It's hard for many of us to believe that any Texan would want to live anywhere else. Yet, some do. What is causing many lifelong Texans to seek greener pastures?

There is no denying that Texas is a booming state. Even Elon Musk has moved many of his ventures here. Other top companies have relocated here, including tech giant Oracle, HP Enterprise, and Charles Schwab.

 

This has brought many new residents to Texas from other states. More new Texans have arrived from California than any other state. Nearly 100,000 of them.  The rest of the top ten states from where new Texans are arriving include:

2) Florida 3) Louisiana 4) Georgia 5) Illinois 6) Oklahoma  7) New Mexico       8) Arizona 9) Virginia 10 Colorado

Even though Texas' population is rising, there is another side to the equation. Many long-time Texans are also leaving the state. There are a lot of reasons.

The population growth in Texas would be more profound if so many Texans weren't also leaving. The 2019 census revealed nearly a half million people left Texas. What was once a great place to live is feeling the pressures of urbanization, overcrowding, and services lagging behind growth.

Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash
Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash
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Texas is #47 out of 50 states for safety. with the 9th highest poverty level. Nearly 15% of Texans are classified as living in poverty.  The FBI says Texas is the 11th most dangerous state to live in.  While the national violent crime index is 334 per 100,000 residents, Texas' is 391.1

In 2021, there were 2,000 murders in Texas.

Here are some other major reasons Texans are fleeing the state:

1) Health Care Costs and Insurance:

Texas's healthcare is expensive, and many Texans refuse health insurance. This causes higher costs for everyone. In addition, Texas is one of the few states that haven't expanded Medicaid, resulting in millions of people with no safety net.

2) Education:

The key to getting ahead in our society is a good education. Texas is failing. The state comes in 34th in education standards and results. This includes factors like the percentage of adults with degrees, how many high school grads are ready for college, and the financial burden on Texas university students.

3) Natural Disasters:

Hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and, lately, earthquakes. Disaster-weary Texans may seek a state with less "action" regarding disasters.

4) Traffic:

Fatal road accidents between January and June of 2022 topped 3,600. Drunk driving, poor roads, and large distances impact all Texans, including people living in the state's rural areas.

5) The Heat:

Texans benefit significantly from the fossil fuel industry. We are also suffering the worst effects of global warming. Four of the 15 hottest cities in the nation are in Texas.  They are Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. The rising heat makes parts of the state more humid and adds weeks to mosquito season. It is also aiding in the formation of stronger hurricanes and more intense tornado seasons.

6) Property Taxes:

We have no state income tax. That is definitely a plus, but along with that benefit, it causes the need for higher property taxes. Compared to other states, Texas ranks 45th out of 51.

So when Texans give up, where do they go? Slacker has a comprehensive list: Here are the top 10.

Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash
Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash
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1) California: 37,063 Texans moved there. 82,235 moved from California to Texas

2)Colorado: 32,295 Texans move to Colorado, while only 18,189 Colorado residents move here

3)Oklahoma: 26,383 Texans moved to Oklahoma, while only 23,535 moved from Oklahoma to Texas

4) Florida: 26,174 Texans moved to Florida, and 41,238 Floridians relocated here

5) Georgia: 22,452 Texans moved to Georgia, while 24,209 Georgians moved to Texas

6) Louisiana:  19.675 Texans moved to Louisiana while 24,513 Louisana residents move here

7) Washington: No wonder U-Haul makes so much money, this is a long move

18,528 Texans moved to Washington.

15,128 Washingtonians moved to Texas

8) Arizona: 17,482 Texans move to Arizona, while 21,205 Arizonans moved here

9) New Mexico: 15,772 Texans moved there, probably for the legal pot. 23,425 moved away from legal pot to Texas

10: Tennessee: 15,068 Texans hit Tennessee, while 9,833 Tennessee residents now live in Texas.

There are no definitive stats for where people move from Victoria. Still, a mover, who wanted to remain anonymous, told me that they see a lot of moves to bigger cities here in Texas, particularly Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.

There are also a lot of moves to Colorado.  Legal pot, beautiful scenery, economic opportunity, and cooler summers.  It is drawing a lot of Texans.

An unscientific poll of people who happened to be in my barber shop last week as to why many Texans are leaving the state came down to one major issue: the fact that so many Californians are moving in.

Photo: Cafe Press
Photo: Cafe Press
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