5 Reasons Why I Love Living in Texas

Alex and I have lived in Texas for over 3 years now and have loved every minute of it. Neither one of us regret moving here, and we always talk about how great it is to live in this state. I actually grew up visiting Texas (specifically Houston) each year since my mom’s side of the family lives here. I always loved our vacations down south, and I thought it was such a cool place. Of course, you never really know if you’ll like something until you’ve lived it day in and day out.

Today, I wanted to share my top five reasons why I love living in Texas. Who knows, maybe I’ll convince a few of you out there to pick up and move to the Lone Star State!

1. The people.
   • Texans are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Everyone is willing to lend a hand, and people are generally very happy. We have some of the best neighbors and everyone treats each other like family. I have made some really good friends down here, and they are accepting of each and every person.
   • It should also be noted how the entire city of Houston came together after Hurricane Harvey. I have never seen such a great response to a major natural disaster. The number of people who volunteered and took people into their homes was outstanding. This really made me feel like we picked the perfect city to live in.
2. The tacos and margaritas.
   • I had to put something in here that was food-related! But really, you can’t deny all of the Mexican food. Texas has the best tacos and margaritas. I don’t think anyone can argue this. There are taco trucks on every corner, and I love how authentic it is. There is also a good amount of Tex-Mex that is equally as delicious as the taco trucks. Basically, if you like Mexican food and you live in Texas, you’re in luck.
3. The proximity to several destinations.
   • We can get to Dallas in 3 hours, Austin in 2.5 hours, San Antonio in under 4 hours, and New Orleans in under 6 hours. The list goes on and on of how many great destinations we can travel to quickly. I think this is a HUGE perk of living where we do. We have been able to take so many amazing weekend trips. Also, I like that we can be a bit more spontaneous with our travel plans since we don’t have to fly to any of these destinations. If we ever run out of all our airline miles, I’ll be content traveling around the great state of Texas!
4. The weather.
   • Even though we are in the worst of it right now, I do love the weather in Texas. Sure, the summers can be brutal, but that’s what pools are for! I am not a winter person, so I enjoy having mild temperatures in January. We have been able to do so much more outside since moving to Texas. I love that we can go on bike rides year-round or sit outside at brunch in February. I’m not sure I could ever move back to a cold climate.
5. The cost of living.
   • Did someone say no state income tax?! I think that is one of the best things about living in Texas. If we lived in California, we would make about 10% less because of the state income tax. That’s a huge chunk of change that we can save or invest. I know Texas has one of the highest property tax rates in the country, but I still feel like we are coming out ahead. The cost of buying a home is pretty reasonable, especially if you are looking for something in the suburbs. If we still lived in Wisconsin, we would have paid about $100,000 more for the same house that we have now. In general, you will find that Texas is one of the cheapest states you can live in.
6. BONUS: Buc-ee’s.
   • It would be wrong to leave this off the list, so here it is! If you’ve never experienced Buc-ee’s, please add it to your bucket list right now. They have several locations all over Texas, and it is the best convenience store around. I typically don’t get that excited about a gas station convenience store, but this is different. Trust me! Everyone needs to experience Buc-ee’s at least once.

If you’ve never been to Texas, I would highly recommend a visit! It’s an amazing place with so much to offer. Houston itself is a very diverse city and has something for everyone. Again, I can’t say enough good things about where we live, and I’ve only been here a few years! I love it more each day.

If you are a fellow Texan, what are some of your favorite things about the state? I’m not a native, so I am sure there are plenty of things I have yet to experience! Leave a comment below with what you love most about Texas.