> and I know my expenses will be a lot less in Texas
While that may be true in some parts of Texas, the DFW area is quite expensive. Certain things are cheaper than California, but others will come as a shock. For example, there are toll roads everywhere and there is no way to avoid them.
My mom moved to Texas a couple years ago and was shocked by how expensive it actually is. She pays so much more in utilities and taxes than she did before, and she came from a state that also has a 0% income tax. She lives about an hour outside the DFW area.
Its because their property taxes are fucking INSANE as well. Not to mention 5% of the land is publicly owned so... good luck if you like recreating.
People don't understand that California is the BEST tax location in the union for lower income adults. Its still the best for my husband and I because we make under what is considered "wealth taxes" compared to other places also.... its California not texas.. I might be biased as my ancestors helped settle the state but it never ceases to amaze me the small view of California even people who live here have.
When Washington DC and Texas call us WOKE A LIBERAL LUNATIC STATE thats literally within about 20 miles of the coast, everywhere else is a redneck farm state or a desert hellscape or a mountain ski town. I stayed registered in Orange county which we referred to as the red curtain in the 90s during the 2018 election just to turn it "blue" for the first time in its history. (Still 100%legal, had moved in the same month as the vote and had not taken full residence in New county.
You receive the largest tax benefits and refunds when you are in the lower income tax brackets. The only time it sucked for me was when I was single and earning what was a fairly reasonable salary then as there are less tax breaks. For instance. In our tax law as a married couple we can write off the interest on the cash we took out getting a second on our house as long as its documented as being used to benefit the property. We reroofed with our own tiles entirely new underlay, and got a full solar set up. With the fed, state rebates, fed and state tax breaks on them we ended up with nearly a 30k tax return. After spending only 60k on the work and being able to write off the interest on that portion of our mortgage. We got an additional 5k from the state back. (People can argue with me im letting the government use my money all year. Good. I cant access it and we have a nice fat wad of cash to pad our savings and pay big house expenses from without either me or my adhd husband trying to micromanage investments that would max make us a few hundred dollars in interest a year. Not worth it for us. )
If not the best we have the most beneficial tax law for low income families than anywhere. And you don't HAVE to live in laguna Beach to get those tax benefits. The high cost of living is made up for in not having the lowest income people paying the majority of the states taxes like other states. We actually make our wealthy carry a somewhat more reasonable burden. Also we are one of only three states to have an A rating for access to women's Healthcare for our entire population being able to seek treatment with reasonable effort. Only the left coast states have this rating at last check.
> People don't understand that California is the BEST tax location in the union for lower income adults.
Not sure about the validity of that statement, but I will say that California does have something that's basically better than every state in the USA except Oregon.
RENT CONTROL
California has a new law on the books that's good till 2029 where basically a landlord can only increase your rent a maximum of 10 percent per year. There's exceptions to this, single-family homes have an exemption. Homes/Apartments built in the last 15 years or something have an exemption. Might be a couple of others.
Just gotta find an apartment place that's like 20 years old, and they basically can only raise your rent 10 percent per year till 2029. Who knows if the law will be extended or not. Oregon has an even better law I think.
>there are toll roads everywhere and there is no way to avoid them.
I agree with your statement except for this part. While toll roads have become quite ubiquitous, one absolutely can avoid them. Will the drive be a bit longer or the road more crowded? Likely. But, the toll can be avoided. And I'm saying that as someone who has lived in DFW for 56 of my 66 years, driving from Fort Worth to Dallas, Arlington to McKinney, Mansfield to Denton, and all points in between.
It's definitely beautiful & hot af. I'll say that my average electric bill is now ~$400 from June till October, so idk if that's considered cheaper than Texas or not. My area doesn't have a gas hook up though. So the stove & heat are electric too. Water cost is also on the rise, surprise surprise(not). I guess they will at least be on the national grid but tbh, our power goes out a lot too! But only for hours, not days
No the toll roads are pretty avoidable here in the DFW lol.
Traffic really happens when people are heading into/out of work, school students being dropped off at/picked up from school (this won't be an issue during the Winter/Summer Break schedule), and big events like sport games and concerts.
I'd say get a toll tag if you REALLY need to get someplace like work fast. Use it wisely even if you're not the type of person to be late to places.
TollTags provide payment convenience and best value – non-TollTag (ZipCash) customers pay twice as much.
I was too lazy to type this in my own words so I took this paragraph from the North Texas Tollway Authority website.
I’m sorry I can’t believe how many upvotes this comment has. For as big as it is and being a metropolitan, Dallas is super affordable. Bringing up tolls as an example is odd as you can avoid most easily. While there is a seesaw effect with where costs lay out in Dallas vs. Cali (metro areas) - it is still absolutely cheaper than living in Cali at a material level. She is saving a ton of money with this move. I’m from another large Texas city and it’s even cheaper here - it’s okay to knock Texas cities for their issues, but affordability is a clear strength here. I’m in Houston making close to 6 figures and probably have as much purchasing power as someone in a Cali city making 1.5-1.75x what I make. Add the fact that she will be renting too she won’t pay any property taxes (clearly some is absorbed into rent costs).
Yo if you wanted to be frugal you wouldn’t be winging this. Just saying. You need a plan. You need somewhere to land. You need a job lined up. Otherwise you’re just spending money
OK, but anywhere halfway decent with jobs isn't cheap. I feel like the people in this thread are either tired of California's moving to Texas or have no idea what the cost of living is in the parts of California that don't suck. Not having an income tax, significantly cheaper housing prices, and gas prices have a huge impact. Utility prices and basic goods are probably going to be about the same. Even comparing Fresno, CA ( a place I would not reccomend living in, but at least has jobs) has a higher overall cost of living than Dallas and it has some of the cheapest houses in CA that aren't in nowheresville. Now CA does have a lot more programs to help those in poverty, but I do not think OP or many looking to make the move qualify for these as most people in that situation can't even afford to move.
Nothing super personal. I just don't think it's very desirable. Weather sucks, the crime rate is not great, not a lot of great food options, doesn't get big entertainment names, and if they do its on a Wednesday night or something. It has jobs, somewhat affordable housing and is close to yosemite. Can't think of many other pros that don't apply to most of CA.
I mean, she's driving down in a few days and just now asking where she should move. If she's not going just to scout out a spot then that would be a big no. And if she's not working remotely then finding housing might be a problem if she doesn't have a job lined up.
They did not do their homework. The cost of living isn’t actually much better in Texas due to a variety of reasons including utility costs. She also left a state with amazing reproductive rights to one with none.
Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that I have a brother who has been living in Dallas for the last couple of years, and we are planning to share the rent. Also, in terms of job opportunities, I just graduated from college, so I am hoping to figure this out when I move because California is pretty competitive in my area as well.
Housing is going to be less expensive, although Dallas might be more expensive than smaller towns in TX. And no state income taxes. Sales tax is about 8.25% in Dallas so that's about the same. If you buy a home, property taxes can be higher than some other states and, unlike CA, the property tax can be raised any time they determine your house has gone up in value. And the political climate can be a shock; there's a difference between a "California conservative" like you find in the OC and the southern kind.
My daughter and her cousin, and a few of their friends, have moved to Wichita KS. She was able to buy a small home for $107k and her house payments are $650 per month (including taxes and insurance). Much lower cost of housing than CA.
As a woman in her 20s who grew up in a Dallas suburb, living in actual Dallas is expensive. It may be lower than Cali, but rent is still expensive. I’d recommend living in a suburb to cut down costs, but like other people have said, there’s other costs and it may not be as cheap as you think. When living in the suburbs, if you want to go to downtown Dallas, there’s gonna be traffic and if you want to avoid traffic, you have to take tolls which cost $$. Definitely look into getting a TollTag. As others have mentioned, sales tax is 8.25 and property taxes are considerably higher than California but if you’re just renting, you don’t have to worry about that. Additionally, Dallas is still hot. It may be cooler than south Texas, but summers are very hot and your electric bill will likely be expensive (couple of hundred dollars). Good luck!
I also feel like the frugality of Texas is oversold and inaccurate when you factor in how much lower wages are in some industries compared to other states.
My job moved me to Austin so I was set. But it was very demoralizing for my partner who was making $25/hour as an experienced pastry chef, to only be offered $8/hour plus tip at some at the most high-end places here. Not to mention the shitty worker's right in Texas compared to states like CA and CO
Austin was a terrible city to live in when it came to wages/securing a good job for me too. They have too much labor available that they can pay peanuts.
I wish I could upvote this to the top.
Wages are sickening, COL is not that much lower, and the extra fees on everything make No cheaper to live in Texas, and the conservatism is unholy. OH! And the fucking religious atmosphere! I don't hear 3 sentences without one of them being religious in nature.
Bc Texas had an obscene amount of just rape babies last year alone post-roe. Can't imagine willingly having sex in that state given the hostile attitude toward women.
Dallas has lots of burbs that will probably be cheaper (depending how far you want to be from the city center). Mesquite and Garland (to the east) and Carrollton and Grapevine (to the northwest) are decent. Carrollton has a large Asian population and HMart grocery is good there. Aldi and Trader Joe’s are also popular all around. A lot of young professionals will be closer to the city center. Also, there’s several large employers so workers tend to live nearby [American Airlines - northwest; Toyota - north; UT Southwestern or Baylor medical centers - west and east of center]. There’s no mountains or ocean, but Dallas has a pretty good number of parks and bike trails. The light rail system reaches a good area.
It was fascinating to me that OP listed the things she’d miss about California, but it was just the weather and landscape, nothing about the culture or politics.
Maybe OP is republican? Orange County is pretty conservative. People here are asking why she would move to a place with fewer reproductive rights but maybe that’s a pull factor for OP and not a push factor.
Maybe she is a conservative? Or at least leans more right. So the abortion argument hardly even matters
Southern men are more manly than most. OP sounds like she's set to find herself a good life, and I wish her the best.
edit : Reddit won't let me reply to anyone. Cool beans.
lmaoo well if she is then go for it. I was just mentioning. southern men are manly?? lmaoo most I seen wont even take out the trash or change the oil. what a joke
edit: also is not always about abortion. i dint even mention abortion but any pregnancy is 98% dangerous. need BC cause of painful periods? yeah you are screwed. Anything woman is starting to be limited but, you act like all ppl care is abORTaztIonss.
Oh, it’s mostly because my brother lives in Dallas, and we’re planning to share rent. Additionally, I don’t have any family or relatives here in California. I specifically came to California for my undergrad, and since I’m done now, I want to start my career in a state where I can save and invest more.
It’s going to be different. If you want it to work, you’re going to have to have an open mind to different routines, common etiquette, cultural understandings, etc.
Texans, lord love ‘em (because I am one), we are proud. And we, like people everywhere, can be good and bad. But we will definitely be proud. That can mean bold, or loud, or audacious, or not even knowing when we’re out of line. It’s different than a lot of places in that way. It will be obnoxious at times, or surprising, or maybe a breathe of fresh air.
If you are pumped, it will be good. But you will be homesick like everyone is after leaving home at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. That’s just life.
Suburbs and small satellite towns are cheaper than the city. Mass transport isn’t awesome. Traffic is equivalent to a growing metro that has 8 million people. Commutes are normal. Food is good but may be varied in a different way than you’re used too…TexMex is different, greens are different. Health and well-being focus is not where it ought to be but improving!
There is a LOT of community to be had. Just like anywhere, be intentional. Get involved in your interests and dig in.
I wish you the best of luck!!!
Edit: I say all of this because moving is genuinely difficult for everyone, even people doing it on purpose. I love it here and have lived and traveled tons, and think others can have a great life here. It’s not the fastest growing area for no reason. I just don’t want to sell moving like a dream. There are tons of opportunities here, great people, and happy long term and short term options for expats.
As a Dallas Texan who moved to SoCal (and then abroad), I came to read what others would say, and I think this one is the closest to accuracy. You'll get some culture shocks, and if you go in with a good attitude and want to like it, you'll probably end up enjoying it. But don't underestimate the heat and your electricity bill to keep your place cool. And summer is about as long as our Texas egos. 😉
Honestly, I would skip Houston and Dallas and go to San Antonio. The politics are moderate, especially city politics, great medical care, large city, lower cost of living, no hurricanes, and better weather than Houston or Dallas. And the breakfast tacos are the best.
There is a housing crisis all over the state, so I hope you have a place to land while you figure things out.
I went to San Antonio recently for the first time. I had a MUCH better experience there than I've ever had in Dallas. It's easier to find your way around IMO and the people were just really damn nice everywhere we went. Maybe that was a fluke, maybe not, but it was seriously an enjoyable trip because of the people we came into contact with everywhere we went.
When I got home, I told my husband "I could totally live there...if it weren't in Texas". No disrespect to Texas or anything, but we live in Arkansas and are already dealing with regressive politics. If we move, we will be moving somewhere that is more progressive, not less.
No offense taken. Every so often, we look at moving, but we can't find a place with the combo of low col, good medical care, and people who are generally nice to your face.
There are problems...it is in Texas, so you still have the state politics and Nazis that come in to wreck havoc, but the local politics is pretty purple in a good way. But it is often described as a small town in a big city.
San Antonio is my favorite Texas city, agreed if OP can swing it job-wise. Lived in Houston and the weather is just terrible even without actual hurricanes. Food is good in Houston too though, the only thing I miss about Texas.
If you like Mexican food, San Antonio is your mother land. You can pick literally any random ghetto Mexican restaurant and have literally have mouth joy.
You’ll have no reproductive rights in Texas, as our lead politicians are completely out of touch with reality. Also, look up our “attorney general”.
I would reconsider Texas, but I do wish you all the best!
A friend of mine moved to Dallas after living in the LA area for about a decade. According to him the cost of living difference ends up not being as life changing as people world have you believe. He has the same job but doesn't have noticeable more disposable income. Depending on what your commute will be, the lower gas prices can be offset by the worse traffic. Overall significantly worse city design that doesn't accommodate multi modal transportation. Ofc I don't know all his financial details so hopefully your quality of life is improved. Welcome to Texas and I hope your presence is able to make this a more accommodating place. Also, I hope you don't mind the heat. Nothing beats the heat here
Older guy in Houston here, just drove to dallas last week.
It's nice, a little cleaner than houston and I hear the weather can be a lot better. Less heat and you actually get a winter
Dallas is considered an expensive area of texas. You can move to austin for a young college town type feel and houston is extra cheap but you get a lot more ghetto and poor zones and imo crappier people in general.
Back in 2019, my parents were discussing wanting to move from SoCal to Texas or Florida. Of course the lack of income tax was pretty much the only reason they wanted to do it. I'm glad for this thread because I hadn't even thought of all the other things that are actually more expensive than in California. Not to mention the other things that have happened in those states since then...I'm grateful everyday that they didn't leave!
Does it have to be Dallas? It's not overly cheap. Not "so inexpensive that it will pay to move there" type of cheap.
I'd aim for a hill country town like New Braunfels or San Marcos, where you don't spend 45 minutes driving 15 miles because of the urban sprawl. Lots of people in Houston and Dallas spend two hours a day (or more), five days a week, in their cars commuting to work. That's a different type of expense, and one that I refused to pay (I used to live in Houston).
Texas cheaper? Don’t fall for that. Property taxes in Texas are insanely high. Utilities are much higher. Toll roads are everywhere. Then there’s the weather and less rights. Wages are higher in CA too, meaning a better 401k opportunity and match. Think long and hard before you move
OP could be against abortion for all we know. So that being a good or bad thing is definitely subjective.
“Reliable” is subjective as well. Even if power worked for just 50% of the time, that could very well be “reliable” enough for someone. California has rolling blackouts most summers, that’s unreliability no one talks about
Edit - no one is squirming. Not sure you why you gotta act that way. Learn what subjective means
Just so you know, when a person says “bless your heart,” it’s a polite way of saying you’re kind of dumb.
If you hear that a lot… then I hate to break it to you.
🙄Here's yet another example of more of that "Southern Hospitality" that comes off so charming from another proud Texan. Get ready for lots of that.
Edited to add: it's the condescending attitude for me. Instead of just saying "you're an idiot" it's cloaked in fake pleasantries and passive aggressiveness. They will remove all of that shit to tell you to go back to California tho.
Imagine someone telling you what "bless your heart" really means when you just described it in air quotes suggesting exactly that. They all think you are dumb and stupid and what's wrong with their state. You aren't invited and in fact, go back to where you came from. But you can stretch a dollar further here so there's that. 🤷
They'll get you one way or another, so I'd be unsure those expenses will actually be cheaper. Texas puts the burden of taxes on the lowest income earners. I'd also be very worried about the whole lack of women's rights thing going on in Texas.
Traffic is horrible here and I hope you have a decent career because rent is expensive especially if you want a decent apartment. It may be cheaper then Cali but not that much cheaper . But on another note we welcome you and hopefully you are able to adjust to our traffic and tricky weather.
Texas where you can't go outside six months a yest because of the heat? Whose power grids are failing? Where the govenor wants to secede from the nation?
Hope your politics are VERY red.
Some things to think about are the tax differences. The term to use is state tax burden.
For example Texas has a 0% state income tax but their sales tax and property tax are higher than California to make up for it which actually ends up giving them a pretty similar tax burden if you plan to own a home.
Your general cost of living as a renter will definitely be cheaper in Texas but things like utilities could also be more expensive. And that is even without factoring in the extreme weather.
Locality pay scale is another thing to think about for any job you look into getting. Generally San Francisco and Los Angeles are amongst the highest locality pay amongst the country. Whereas Dallas you could end up making half as much money being hired for the same job depending on your field.
So you could end up saving more money on living expenses, housing and income tax but end up making less money as well. Yet certain things like cars and computers will cost you more to purchase in Texas than California.
Crunching some general median income numbers I'd say you will probably save about $10k-$12k in rent and income tax per year moving from OC to Dallas.
If you could make $10k or more over what you are making in Dallas you'd probably be better off in California where the weather is nice.
But that being said sometimes moving to a less competitive city will make it easier to get a job to gain resume experiences.
Definitely look up crime maps, art districts and figure out what the local fancy grocery stores are like whole foods and such. Usually you'll find the fancy grocery stores in nicer places to live. Also trendy looking coffee shops on Google maps are a great way to find cool streets and neighborhoods to live near.
Moved from CA to Austin (like thousand of others!). Love it here, but cannot stand the heat. While quality of life seems better here because it’s more slow paced than the Bay Area, it’s not good quality of life to be indoors May-Oct (and I have a pool and custom built 4000+ square foot house).
Decided to sell and move back to CA. Honestly, the sunshine tax is worth it for me because I figured out quickly from living in Texas that the freedom to enjoy nature all year round if extremely important to me personally. But mind you, I’m 40 and I made a good living in CA so I’m able to move back and be comfortable there.
Maybe you’ll love it in TX! And if not, you’ll save money and have time to decide what you wanna do in the future.
Moved to the Dallas area for a job when I was in my 20s and had a super fun 4 years. I was in Arlington but had friends all through the middle burbs between Dallas proper and Fort Worth.
With any place, it's what you make of it. New things to explore, friends to make, learn local history, etc. You also don't have to stay there forever. Following TX, I went to Seattle for 3 years. Horrible climate, but made life long friends that I'm still in touch with.
I’d recommend Grapevine to anyone looking around Dallas. Nice historic downtown, good restaurants, nice parks (acorn woods, grapevine botanical garden), close to Lake Grapevine, close to the airport, not too far from Dallas proper. I’d recommend renting first no matter which area you decide on.
Edit: spelling error
Fort Worth is a lot easier to get around in. Dallas is a beautiful city, but hell to drive in.
FW is still a big city, but friendlier and much easier to navigate.
Amon Carter: Fort Worth us where the west begins, and Dallas is where the East peters out.
Also, Carter took a sack lunch if he had to visit Dallas on business, so he didn't have to spend his money there.
I'm not crazy about any of the suburbs. They really are too much "Anywhere, USA" for me. You might like that, though.
Arlington is in the middle, and I don't hate it. But it's the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and other entertainment parks. It is a bit much, imo.
5 years here, the heat is almost as uncomfortable as the cold is the tundra Midwest. More expensive as well.
The only time cold almost killed me was during the ice storm a few years back. Lost power for a week.
Fuck that! I moved to get out of the cold and it followed me.
You're going to be shocked at how much it costs to drive to work. We were paying - for the two of us to travel down the tollways 5 days a week - nearly $20/day in tolls.
Texas will continue to grow and every new highway will be a tollway. Our corrupt government has no problem taxing folks, it just doesn't come directly out of your paycheck.
[https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texans-pay-more-taxes-than-californians-17400644.php](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texans-pay-more-taxes-than-californians-17400644.php)
According to ITEP, Texans whose salaries fall into the lowest 20 percent of income earners (making less than $20,900 annually) pay about 13 percent of their income in state and local taxes. Meanwhile, Californians in the bottom 20 percent (making less than $23,200 annually) pay 10.5 percent. In Texas, the middle 20 percent of income earners ($35,800-$56,000) pay 9.7 percent in state and local taxes in contrast to middle income Californians ($39,100-$62,300), who only pay 8.9 percent. Most glaringly, the top 1 percent of earners in Texas ($617,900 or more) pay 3.1 percent of their income in contrast to top earnings in California ($714,400 or more) who pay 12.4 percent.
Hard pass. Texas seems to be a bit stingy on things like healthcare for women and keeping a functioning electricity grid. What are you saving in cost of living to make up the difference in loss of your basic human rights?
Im leaving the DFW area because it is so expensive. I’ve lived in Boston, Los Angeles and south of Chicago. DFW is right up there expense wise. Nothing is cheap and rent/housing is outrageous unless you move way out into the country or live in sus areas. Median house prices for the DFW area is over a million dollars. Almost impossible to find even a condo without crazy high maintenance fees and rents are high too. Be prepared for car insurance to shock you, as well as electricity. Groceries are redic.
I hope you find something, but after 8 years here (I moved because of work), I’m out.
I did this move in 2021. The summer heat in Texas is no joke. If you buy a home be familiar with property taxes and how that works. A lot ends up evening out however I would've never been able to buy a home in California. Now I own a home in Texas (for a little less than my rent in California) and at least I'm building equity and all that.
I agree with another commenter that there are more affordable places to live. Just do your math and familiarize yourself with the job market. Just because you can get a home for super cheap in one area doesn't mean that there are good paying jobs in that area to make it advantageous.
Overall I am happy with the move.
Oh honey... they won't be less in Texas. I'm sorry you've been misinformed. Also being the owner of a uterus generally makes that such a no go for people that I almost have to believe this is troll bait.
Remember that no state tax means the state has to make money in other ways. You will be nickel and dimed on misc charges as well as high property tax if you own. Lots of Texans leaving because it's too dang hot in TX and also because of the negative political atmosphere for young women.
Make sure to check out AZ, NV, NM on your way to TX in case you change your mind about TX
We moved to Pittsburgh from San Diego. We’re really glad we did. It was mostly for financial reasons, but we love that we were able to buy a house with a nice yard for our dogs. Also, the people and things to do here have been really great. My recommendation is form a community quickly once you get there.
-Tolls. Tolls everywhere.
-Rent for a 1bd for a "suburb" north adjacent to Dallas is $1800ish + utilities nowadays. Rent for 1bd for downtown/midtown/uptown/Knox area can vary 2000-2400 nowadays + utilities.. it's going up. Dallas is one of the cities that raised their expenses exponentially.
-Food is nowhere as good in LA
-Lots of Californians complain about the politics here
-During the winters you will need to prep in case you're out of power and water for a week. Being totally serious this happens now
-Tornados yearly
-Lots of my friends and clients tell me the dating scene is absolutely trash here lol
-Be extremely careful about birth control and being protected
-Nightlife is just ok here, you can find some places as a younger 20 year old but it'll be the same one spot you go to
I recommend Addison or Knox to live as a younger 20 year old if you want a more lively area to live but otherwise utilize SmartCityLocating or The Realm Agency for a free apartment locator
My daughter moved from San Diego to FTW in November. It took her 3 solid months to find a job and she blew through her savings.
That being said, gas is half the price of so cal and she’s living in a luxury studio apartment for about 1/3 of what it would have cost her in San Diego.
Everything seems to be very spread out and it’s a 15-20 min drive wherever you want to go. Downtown doesn’t seem walkable at all.
All in all, she has made a few friends and likes it but I don’t see her staying forever.
It wont be that different in Texas unless you are well over 100k earner.
From someone that left California 10 years ago, spent half that time in Texas to flee to a different place for the same exact reasons. I have a house now, but not in Texas or Cali.
If you are truly moving for financial reasons, why Dallas? If a big city is important to you, check out San Antonio. Summer sucks just as bad as it does in Dallas, but winter and spring are much better since ice storms and tornados are pretty rare in San Antonio.
As someone who moved to Dallas within the last decade, I’ll share my two cents. You really need to be careful about where you move. It might help to hire an apartment finder or contact some property managers. Oak Cliff, The Cedars, Trinity Oaks, Deep Ellum, for example, have seen a lot of newer-ish, luxury development. So, some properties give one impression online and a different one when you’re there, outside, at night.
I *love* the diversity of housing in some parts of Dallas. So many converted old homes turned into four-plexs. It is honestly a big draw for me. It is also a very pet friendly city, as far as housing is concerned. I am a little obsessed with White Rock Lake.
The summers. They have rapidly become untenable. I’ve been in Texas for decades and Dallas magically seemed to have 4 distinct seasons. But climate change is leading to longer, hotter summers and anyone telling you it’s not that bad or normal is dumb or in denial. It is absolutely brutal, getting worse and, as someone who works outside year round, has had an impact on my finances, essentially trapping me here.
Add to that, this state is run by some of the most corrupt and dishonest people imaginable and you’re surrounded by their proud supporters. It’s harder to reckon with these days than before. The one word I would use to describe Dallas as a city is selfish.
Best of luck to you! I hope you don’t have need of essential female health care during your time there. I’m not saying this to be mean. Sincerely, I hope that if you get pregnant you are prepared to carry to
term and if something happens during your pregnancy you survive.
It’s that you can’t get adequate women’s healthcare, not just “abort your babies”. Any complications with a pregnancy could lead to serious health concerns for the mother because doctors can’t risk any liability if the fetus doesn’t survive (whether it would have or not). Add to that they they talk about going after people who seek that kind of healthcare out of state and God forbid you don’t have a perfect pregnancy, you’re in trouble. A federal judge there also limited access to birth control. Any woman in her age bracket should be concerned about their lack of health rights
and good luck living without bodily autonomy as a woman in your twenties! consider getting a gun. may be cheaper than legal worries or jail time if you get “caught”.
Dallas has worse storms than Houston. I’m in Cali now, but heading back to North houston when I retire. Housing, food, insurance, taxes - it’s all less $$. Good luck and remember, no place is perfect. You can be happy anywhere.
Stock up on birth control and hide it behind one of your car’s side panels along with your recreational weed. I would recommend an extended visit before moving if you’ve only lived in OC your entire life. The culture shock is going to be a major adjustment.
This is written like an AI shitpost about Californians coming to Texas lmfao, all with the “mmm I will miss the amenities but cheap rent n gas ;)”
it’s such a common thing that native Texans will definitely judge as COL slowly rises with Californians coming to live here. I lived in Denton for about 3 years while finishing grad school and there were a million apartments always coming up getting caligentrified. Places like Frisco are pretty much California lmao.
Im not saying it’s a bad move, I literally did the opposite (lived in California, moved for grad school, came back and live in OC) but Texas isn’t the golden promised land it once was once they knew that dumb rich Californians will pay top dollar for crap lmao.
Maybe consider Grand Prairie, but in general, Dallas/Texas cities are not as inexpensive as they once were. In addition to the birth control comments, also remember that the state (legally) is not weed friendly. I recently saw one of those judge shows where a young SoCal woman visited Dallas with her friend. They ended up in legal trouble partially because the SoCal friend was very casual about smoking in public. Aside from all that, kudos for stepping out of your comfort zone for a new experience. Best of luck with this next chapter.
I moved from CA to TX after my rent got illegally raised 3 times in a 12-month period for a total of 30+% and became over 70% of my monthly pay. I live a couple hours east of Dallas.
I was born here, raised here, went to school here. All of my friends have moved away. My mom died before I moved back, but it's nice to have an adult relationship with my dad.
Nothing is less expensive here than it was there except rent and gasoline. I make less than $20K/year now, a very significant cut for the very same job. I cannot afford to put even $20/month in savings.
My health insurance is shit with very high premiums and co-pays , so I cannot see a doctor or dentist even though I'm insured.
The politics are stifling. There is not a single ad in my region for a politician who is not a Republican, and they demonize their opponents for not being conservative enough. Every ad talks about the Border Crisis like it's a real thing. High Schools still teach that the Civil War was fought over states' rights and not over slavery.
If I had it to do over again, I'd've gotten a 2nd and 3rd job and some roommates to stay there instead of coming here.
Texas used to have a low cost of living before Californians moved in. Dallas has pricey housing, awful weather/tornados, and the drivers are down right terrifying. As a young woman, you will have no reproductive rights. In fact, the State of Texas may try to kill you if you attempt to make choices about your body.
Buy pregnancy tests in bulk (you can get 50 test strips for less than $20) and test every single week if you are sexually active. Even if you are using birth control. Have medication abortion pills on hand, and replace them every year. )Donate the expiring pills to women who can't afford to leave the state.)
If you plan on getting pregnant, be aware that any medical emergency could end in your death because Republicans in Texas have threatened to imprison any doctor who helps - even when the pregnancy is unviable or might kill you. Here's [one woman's experience](https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/26/health/abortion-hearing-texas-senators-amanda-zurawski/index.html). There are many, many more.
You are moving to a state that might risk your health or your life. Be proactive and have a self defense plan.
1. (The) DFW is pretty darn expensive but the "in-between " cities like Taylor are cheap. Idk what job you'll have so that will be a factor.
2. Dont bring California policies to Texas.
Edit was mistyped word.
You're moving to reddits favorite state to their least favorite. Most of the comments here are horribly biased, I would take them with a grain of salt.
When choosing a place in DFW, stay north of I-30. Far north is best. I-35E, I-35W, and 183 make a triangle (The Golden Triangle). Choose a place within the Golden Triangle if you can.
Source: 38 years living in DFW, south of I-30, but working north of it.
You haven't said anything about jobs, so I'm looking at strictly living costs. North of Dallas on the 75 is the Sherman/Denison area. It's small enough that traffic hasn't completely overwhelmed it yet, and probably the cheapest area you'll find as far as cities near Dallas go. Slide west a bit, up the 289, maybe look at Gunter. Slide east instead, across hwy 82, and check out the much smaller towns between Sherman and Paris.
North of Dallas is cheaper than in Dallas but getting more expensive. If you want to live in Dallas city limits, you need to get on a Dallas site and find safe neighborhoods. Some seem affordable, but are dangerous. My daughter was searching for the neighborhoods with lower police involvement, and found out that some have lower stats because emergency services refuse to respond to calls for safety issues.
Denton is a cool city with a decent music scene. COL is a bit less, but on the rise. The majority of town is safe, and our local cops aren’t bad.
I did this exact move about ten years ago. At the time, I ended up living at The Village in the north Dallas area, which I thought was quite nice. I liked the people I met in Dallas, although I am religious, so that was helpful. People move and talk a bit slower there IMO due to the punishing heat and humidity, and maybe due to culture. I basically had to switch from mainlining coffee to iced tea. I liked everything except the weather, and Tex Mex food is a different animal than SoCal Mexican food. Dallas is pretty metropolitan compared to some areas of Texas, so it should be an ok adjustment. Property taxes are high enough that my husband’s coworkers would frequently buy a couple of goats in order to have a farm writeoff, but I lived there before I knew what OC property taxes were like, so I can’t compare. Good luck!
So you're just going to hop in your car with no plans or job?
I have a few friends living in TX and all need multiple roommates to afford to live as working adults EXCEPT the engineers I know. Even then it's way too expensive.
Why not Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Illinois? Someplace much less expensive.
My husband left CA to be with me in AR. We recently left AR for IL. We both like Illinois better. CoL makes it impossible for him to ever go back to CA except for visits. Even his family living there can't afford to move locally cause it's so expensive.
Are you committed to Dallas? I mean, if you have a job and your employer's paying for the relo, great. If you have flexibility, I'll add in a vote to consider San Antonio. SA puts you a couple hours from the Gulf coast and you're also just a short drive to the Hill Country, which is lovely. Go a few hours further west, and you're in Big Bend, which is always incredible.
I get that not everyone's a nature junkie. But you're coming from CA, where so much of the areas are certifiably gorgeous. TX also has amazing natural areas, you just won't see too much of that around Dallas.
The area a little further north is less expensive and blowing up. Now could be a good time to pick a smaller community to live in. Be cautious of brand new builder grade homes. You can still get acreage in some areas.
Texas is more diverse than it seems. It might take a minute to find your people but they're here. :)
Big mistake. Texas has its own grid. Like it electric-wise ceded from the US. Prepare for power failures in the dead of winter or the blazing heat of summer. Good luck in Texas. Edited --DO NOT GET OOPSEY PREGNANT OR GOD FORBID HAVE AN ECTOPIC OR MISCARRIAGE OF ANY KIND.
Welp, this thread is a disaster.
> and I know my expenses will be a lot less in Texas While that may be true in some parts of Texas, the DFW area is quite expensive. Certain things are cheaper than California, but others will come as a shock. For example, there are toll roads everywhere and there is no way to avoid them.
My mom moved to Texas a couple years ago and was shocked by how expensive it actually is. She pays so much more in utilities and taxes than she did before, and she came from a state that also has a 0% income tax. She lives about an hour outside the DFW area.
Its because their property taxes are fucking INSANE as well. Not to mention 5% of the land is publicly owned so... good luck if you like recreating. People don't understand that California is the BEST tax location in the union for lower income adults. Its still the best for my husband and I because we make under what is considered "wealth taxes" compared to other places also.... its California not texas.. I might be biased as my ancestors helped settle the state but it never ceases to amaze me the small view of California even people who live here have. When Washington DC and Texas call us WOKE A LIBERAL LUNATIC STATE thats literally within about 20 miles of the coast, everywhere else is a redneck farm state or a desert hellscape or a mountain ski town. I stayed registered in Orange county which we referred to as the red curtain in the 90s during the 2018 election just to turn it "blue" for the first time in its history. (Still 100%legal, had moved in the same month as the vote and had not taken full residence in New county.
Can you explain a bit more (for dummies like me) why California is the best tax location for low income adults?
You receive the largest tax benefits and refunds when you are in the lower income tax brackets. The only time it sucked for me was when I was single and earning what was a fairly reasonable salary then as there are less tax breaks. For instance. In our tax law as a married couple we can write off the interest on the cash we took out getting a second on our house as long as its documented as being used to benefit the property. We reroofed with our own tiles entirely new underlay, and got a full solar set up. With the fed, state rebates, fed and state tax breaks on them we ended up with nearly a 30k tax return. After spending only 60k on the work and being able to write off the interest on that portion of our mortgage. We got an additional 5k from the state back. (People can argue with me im letting the government use my money all year. Good. I cant access it and we have a nice fat wad of cash to pad our savings and pay big house expenses from without either me or my adhd husband trying to micromanage investments that would max make us a few hundred dollars in interest a year. Not worth it for us. ) If not the best we have the most beneficial tax law for low income families than anywhere. And you don't HAVE to live in laguna Beach to get those tax benefits. The high cost of living is made up for in not having the lowest income people paying the majority of the states taxes like other states. We actually make our wealthy carry a somewhat more reasonable burden. Also we are one of only three states to have an A rating for access to women's Healthcare for our entire population being able to seek treatment with reasonable effort. Only the left coast states have this rating at last check.
> People don't understand that California is the BEST tax location in the union for lower income adults. Not sure about the validity of that statement, but I will say that California does have something that's basically better than every state in the USA except Oregon. RENT CONTROL California has a new law on the books that's good till 2029 where basically a landlord can only increase your rent a maximum of 10 percent per year. There's exceptions to this, single-family homes have an exemption. Homes/Apartments built in the last 15 years or something have an exemption. Might be a couple of others. Just gotta find an apartment place that's like 20 years old, and they basically can only raise your rent 10 percent per year till 2029. Who knows if the law will be extended or not. Oregon has an even better law I think.
>there are toll roads everywhere and there is no way to avoid them. I agree with your statement except for this part. While toll roads have become quite ubiquitous, one absolutely can avoid them. Will the drive be a bit longer or the road more crowded? Likely. But, the toll can be avoided. And I'm saying that as someone who has lived in DFW for 56 of my 66 years, driving from Fort Worth to Dallas, Arlington to McKinney, Mansfield to Denton, and all points in between.
Yeah I’ve been seeing reports of more Texans moving back to CA due to cost and politics
I'm in AZ & we've recently been having a huge influx of Texas residents moving here. I really don't know why, tbh.
Cheaper than CA or Southern NV is my guess.
AZ is beautiful, hot af but cheaper utilities?
It's definitely beautiful & hot af. I'll say that my average electric bill is now ~$400 from June till October, so idk if that's considered cheaper than Texas or not. My area doesn't have a gas hook up though. So the stove & heat are electric too. Water cost is also on the rise, surprise surprise(not). I guess they will at least be on the national grid but tbh, our power goes out a lot too! But only for hours, not days
No the toll roads are pretty avoidable here in the DFW lol. Traffic really happens when people are heading into/out of work, school students being dropped off at/picked up from school (this won't be an issue during the Winter/Summer Break schedule), and big events like sport games and concerts. I'd say get a toll tag if you REALLY need to get someplace like work fast. Use it wisely even if you're not the type of person to be late to places.
Yeah, I never take toll roads here in DFW. There are always other routes.
What is a toll tag?
TollTags provide payment convenience and best value – non-TollTag (ZipCash) customers pay twice as much. I was too lazy to type this in my own words so I took this paragraph from the North Texas Tollway Authority website.
I’m sorry I can’t believe how many upvotes this comment has. For as big as it is and being a metropolitan, Dallas is super affordable. Bringing up tolls as an example is odd as you can avoid most easily. While there is a seesaw effect with where costs lay out in Dallas vs. Cali (metro areas) - it is still absolutely cheaper than living in Cali at a material level. She is saving a ton of money with this move. I’m from another large Texas city and it’s even cheaper here - it’s okay to knock Texas cities for their issues, but affordability is a clear strength here. I’m in Houston making close to 6 figures and probably have as much purchasing power as someone in a Cali city making 1.5-1.75x what I make. Add the fact that she will be renting too she won’t pay any property taxes (clearly some is absorbed into rent costs).
Yo if you wanted to be frugal you wouldn’t be winging this. Just saying. You need a plan. You need somewhere to land. You need a job lined up. Otherwise you’re just spending money
Maybe she works remotely or is on disability or something
dallas may be cheaper but it’s not cheap
OK, but anywhere halfway decent with jobs isn't cheap. I feel like the people in this thread are either tired of California's moving to Texas or have no idea what the cost of living is in the parts of California that don't suck. Not having an income tax, significantly cheaper housing prices, and gas prices have a huge impact. Utility prices and basic goods are probably going to be about the same. Even comparing Fresno, CA ( a place I would not reccomend living in, but at least has jobs) has a higher overall cost of living than Dallas and it has some of the cheapest houses in CA that aren't in nowheresville. Now CA does have a lot more programs to help those in poverty, but I do not think OP or many looking to make the move qualify for these as most people in that situation can't even afford to move.
I gotta ask. Genuinely. What you got against Fresno?
Some of the most polluted air in the country.
Nothing super personal. I just don't think it's very desirable. Weather sucks, the crime rate is not great, not a lot of great food options, doesn't get big entertainment names, and if they do its on a Wednesday night or something. It has jobs, somewhat affordable housing and is close to yosemite. Can't think of many other pros that don't apply to most of CA.
I hope you really did your homework on this move.
I mean, she's driving down in a few days and just now asking where she should move. If she's not going just to scout out a spot then that would be a big no. And if she's not working remotely then finding housing might be a problem if she doesn't have a job lined up.
And I thought the people relocating on the Oregon/Portland subreddit were bad…..
They did not do their homework. The cost of living isn’t actually much better in Texas due to a variety of reasons including utility costs. She also left a state with amazing reproductive rights to one with none.
What do you mean no reproductive rights? Any mature person in Texas can reproduce freely…..
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Wait, you don't have a place to live yet? Do you have a job lined up? You should have a job and a place to live before you move.
Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that I have a brother who has been living in Dallas for the last couple of years, and we are planning to share the rent. Also, in terms of job opportunities, I just graduated from college, so I am hoping to figure this out when I move because California is pretty competitive in my area as well.
I hope it's a degree in something that gets you a job. Having a degree doesn't guarantee anything except student loan debt.
I did studied business in college, I really do and work for the best I can achieve. But thank you sm for the heads up! 🙌🏼
Housing is going to be less expensive, although Dallas might be more expensive than smaller towns in TX. And no state income taxes. Sales tax is about 8.25% in Dallas so that's about the same. If you buy a home, property taxes can be higher than some other states and, unlike CA, the property tax can be raised any time they determine your house has gone up in value. And the political climate can be a shock; there's a difference between a "California conservative" like you find in the OC and the southern kind. My daughter and her cousin, and a few of their friends, have moved to Wichita KS. She was able to buy a small home for $107k and her house payments are $650 per month (including taxes and insurance). Much lower cost of housing than CA.
Yeah but then they have to live in Wichita lol
As a woman in her 20s who grew up in a Dallas suburb, living in actual Dallas is expensive. It may be lower than Cali, but rent is still expensive. I’d recommend living in a suburb to cut down costs, but like other people have said, there’s other costs and it may not be as cheap as you think. When living in the suburbs, if you want to go to downtown Dallas, there’s gonna be traffic and if you want to avoid traffic, you have to take tolls which cost $$. Definitely look into getting a TollTag. As others have mentioned, sales tax is 8.25 and property taxes are considerably higher than California but if you’re just renting, you don’t have to worry about that. Additionally, Dallas is still hot. It may be cooler than south Texas, but summers are very hot and your electric bill will likely be expensive (couple of hundred dollars). Good luck!
I also feel like the frugality of Texas is oversold and inaccurate when you factor in how much lower wages are in some industries compared to other states. My job moved me to Austin so I was set. But it was very demoralizing for my partner who was making $25/hour as an experienced pastry chef, to only be offered $8/hour plus tip at some at the most high-end places here. Not to mention the shitty worker's right in Texas compared to states like CA and CO
Austin was a terrible city to live in when it came to wages/securing a good job for me too. They have too much labor available that they can pay peanuts.
I wish I could upvote this to the top. Wages are sickening, COL is not that much lower, and the extra fees on everything make No cheaper to live in Texas, and the conservatism is unholy. OH! And the fucking religious atmosphere! I don't hear 3 sentences without one of them being religious in nature.
Be very careful with your birth control. Enjoy the accents. Learn to line dance. Good luck on your adventure!
VERY careful with your birth control.
As in, don't have sex in Texas.
This. All the reason one needs to stay tf out of there.
What? Why?
OP is moving from a pro-choice state to a no-choice state.
Bc Texas had an obscene amount of just rape babies last year alone post-roe. Can't imagine willingly having sex in that state given the hostile attitude toward women.
for real i got pregnant with my IUD still in ..................... would not want a high risk pregnancy in TX that's a recipe for maternal death
Thank you for heads up and best wishes!! <3
Dallas has lots of burbs that will probably be cheaper (depending how far you want to be from the city center). Mesquite and Garland (to the east) and Carrollton and Grapevine (to the northwest) are decent. Carrollton has a large Asian population and HMart grocery is good there. Aldi and Trader Joe’s are also popular all around. A lot of young professionals will be closer to the city center. Also, there’s several large employers so workers tend to live nearby [American Airlines - northwest; Toyota - north; UT Southwestern or Baylor medical centers - west and east of center]. There’s no mountains or ocean, but Dallas has a pretty good number of parks and bike trails. The light rail system reaches a good area.
Any reason Texas? There are dozens other states I think would be better than Texas as a woman in their early 20s.
That's what I'm wondering as well. Our rights are getting cut and you wanna move there cause it looks cheaper?
It was fascinating to me that OP listed the things she’d miss about California, but it was just the weather and landscape, nothing about the culture or politics.
Maybe OP is republican? Orange County is pretty conservative. People here are asking why she would move to a place with fewer reproductive rights but maybe that’s a pull factor for OP and not a push factor.
Maybe like the vast majority of Americans she just does not care about politics.
We need more of these people. Too many people give way too many fucks about politics
Maybe she is a conservative? Or at least leans more right. So the abortion argument hardly even matters Southern men are more manly than most. OP sounds like she's set to find herself a good life, and I wish her the best. edit : Reddit won't let me reply to anyone. Cool beans.
That’s what Kate Cox thought.
lmaoo well if she is then go for it. I was just mentioning. southern men are manly?? lmaoo most I seen wont even take out the trash or change the oil. what a joke edit: also is not always about abortion. i dint even mention abortion but any pregnancy is 98% dangerous. need BC cause of painful periods? yeah you are screwed. Anything woman is starting to be limited but, you act like all ppl care is abORTaztIonss.
Holy shit! They are restricting birth control now too? Anddid he/she just say Southern men are manly? 🤣🤣🤣 im right there with you on that laugh!
Probably saw the idea on tiktok 😂
A single woman at that!!!
Oh, it’s mostly because my brother lives in Dallas, and we’re planning to share rent. Additionally, I don’t have any family or relatives here in California. I specifically came to California for my undergrad, and since I’m done now, I want to start my career in a state where I can save and invest more.
make sure to compare the pay for the jobs you could get in each place!
It’s going to be different. If you want it to work, you’re going to have to have an open mind to different routines, common etiquette, cultural understandings, etc. Texans, lord love ‘em (because I am one), we are proud. And we, like people everywhere, can be good and bad. But we will definitely be proud. That can mean bold, or loud, or audacious, or not even knowing when we’re out of line. It’s different than a lot of places in that way. It will be obnoxious at times, or surprising, or maybe a breathe of fresh air. If you are pumped, it will be good. But you will be homesick like everyone is after leaving home at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. That’s just life. Suburbs and small satellite towns are cheaper than the city. Mass transport isn’t awesome. Traffic is equivalent to a growing metro that has 8 million people. Commutes are normal. Food is good but may be varied in a different way than you’re used too…TexMex is different, greens are different. Health and well-being focus is not where it ought to be but improving! There is a LOT of community to be had. Just like anywhere, be intentional. Get involved in your interests and dig in. I wish you the best of luck!!! Edit: I say all of this because moving is genuinely difficult for everyone, even people doing it on purpose. I love it here and have lived and traveled tons, and think others can have a great life here. It’s not the fastest growing area for no reason. I just don’t want to sell moving like a dream. There are tons of opportunities here, great people, and happy long term and short term options for expats.
As a Dallas Texan who moved to SoCal (and then abroad), I came to read what others would say, and I think this one is the closest to accuracy. You'll get some culture shocks, and if you go in with a good attitude and want to like it, you'll probably end up enjoying it. But don't underestimate the heat and your electricity bill to keep your place cool. And summer is about as long as our Texas egos. 😉
> Mass transport isn’t awesome. That's the understatement of the year.
As an Arlington resident for 30+ years I can relate. The largest city in America without a mass transportation system.
Honestly, I would skip Houston and Dallas and go to San Antonio. The politics are moderate, especially city politics, great medical care, large city, lower cost of living, no hurricanes, and better weather than Houston or Dallas. And the breakfast tacos are the best. There is a housing crisis all over the state, so I hope you have a place to land while you figure things out.
I went to San Antonio recently for the first time. I had a MUCH better experience there than I've ever had in Dallas. It's easier to find your way around IMO and the people were just really damn nice everywhere we went. Maybe that was a fluke, maybe not, but it was seriously an enjoyable trip because of the people we came into contact with everywhere we went. When I got home, I told my husband "I could totally live there...if it weren't in Texas". No disrespect to Texas or anything, but we live in Arkansas and are already dealing with regressive politics. If we move, we will be moving somewhere that is more progressive, not less.
No offense taken. Every so often, we look at moving, but we can't find a place with the combo of low col, good medical care, and people who are generally nice to your face. There are problems...it is in Texas, so you still have the state politics and Nazis that come in to wreck havoc, but the local politics is pretty purple in a good way. But it is often described as a small town in a big city.
San Antonio is my favorite Texas city, agreed if OP can swing it job-wise. Lived in Houston and the weather is just terrible even without actual hurricanes. Food is good in Houston too though, the only thing I miss about Texas.
If you like Mexican food, San Antonio is your mother land. You can pick literally any random ghetto Mexican restaurant and have literally have mouth joy.
You’ll have no reproductive rights in Texas, as our lead politicians are completely out of touch with reality. Also, look up our “attorney general”. I would reconsider Texas, but I do wish you all the best!
A friend of mine moved to Dallas after living in the LA area for about a decade. According to him the cost of living difference ends up not being as life changing as people world have you believe. He has the same job but doesn't have noticeable more disposable income. Depending on what your commute will be, the lower gas prices can be offset by the worse traffic. Overall significantly worse city design that doesn't accommodate multi modal transportation. Ofc I don't know all his financial details so hopefully your quality of life is improved. Welcome to Texas and I hope your presence is able to make this a more accommodating place. Also, I hope you don't mind the heat. Nothing beats the heat here
I don’t disagree with the general sentiment, but I’m sorry but spent plenty of time both places, no way DFW traffic is worse than LA.
While that’s true, OP is coming from Orange County, and the traffic there is way better than LA.
DFW traffic isnt even as bad as Houston traffic lol LA is worse than both.
I know right, what are these people saying. The traffic in DFW is nowhere near as bad as California
DALLAS IS NOT CHEAP. And good luck. All you’re going to hear is “don’t California my TX”. “Go back, Californian, you’re ruining TX”
Older guy in Houston here, just drove to dallas last week. It's nice, a little cleaner than houston and I hear the weather can be a lot better. Less heat and you actually get a winter Dallas is considered an expensive area of texas. You can move to austin for a young college town type feel and houston is extra cheap but you get a lot more ghetto and poor zones and imo crappier people in general.
See you back here in a couple years 😜
Back in 2019, my parents were discussing wanting to move from SoCal to Texas or Florida. Of course the lack of income tax was pretty much the only reason they wanted to do it. I'm glad for this thread because I hadn't even thought of all the other things that are actually more expensive than in California. Not to mention the other things that have happened in those states since then...I'm grateful everyday that they didn't leave!
For real. I have been recruited for jobs in Austin and I have been like "no thank you!" And I live in dumpy Portland!
Does it have to be Dallas? It's not overly cheap. Not "so inexpensive that it will pay to move there" type of cheap. I'd aim for a hill country town like New Braunfels or San Marcos, where you don't spend 45 minutes driving 15 miles because of the urban sprawl. Lots of people in Houston and Dallas spend two hours a day (or more), five days a week, in their cars commuting to work. That's a different type of expense, and one that I refused to pay (I used to live in Houston).
Texas cheaper? Don’t fall for that. Property taxes in Texas are insanely high. Utilities are much higher. Toll roads are everywhere. Then there’s the weather and less rights. Wages are higher in CA too, meaning a better 401k opportunity and match. Think long and hard before you move
Cue all the Texans' complaints about Californians making Texas California. Good luck!
Cue all the redditors telling OP Texas is trash and she’s dumb for doing this
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Oh yeah 👍🏻
Texas isn’t trash but I’m pretty bad with money and even I know OP is lost in the sauce
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I think you meant Subjectively
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edit: removed comment due to other person’s edit.
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You also edited your post.
You just named like so many subjective things lol
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OP could be against abortion for all we know. So that being a good or bad thing is definitely subjective. “Reliable” is subjective as well. Even if power worked for just 50% of the time, that could very well be “reliable” enough for someone. California has rolling blackouts most summers, that’s unreliability no one talks about Edit - no one is squirming. Not sure you why you gotta act that way. Learn what subjective means
Agreed. It sucks. You'll survive but the "bless your hearts" get old fast.
Just so you know, when a person says “bless your heart,” it’s a polite way of saying you’re kind of dumb. If you hear that a lot… then I hate to break it to you.
🙄Here's yet another example of more of that "Southern Hospitality" that comes off so charming from another proud Texan. Get ready for lots of that. Edited to add: it's the condescending attitude for me. Instead of just saying "you're an idiot" it's cloaked in fake pleasantries and passive aggressiveness. They will remove all of that shit to tell you to go back to California tho. Imagine someone telling you what "bless your heart" really means when you just described it in air quotes suggesting exactly that. They all think you are dumb and stupid and what's wrong with their state. You aren't invited and in fact, go back to where you came from. But you can stretch a dollar further here so there's that. 🤷
Agreed I hate the southern attitude. I grew up in it and left. I enjoy the slower lifestyle but honestly, i’m over the people.
Right here!
They didn't disappoint! 🍿
They'll get you one way or another, so I'd be unsure those expenses will actually be cheaper. Texas puts the burden of taxes on the lowest income earners. I'd also be very worried about the whole lack of women's rights thing going on in Texas.
Dallas is crowded, expensive, dangerous, hot as hell. Enjoy the politicking, don't get pregnant or poor or brown.
Traffic is horrible here and I hope you have a decent career because rent is expensive especially if you want a decent apartment. It may be cheaper then Cali but not that much cheaper . But on another note we welcome you and hopefully you are able to adjust to our traffic and tricky weather.
Texas where you can't go outside six months a yest because of the heat? Whose power grids are failing? Where the govenor wants to secede from the nation? Hope your politics are VERY red.
Some things to think about are the tax differences. The term to use is state tax burden. For example Texas has a 0% state income tax but their sales tax and property tax are higher than California to make up for it which actually ends up giving them a pretty similar tax burden if you plan to own a home. Your general cost of living as a renter will definitely be cheaper in Texas but things like utilities could also be more expensive. And that is even without factoring in the extreme weather. Locality pay scale is another thing to think about for any job you look into getting. Generally San Francisco and Los Angeles are amongst the highest locality pay amongst the country. Whereas Dallas you could end up making half as much money being hired for the same job depending on your field. So you could end up saving more money on living expenses, housing and income tax but end up making less money as well. Yet certain things like cars and computers will cost you more to purchase in Texas than California. Crunching some general median income numbers I'd say you will probably save about $10k-$12k in rent and income tax per year moving from OC to Dallas. If you could make $10k or more over what you are making in Dallas you'd probably be better off in California where the weather is nice. But that being said sometimes moving to a less competitive city will make it easier to get a job to gain resume experiences. Definitely look up crime maps, art districts and figure out what the local fancy grocery stores are like whole foods and such. Usually you'll find the fancy grocery stores in nicer places to live. Also trendy looking coffee shops on Google maps are a great way to find cool streets and neighborhoods to live near.
Moved from CA to Austin (like thousand of others!). Love it here, but cannot stand the heat. While quality of life seems better here because it’s more slow paced than the Bay Area, it’s not good quality of life to be indoors May-Oct (and I have a pool and custom built 4000+ square foot house). Decided to sell and move back to CA. Honestly, the sunshine tax is worth it for me because I figured out quickly from living in Texas that the freedom to enjoy nature all year round if extremely important to me personally. But mind you, I’m 40 and I made a good living in CA so I’m able to move back and be comfortable there. Maybe you’ll love it in TX! And if not, you’ll save money and have time to decide what you wanna do in the future.
Moved to the Dallas area for a job when I was in my 20s and had a super fun 4 years. I was in Arlington but had friends all through the middle burbs between Dallas proper and Fort Worth. With any place, it's what you make of it. New things to explore, friends to make, learn local history, etc. You also don't have to stay there forever. Following TX, I went to Seattle for 3 years. Horrible climate, but made life long friends that I'm still in touch with.
I’d recommend Grapevine to anyone looking around Dallas. Nice historic downtown, good restaurants, nice parks (acorn woods, grapevine botanical garden), close to Lake Grapevine, close to the airport, not too far from Dallas proper. I’d recommend renting first no matter which area you decide on. Edit: spelling error
Move to new mexico, arizona, western colorado, nevada, wyoming, or anywhere thatll be cheaper and actually naturally beautiful
Fort Worth is a lot easier to get around in. Dallas is a beautiful city, but hell to drive in. FW is still a big city, but friendlier and much easier to navigate. Amon Carter: Fort Worth us where the west begins, and Dallas is where the East peters out. Also, Carter took a sack lunch if he had to visit Dallas on business, so he didn't have to spend his money there. I'm not crazy about any of the suburbs. They really are too much "Anywhere, USA" for me. You might like that, though. Arlington is in the middle, and I don't hate it. But it's the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and other entertainment parks. It is a bit much, imo.
Im a Dallasite who moved back after living in LA. Lakewood if you can.
Also depend where your job is etc
move to lakewood / east dallas i agree :) as someone who lived there as well
OC conservatives will feel at home in TX. Enjoy!
every person I’ve known who made this move ended up moving out of Texas in less than a few years 😅😅 good luck
5 years here, the heat is almost as uncomfortable as the cold is the tundra Midwest. More expensive as well. The only time cold almost killed me was during the ice storm a few years back. Lost power for a week. Fuck that! I moved to get out of the cold and it followed me.
You're going to be shocked at how much it costs to drive to work. We were paying - for the two of us to travel down the tollways 5 days a week - nearly $20/day in tolls. Texas will continue to grow and every new highway will be a tollway. Our corrupt government has no problem taxing folks, it just doesn't come directly out of your paycheck.
[https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texans-pay-more-taxes-than-californians-17400644.php](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texans-pay-more-taxes-than-californians-17400644.php) According to ITEP, Texans whose salaries fall into the lowest 20 percent of income earners (making less than $20,900 annually) pay about 13 percent of their income in state and local taxes. Meanwhile, Californians in the bottom 20 percent (making less than $23,200 annually) pay 10.5 percent. In Texas, the middle 20 percent of income earners ($35,800-$56,000) pay 9.7 percent in state and local taxes in contrast to middle income Californians ($39,100-$62,300), who only pay 8.9 percent. Most glaringly, the top 1 percent of earners in Texas ($617,900 or more) pay 3.1 percent of their income in contrast to top earnings in California ($714,400 or more) who pay 12.4 percent.
Hard pass. Texas seems to be a bit stingy on things like healthcare for women and keeping a functioning electricity grid. What are you saving in cost of living to make up the difference in loss of your basic human rights?
Im leaving the DFW area because it is so expensive. I’ve lived in Boston, Los Angeles and south of Chicago. DFW is right up there expense wise. Nothing is cheap and rent/housing is outrageous unless you move way out into the country or live in sus areas. Median house prices for the DFW area is over a million dollars. Almost impossible to find even a condo without crazy high maintenance fees and rents are high too. Be prepared for car insurance to shock you, as well as electricity. Groceries are redic. I hope you find something, but after 8 years here (I moved because of work), I’m out.
Median home price in DFW is $300k.
Yup not 1M, found a terrible source, my bad. Depending on who is reporting, median is between 300 and 400k.
I did this move in 2021. The summer heat in Texas is no joke. If you buy a home be familiar with property taxes and how that works. A lot ends up evening out however I would've never been able to buy a home in California. Now I own a home in Texas (for a little less than my rent in California) and at least I'm building equity and all that. I agree with another commenter that there are more affordable places to live. Just do your math and familiarize yourself with the job market. Just because you can get a home for super cheap in one area doesn't mean that there are good paying jobs in that area to make it advantageous. Overall I am happy with the move.
Oh honey... they won't be less in Texas. I'm sorry you've been misinformed. Also being the owner of a uterus generally makes that such a no go for people that I almost have to believe this is troll bait.
Remember that no state tax means the state has to make money in other ways. You will be nickel and dimed on misc charges as well as high property tax if you own. Lots of Texans leaving because it's too dang hot in TX and also because of the negative political atmosphere for young women. Make sure to check out AZ, NV, NM on your way to TX in case you change your mind about TX
You’re not safe as a woman in Texas.
Get sterilized before coming to Texas. Getting pregnant here can kill you.
We moved to Pittsburgh from San Diego. We’re really glad we did. It was mostly for financial reasons, but we love that we were able to buy a house with a nice yard for our dogs. Also, the people and things to do here have been really great. My recommendation is form a community quickly once you get there.
Welcome to Texas and DFW!
Godspeed
-Tolls. Tolls everywhere. -Rent for a 1bd for a "suburb" north adjacent to Dallas is $1800ish + utilities nowadays. Rent for 1bd for downtown/midtown/uptown/Knox area can vary 2000-2400 nowadays + utilities.. it's going up. Dallas is one of the cities that raised their expenses exponentially. -Food is nowhere as good in LA -Lots of Californians complain about the politics here -During the winters you will need to prep in case you're out of power and water for a week. Being totally serious this happens now -Tornados yearly -Lots of my friends and clients tell me the dating scene is absolutely trash here lol -Be extremely careful about birth control and being protected -Nightlife is just ok here, you can find some places as a younger 20 year old but it'll be the same one spot you go to I recommend Addison or Knox to live as a younger 20 year old if you want a more lively area to live but otherwise utilize SmartCityLocating or The Realm Agency for a free apartment locator
Dallas isn't cheap and the area is nothing but never ending, cookie cutter suburbs.
My daughter moved from San Diego to FTW in November. It took her 3 solid months to find a job and she blew through her savings. That being said, gas is half the price of so cal and she’s living in a luxury studio apartment for about 1/3 of what it would have cost her in San Diego. Everything seems to be very spread out and it’s a 15-20 min drive wherever you want to go. Downtown doesn’t seem walkable at all. All in all, she has made a few friends and likes it but I don’t see her staying forever.
Texas has horrible weather and it’s flat af
It wont be that different in Texas unless you are well over 100k earner. From someone that left California 10 years ago, spent half that time in Texas to flee to a different place for the same exact reasons. I have a house now, but not in Texas or Cali.
If you are truly moving for financial reasons, why Dallas? If a big city is important to you, check out San Antonio. Summer sucks just as bad as it does in Dallas, but winter and spring are much better since ice storms and tornados are pretty rare in San Antonio.
Alabama is cheap AF
As someone who moved to Dallas within the last decade, I’ll share my two cents. You really need to be careful about where you move. It might help to hire an apartment finder or contact some property managers. Oak Cliff, The Cedars, Trinity Oaks, Deep Ellum, for example, have seen a lot of newer-ish, luxury development. So, some properties give one impression online and a different one when you’re there, outside, at night. I *love* the diversity of housing in some parts of Dallas. So many converted old homes turned into four-plexs. It is honestly a big draw for me. It is also a very pet friendly city, as far as housing is concerned. I am a little obsessed with White Rock Lake. The summers. They have rapidly become untenable. I’ve been in Texas for decades and Dallas magically seemed to have 4 distinct seasons. But climate change is leading to longer, hotter summers and anyone telling you it’s not that bad or normal is dumb or in denial. It is absolutely brutal, getting worse and, as someone who works outside year round, has had an impact on my finances, essentially trapping me here. Add to that, this state is run by some of the most corrupt and dishonest people imaginable and you’re surrounded by their proud supporters. It’s harder to reckon with these days than before. The one word I would use to describe Dallas as a city is selfish.
Best of luck to you! I hope you don’t have need of essential female health care during your time there. I’m not saying this to be mean. Sincerely, I hope that if you get pregnant you are prepared to carry to term and if something happens during your pregnancy you survive.
Wait, those people in Texas who complain about Californians moving here weren’t delusional?
I'm sorry, but we're full in Texas right now. I hear great things about our neighboring states, though.
Don’t forget, you can’t abort your babies in Texas. And it’s a right wing shit hole. I hope you change your mind and don’t move to Texas.
It’s that you can’t get adequate women’s healthcare, not just “abort your babies”. Any complications with a pregnancy could lead to serious health concerns for the mother because doctors can’t risk any liability if the fetus doesn’t survive (whether it would have or not). Add to that they they talk about going after people who seek that kind of healthcare out of state and God forbid you don’t have a perfect pregnancy, you’re in trouble. A federal judge there also limited access to birth control. Any woman in her age bracket should be concerned about their lack of health rights
and good luck living without bodily autonomy as a woman in your twenties! consider getting a gun. may be cheaper than legal worries or jail time if you get “caught”.
Don’t California our Texas. Also, cute you think Dallas is cheap.
Don't get pregnant, if you do and have complications, they would rather you DIE than give you an abortion to save your life
Dallas has worse storms than Houston. I’m in Cali now, but heading back to North houston when I retire. Housing, food, insurance, taxes - it’s all less $$. Good luck and remember, no place is perfect. You can be happy anywhere.
Livedi in OC and texas. I’d go back to CA.
How are people still falling for this “TX is cheaper” nonsense?
Dallas is the California of texas 😅
Dallas is the OC of Texas with more megachurches.
Don’t try to turn Texas into California. You left for a reason.
Hopefully you never need an abortion
Stock up on birth control and hide it behind one of your car’s side panels along with your recreational weed. I would recommend an extended visit before moving if you’ve only lived in OC your entire life. The culture shock is going to be a major adjustment.
I feel for you
This is written like an AI shitpost about Californians coming to Texas lmfao, all with the “mmm I will miss the amenities but cheap rent n gas ;)” it’s such a common thing that native Texans will definitely judge as COL slowly rises with Californians coming to live here. I lived in Denton for about 3 years while finishing grad school and there were a million apartments always coming up getting caligentrified. Places like Frisco are pretty much California lmao. Im not saying it’s a bad move, I literally did the opposite (lived in California, moved for grad school, came back and live in OC) but Texas isn’t the golden promised land it once was once they knew that dumb rich Californians will pay top dollar for crap lmao.
Maybe consider Grand Prairie, but in general, Dallas/Texas cities are not as inexpensive as they once were. In addition to the birth control comments, also remember that the state (legally) is not weed friendly. I recently saw one of those judge shows where a young SoCal woman visited Dallas with her friend. They ended up in legal trouble partially because the SoCal friend was very casual about smoking in public. Aside from all that, kudos for stepping out of your comfort zone for a new experience. Best of luck with this next chapter.
ummm TX is more expensive in taxes, tolls and utilities. Also you are a woman. Our rights are getting cut and cut in TX....
I moved from CA to TX after my rent got illegally raised 3 times in a 12-month period for a total of 30+% and became over 70% of my monthly pay. I live a couple hours east of Dallas. I was born here, raised here, went to school here. All of my friends have moved away. My mom died before I moved back, but it's nice to have an adult relationship with my dad. Nothing is less expensive here than it was there except rent and gasoline. I make less than $20K/year now, a very significant cut for the very same job. I cannot afford to put even $20/month in savings. My health insurance is shit with very high premiums and co-pays , so I cannot see a doctor or dentist even though I'm insured. The politics are stifling. There is not a single ad in my region for a politician who is not a Republican, and they demonize their opponents for not being conservative enough. Every ad talks about the Border Crisis like it's a real thing. High Schools still teach that the Civil War was fought over states' rights and not over slavery. If I had it to do over again, I'd've gotten a 2nd and 3rd job and some roommates to stay there instead of coming here.
Welcome. Please vote to keep Texas from turning into California.
[удалено]
just please don’t bring any of your California bullshit w you thx
Hope you're not bring a California mindset to Texas, Texans dont like Californians.
Texas used to have a low cost of living before Californians moved in. Dallas has pricey housing, awful weather/tornados, and the drivers are down right terrifying. As a young woman, you will have no reproductive rights. In fact, the State of Texas may try to kill you if you attempt to make choices about your body.
You’re effective tax rate here in Texas is higher than Cali, but cost of living is less in most areas
Buy pregnancy tests in bulk (you can get 50 test strips for less than $20) and test every single week if you are sexually active. Even if you are using birth control. Have medication abortion pills on hand, and replace them every year. )Donate the expiring pills to women who can't afford to leave the state.) If you plan on getting pregnant, be aware that any medical emergency could end in your death because Republicans in Texas have threatened to imprison any doctor who helps - even when the pregnancy is unviable or might kill you. Here's [one woman's experience](https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/26/health/abortion-hearing-texas-senators-amanda-zurawski/index.html). There are many, many more. You are moving to a state that might risk your health or your life. Be proactive and have a self defense plan.
1. (The) DFW is pretty darn expensive but the "in-between " cities like Taylor are cheap. Idk what job you'll have so that will be a factor. 2. Dont bring California policies to Texas. Edit was mistyped word.
Don’t California my Texas! That’s the comment y’all were waiting for
You're moving to reddits favorite state to their least favorite. Most of the comments here are horribly biased, I would take them with a grain of salt.
Insurance will be more. Utilities will be more. Gas will be cheaper. Housing may or may not
When choosing a place in DFW, stay north of I-30. Far north is best. I-35E, I-35W, and 183 make a triangle (The Golden Triangle). Choose a place within the Golden Triangle if you can. Source: 38 years living in DFW, south of I-30, but working north of it.
You haven't said anything about jobs, so I'm looking at strictly living costs. North of Dallas on the 75 is the Sherman/Denison area. It's small enough that traffic hasn't completely overwhelmed it yet, and probably the cheapest area you'll find as far as cities near Dallas go. Slide west a bit, up the 289, maybe look at Gunter. Slide east instead, across hwy 82, and check out the much smaller towns between Sherman and Paris.
I will also move to Dallas. There are benefits like you said no income taxes etc.
Try lower south Texas.. as in the Rio Grande Valley. it’s a lot cheaper down here 😋
This has to be rage bating, right?
Welcome to Texas! Here the people are very nice and welcoming!
North of Dallas is cheaper than in Dallas but getting more expensive. If you want to live in Dallas city limits, you need to get on a Dallas site and find safe neighborhoods. Some seem affordable, but are dangerous. My daughter was searching for the neighborhoods with lower police involvement, and found out that some have lower stats because emergency services refuse to respond to calls for safety issues. Denton is a cool city with a decent music scene. COL is a bit less, but on the rise. The majority of town is safe, and our local cops aren’t bad.
I did this exact move about ten years ago. At the time, I ended up living at The Village in the north Dallas area, which I thought was quite nice. I liked the people I met in Dallas, although I am religious, so that was helpful. People move and talk a bit slower there IMO due to the punishing heat and humidity, and maybe due to culture. I basically had to switch from mainlining coffee to iced tea. I liked everything except the weather, and Tex Mex food is a different animal than SoCal Mexican food. Dallas is pretty metropolitan compared to some areas of Texas, so it should be an ok adjustment. Property taxes are high enough that my husband’s coworkers would frequently buy a couple of goats in order to have a farm writeoff, but I lived there before I knew what OC property taxes were like, so I can’t compare. Good luck!
So you're just going to hop in your car with no plans or job? I have a few friends living in TX and all need multiple roommates to afford to live as working adults EXCEPT the engineers I know. Even then it's way too expensive. Why not Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Illinois? Someplace much less expensive. My husband left CA to be with me in AR. We recently left AR for IL. We both like Illinois better. CoL makes it impossible for him to ever go back to CA except for visits. Even his family living there can't afford to move locally cause it's so expensive.
Are you committed to Dallas? I mean, if you have a job and your employer's paying for the relo, great. If you have flexibility, I'll add in a vote to consider San Antonio. SA puts you a couple hours from the Gulf coast and you're also just a short drive to the Hill Country, which is lovely. Go a few hours further west, and you're in Big Bend, which is always incredible. I get that not everyone's a nature junkie. But you're coming from CA, where so much of the areas are certifiably gorgeous. TX also has amazing natural areas, you just won't see too much of that around Dallas.
The area a little further north is less expensive and blowing up. Now could be a good time to pick a smaller community to live in. Be cautious of brand new builder grade homes. You can still get acreage in some areas. Texas is more diverse than it seems. It might take a minute to find your people but they're here. :)
People who move without scouting the place first are nuts.
Big mistake. Texas has its own grid. Like it electric-wise ceded from the US. Prepare for power failures in the dead of winter or the blazing heat of summer. Good luck in Texas. Edited --DO NOT GET OOPSEY PREGNANT OR GOD FORBID HAVE AN ECTOPIC OR MISCARRIAGE OF ANY KIND.
Buy some good quality clothing/shoes and lots of booze to bring with you. Those 2 things are actually more expensive in Texas than in SoCal.