I, like many of the inhabitants of Collin County, was not born and raised in Texas. In fact, I’m quite the opposite of a Texan, as I am a native of sunny San Diego. No, I did not come over with the influx of Toyota employees, but I know many of us Golden State hippies did. I actually wish I was a part of that package—word on the street is that they got a pretty sweet deal. My husband and I made the choice to sell our surfboards, trade in our flip-flops for cowboy boots, and get used to the idea of tornado watches and hail damage based on research that showed us we could build a better family life. Truly, that’s my favorite thing about living here: the concept of family. The community. The people. We love it and not once have we looked back.
Of course, there were some things that have taken some getting used to, but as a whole, moving to Texas has been the best thing we ever did. So, if you find yourself in this new state from somewhere completely different, or are gearing up to start a new Texas chapter in your life, this post is for you.
Below are the pros and cons if you find yourself moving from California to Texas:
PROS
- Gas Prices (as of Feb. 2018)
- National Average: $2.56
- Texas Average: $2.25
- California Average $3.34
- I think these number speak for themselves.
- Job Growth
- Texas is ranked fifth in the nation.
- Companies are flooding into North Texas and it gives me a sense of security to know the job market is abundant.
- Texas is ranked fifth in the nation.
- Schools
- Allen ISD is rated one of the best school districts, consisting of the best teachers, and is also high on the list of safest school districts.
- Family Life
- Plano has been listed as one of the best places in America to raise a family. You can’t argue with that statistic.
- Community
- This article says it best when it states “folks are just plain friendly.” I have seriously never met nicer people in my life. I’ve also made more friends in my two years here than I had over 28 years in California. Who doesn’t want that?
- Energy Costs
- Again, this factor depends on where you are moving from, but for this California girl who couldn’t afford an A/C unit for her 900-square-foot townhouse and would go into debt as a result of running it if she could, A/C and the subsequent costs make this hot-natured mama quite happy.
CONS
- Guns
- Whether this one is a huge shocker depends on where you are coming from, but I definitely was not used to the normalcy of gun ownership and the hunting I encountered when I first moved here. The open-carry law freaked me out at first, but in two years I have yet to see someone open carry in public.
- Allergies
- I never even knew I had allergies until I moved here, and had no clue what ragweed was until recently. Needless to say, Kleenex and Claritin have become regular inhabitants of my medicine cabinet.
- The HEAT
- Heat index? Keeping the windows and doors closed? Staying inside? These were all foreign to me and I still haven’t adjusted to the insane summer weather, but it’s a small price to pay for all of the good that comes before it. At least I can afford to run my A/C! Advice: if you haven’t moved here yet, make sure you find a place with a pool or community pool.
- Driving
- I thought California drivers were bad. Texas drivers are just plain gnarly. White knuckles are my new accessory when on the road.
In just about any situation, you have to accept the bad with the good. Although we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we packed up our car, kids, and animals as we were moving from California to Texas, my husband and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. The only regret we have is that we didn’t do it sooner. Look out Texas, California is coming for you!
