conservative Move to help families do it the right way.
Why families are moving from California to Texas
Every family's reasons are their own, but we hear the same themes from thousands of clients: the cost of living, taxes that punish work and savings, schools that don't reflect their values, and the sense that their community changed around them. Texas offers a different deal — and it's not just talk. Here's the actual math.
Cost of living, Texas vs. California: what you'll save and what costs more
| California | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 1% – 13.3% (10 brackets) | None |
| Median home price (2026) | ~$782,000–$905,000 | ~$342,000 |
| Combined sales tax (avg.) | ~8.8% | ~8.2% |
| Avg. property tax rate | ~0.74% (Prop 13 caps) | ~1.6% |
| Income tax saved at $100k income | — | ~$5,700+ / year |
Be honest with yourself about the full picture: Texas property tax rates are roughly double California's, and homeowner's insurance often runs higher too. But because the median Texas home costs less than half the California median, most families come out far ahead — they sell high in California, buy comparable or better in Texas, bank the difference, and stop paying state income tax forever. On a typical family income, that's $10,000–$25,000 a year staying in your pocket.
Run your own numbers with our free State Tax Savings Calculator →.
Freedom on paper: the laws that actually differ
Second Amendment
- Texas: constitutional carry since 2021 — most adults 21+ can carry without a permit. No magazine limits, no “assault weapons” ban, no red-flag law, no waiting period.
- California: 16-hour training requirement for carry permits, long lists of prohibited “sensitive places,” a 10-round magazine limit, an assault-weapons ban — and as of January 1, 2026, a universal storage law that makes it a violation to keep a firearm on your own nightstand.
Homeschooling
- Texas: one of the least-regulated homeschool states in America. No registration, no teacher certification, no mandatory testing. A thriving network of co-ops, including church-based programs.
- California: homeschooling generally requires filing a private school affidavit and complying with private-school requirements.
Schools
Texas public schools are locally governed with elected boards that answer to parents, and the DFW metro alone holds 8 of the state's top 20 districts. Districts like Coppell, Frisco, Allen, and Katy consistently earn top state ratings — Frisco ISD posts a 98% graduation rate. Those districts sit in Collin County, Dallas County, and Tarrant County — the three counties most California families choose.
Where to land: a quick tour for California families
Dallas–Fort Worth
The #1 destination for corporate relocations in America and the most common landing spot for our California clients. Southlake, Coppell, Frisco, Prosper, and Allen offer major North Texas relocation options with master-planned neighborhoods; Coppell, Frisco, and Allen ISDs are TEA A-rated for 2025–26. Expect $400k–$700k for the top suburbs — still a fraction of coastal California prices.
Houston metro
The value play: Katy, The Woodlands, Cypress, and Pearland offer top-tier districts (Katy ISD ranks in the state's top tier) at $340k–$450k. More house, more land, faster path to mortgage-free.
San Antonio & the Hill Country
New Braunfels, Boerne, and the Hill Country towns draw families who want small-town Texas culture, land, and a slower pace within reach of a major city.
A note on Austin
Beautiful city, booming economy — but politically and culturally, central Austin will feel familiar to anyone leaving coastal California. Many of our clients prefer its suburbs (Georgetown, Leander, Liberty Hill) or skip it entirely. Your agent will tell you the truth about neighborhoods, not just sell you a house.
What surprises Californians (so nothing surprises you)
- Property tax bills arrive bigger than expected — budget for the rate difference before you fall in love with a bigger house.
- Summer is serious — 100° stretches are normal; air conditioning is life infrastructure.
- Homeowner's insurance runs higher — hail and wind risk price into premiums in much of the state.
- HOAs are common in master-planned communities — read the rules before you buy acreage dreams in a planned neighborhood.
- No state income tax means no state tax return — one less April headache.
How to make the move without living it twice
The hard part of a California-to-Texas move isn't the buying — it's doing two transactions in two markets 1,500 miles apart on one timeline. That's exactly what we do. Conservative Move pairs you with a vetted, values-aligned listing agent in California and a buyer's agent in Texas, and we coordinate both ends as one move — timing, proceeds, movers at discounted rates, lender introductions (including VA loans), and community introductions when you land.
Already have a California agent you trust? Keep them — we'll handle the Texas side. Renting right now? We'll match you with a Texas buyer's agent only. The service is free to you; our agents pay us a referral fee only when your move succeeds.
Start your move today or call 800-277-5487.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really cheaper to live in Texas than California?
Yes for most families, but not on every line. Texas has no state income tax, while California's top marginal rate reaches 13.3%, and housing costs dramatically less across most Texas metros. The offset is property tax: Texas averages a 1.40% effective rate on owner-occupied homes against California's 0.70%, so the same-priced house carries a noticeably bigger tax bill every year.
How much do I save on taxes moving from California to Texas?
The biggest change is income tax. California charges up to 13.3% on high earners, and up to 14.6% on wage income once the payroll surtax is counted; Texas charges nothing. Sales tax is close to a wash at 8.19% average combined in Texas versus 8.99% in California. Because the actual number depends on your income, filing status and the home you buy, run it through our State Tax Savings Calculator rather than trusting a rule of thumb.
Do Texas property taxes cancel out having no income tax?
For most households, no, but it is closer than people expect. Texas's effective property tax rate averages 1.40% of home value against California's 0.70%, so that bill roughly doubles for a similarly priced home. Families who earn well and buy modestly come out clearly ahead. Retirees on fixed income who buy a large house are the group most likely to find the trade goes the other way.
What is the cost of living difference between California and Texas?
Housing is where the gap is widest: the same budget generally buys substantially more square footage and land in Texas than in coastal California. Groceries, fuel and utilities are much closer, and Texas summers push cooling bills well above what most Californians are used to. Combined sales tax is slightly lower in Texas, 8.19% against 8.99%.
Where do most Californians move to in Texas?
Dallas-Fort Worth takes the largest share, especially the northern suburbs across Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties. Houston's outer suburbs and the Hill Country around San Antonio come next. Austin draws the most attention but is the most expensive major Texas metro and the least representative of the rest of the state.
Should I sell my California home before buying in Texas?
Almost always yes. Your California equity is what funds the Texas purchase, and Texas sellers rarely accept offers contingent on a home selling two states away. The exception is a buyer who can carry both payments or use a bridge loan.
How long does a move from California to Texas take?
Plan on three to five months from first conversation to keys in hand: roughly 30 to 60 days to prepare and sell in California, then 30 to 45 days to close in Texas. The two can overlap when both ends are coordinated.
Do I need a real estate agent in both California and Texas?
Yes. Real estate licenses are state-specific, so no single agent can legally represent you on both ends of the move. That is the practical reason relocation referral services exist: one point of contact lines up a listing agent in California and a buyer's agent in Texas so the two closings meet.
An honest word before you go
No move is only upside. Texas has trade-offs of its own, and the right answer depends on your family, your budget, and your timeline. Our job is to give you the real picture and connect you with a trusted conservative agent on both ends, at no cost to you. We only earn when a partner agent closes your sale or purchase.
Sell in California. Buy in Texas.
One team coordinates both sides of your move so you never have to live it twice. Free to you, start to finish.
Get Started FreeOr call 800-277-5487First you sell. That is where the money is made.
Your California home is the down payment on your Texas one. How it is priced, marketed and negotiated decides how much of that equity you actually carry across the country — and it is the one part of this move most families leave to chance.
Conservative Move handles both ends as a single coordinated move: a vetted listing agent in California to sell for top dollar, and a conservative agent in Texas ready when you land. One team, timed together, and our referral service is always free to you.
From a family who made this move
★★★★★
“It has been a great adventure so far, and Conservative Move was one of the best parts of it. I have already referred them to one other person.”
Charles Jones · Google review · relocated to Texas
More Relocation Guides
More moves from California: California to Tennessee • California to Florida • California to Idaho • California to South Carolina
More ways to get to Texas: Washington to Texas • New York to Texas • New Jersey to Texas
Not sure where to land? See our ranking of the most conservative states in America or explore our full Texas relocation guide.
