Moving From California to Texas: Your Guide to a Smooth Move
Nothing says sunshine like California. There’s even a song about it. (California Sun_by the Rivieras_, anyone?)
But, while California might be a great place to live with tons of beaches, shopping, and foodie hotspots, tens of thousands of people are packing their bags and moving to Texas.
In this guide, we’re going to share everything people wish they knew before moving from California to Texas to help you make your move without a worry in the world (or at least, as few worries as possible!).
We’ll talk about the pros and cons, the average cost, and–you guessed it–plenty of tips along the way to make your move as stress-free as we can. Let’s have some fun!
Why are so many people moving from California to Texas?
One of our long-distance movers’ favorite questions is the ole, “Hey. So, what brings you to Texas?” We hear a laundry list of answers, from “got a new job” to “it’s better for business,” or “my kid’s going to college there.”
Both states are great places to live. California (AKA the Golden State) is attractive to new tech companies and other startups in the Silicon Valley, and it’s got some of the best food, entertainment, and weather. (280-300 sunny days every year? We’ll take it.)
You’ve also got an abundance of mountains, beaches, and city amenities to choose from there. In one day, you can be on the set of a movie in the middle of L.A., and in less than an hour, you can enjoy a hike up to the Hollywood Sign, overlooking the city.
And Texas? Don’t even get us started! We LOVE Texas. As of 2022, nearly 30 million people call this beautiful state home. You can live in rural Texas or right in the city (think: downtown Dallas), and enjoy all the amenities you need in between, plus some amazing weather that’s comparable to what you find in California.
Texas is a top location for retirees, business owners, families, and your everyday person who wants a lower cost of living with many of the same amenities they enjoyed in California.
Texas has amusement parks (Six Flags), multiple shopping centers, and airports galore that can take you from your home to your vacation destination in as little as a few hours. It’s also known for various military bases, including Lackland Airforce Base in San Antonio, and a one-of-a-kind entertainment scene. (Head over to Austin, and see for yourself!)
But, while we love Texas as much as the next person, what kind of movers would we be if we didn’t share the pros and cons of moving there?
Moving from California to Texas: pros and cons
Here’s what you should know before moving to Texas from California:
Benefits to Texas, compared to California
- Purchase or rent a home for much less than what you’d pay in California, helping your salary stretch further. The average home value in California is $734,612. California home values have increased by 20.1% in the last year, according to Zillow. The average home value in Texas sits at $276,048. Similar to California, the home values have increased by over 20% in the last year (21.6%, to be exact). However, the actual price to buy a house is significantly lower in Texas than in California.
- You don’t pay personal income taxes in Texas. We know what you’re thinking. That must be a joke. _Right?_Wrong! Texas does not do individual income taxes. That can save you money when moving from California, which has the highest income tax rate out of all 50 states.
- It’s the “best state for business.”Texas has a thriving economy that makes it ideal for new businesses. (Plus, you can’t beat the lack of corporate and personal income taxes!) Some of the top industries in Texas include oil and gas, agriculture, steel, tourism, and banking.
Downsides to living in Texas
- Texas has a high property tax rate. In fact, their property taxes are higher than 44 other states, including California. That means that if you own property, you might have to fork out more cash than you’d have to in California.
- It can take a bit to travel to other states. Texas is the second-largest state and is made up of 268,597 square miles. If you plan to travel outside of Texas, set your sights on an international airport (psst…Dallas Fort Worth) to save time–or plan at least a few hours to get to the neighboring states, such as Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. (The exact travel time varies depending on where you move to in Texas.)
- Moving a long distance can be a hassle (if you don’t have the right moving company).You could expend large sums of money and even more time trying to get your ducks in a row before saying goodbye to California.
What kind of challenges do people face when moving from state to state?
- Packing the right way to keep the items safe during transit
- Deciding what to move and what to declutter
- Scheduling the move based on availability
- Knowing the best times to travel based on traffic and the weather*
- Sourcing storage in the new city
- Finding someone who can help with loading, unloading, delivery, and other moving services
*Hurricane season happens between June 1 and November 30 in Texas, so try to avoid these dates if you’re planning to move there.
Other benefits of moving from California to Texas
Texas is one of the top-three quickest-growing states in the U.S., with well over 500,000 residents coming in every year. Here are the benefits of living in Texas:
- No income taxes
- Great job market
- Affordable living costs
- Warm weather
- Top schools
- Thriving nightlife
The Average cost of moving from California to Texas
It can be anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 to relocate from California to Texas. You’ll want to factor in the costs for long-distance movers, a delivery truck (if needed), packing supplies, license and vehicle registrations, storage, insurance, gas, and move-in fees and deposits.
Tips to make your move from California to Texas
Now that you understand the reasons to move to Texas and what to expect if you move there, here are suggestions to make that move easier:
#1: Pack early
Get a jump-start on your packing to keep yourself from having to do everything at the last minute. You don’t have to do every room over a weekend. Once you know your moving date, you can create a packing schedule.
Maybe that means packing up your guest room this week, your kids’ rooms next week, and the living room just before the big day. As long as you’re packed up and ready to go when the movers arrive, you’ll be golden.
Here are some packing tips:
- Wrap your furniture twice with thick blankets and plastic wrap.
- Mark glass and other delicate items as “fragile” so that you know to be careful with them during transport.
- Use special boxes for your office equipment, electronics, and kitchen appliances to keep them from getting scratched or broken during the move.
- Color-code your boxes by room to make everything easy to find.
#2: Find out if your new city requires parking permits for trucks
One of the snags you might hit when moving from California to Texas is parking permits. Many cities in Texas require you to have a permit to park your moving truck. If you don’t have this set up before your move, you may end up paying parking fees, or you could risk getting towed. (Let’s be honest: no one wants that.)
Also, don’t feel like your only choices are batching and van line services. A dedicated truck that can take you from point A to point B can be much easier and save you a good amount of time when moving to Texas.
#3: Do a virtual walk-through with your sales rep
Can you really *love* a place until you’ve seen it in person? Maybe you can! Even if you don’t have the time to check out your new location before grabbing your keys and moving in, consider doing a virtual walk-through.
This will give you peace of mind that you’ll be happy in your new home and make sure that it has what you’re looking for. Another benefit of virtual walk-throughs is that you can give your movers a heads up about any stairwells, narrow hallways, etc. so that they can be prepared come moving day.
#4: Choose the right moving company
Sure, you can work with a mover in California, have them load your belongings onto the moving truck, and be done with it. But imagine how much easier it’d be if you had movers in Texas, too. At Bellhop, we have experienced moving professionals in not just one of those states–but both!
Our dedicated support and coordination teams also make your life easier by helping you plan out the move from beginning to end, making sure you have everything you need
We handle all aspects of your move (besides packing). That means loading, unloading, delivery, and helping you find the best storage in your new city. We can even help disassemble and reassemble furniture, which is not something many moving companies offer.
Another nice thing about Bellhop is that we don’t charge based on weight like many of our competitors do. As long as it fits on the moving truck, we’re happy to transport it to your new destination, and if you’re worried about the price, don’t be. We now offer convenient financing options, making moving services accessible to everyone.
Let Bellhop make your move to Texas a great one
Our movers can take you from Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside, or San Jose all the way to a long list of cities in Texas. Thinking about moving to Austin? How about Houston or San Antonio?
We can help you relocate to all of those cities and more, including Allen, Baytown, Cypress, Garland, Irving, Katy, New Braunfels, Plano, Richardson, Sugar Land, and beyond.
Basically, if you need the best movers when moving from California to Texas, we’ve got your back. If you want to save time when moving to the Lone Star State, you know who to call. Book a move online today
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