Relocation Guide
California to Texas: what the move really involves
California to Texas is the most common long-distance move in the country, and San Antonio is one of its most popular destinations. This guide is the honest version of that move: why families make it, what actually changes financially, and how a realistic timeline works, grounded in verifiable data.
~77,000
Californians moved to Texas in 2024
Census data; California is the single largest source of new Texans.
$786K vs $307K
Median home price, CA vs TX
Zillow, May 2024. San Antonio runs well below both.
0% vs up to 13.3%
State income tax, TX vs CA
California adds a 1.1% SDI payroll tax on top.
~34%
Lower overall cost of living in Texas
Composite cost index: California about 142, Texas about 94 (U.S. average 100).
Why families are making the move
Roughly 77,000 people moved from California to Texas in 2024, making California the largest single source of new Texans and Texas the number one destination for Californians leaving the state, according to Census data. The reasons I hear from clients every week are consistent: housing they can afford without stretching, no state income tax, lower day-to-day costs, and a quality of life that fits the way they actually want to live. San Antonio in particular pairs that affordability with the Hill Country and a community-first pace.
What differs: taxes, and it is a real trade
Texas has no state income tax, while California's marginal rates run up to 13.3% plus a 1.1% state disability insurance levy. That is the headline, and it is real. The trade is property tax: effective rates in Texas run roughly 1.4% to 1.7% on average (Tax Foundation), about double California's roughly 0.7%, where Proposition 13 caps the levy at 1% of assessed value and limits annual growth. The reason the trade still wins for most movers is that Texas home values are far lower, so the dollar tax bill on a comparable lifestyle is typically smaller. On a $350,000 home in Bexar County, the typical effective rate near 1.5% to 1.9% works out to roughly $5,250 to $6,650 a year. See the property tax guide for the county-by-county picture.
Cost of living and housing: the numbers that move the needle
On the standard cost-of-living index (U.S. average 100), California sits near 142 and Texas near 94, roughly a 34% difference. Housing is the largest part of it: Zillow's May 2024 data put the California median home price near $786,000 versus about $307,000 in Texas, and other 2024 estimates ran closer to $840,000 versus $345,000. San Antonio itself is well below the Texas median: the metro median sits around $295,000, and SABOR's monthly medians through mid-2026 ranged from roughly $293,000 to $330,000. That gap is why a California family can sell one home and decisively change their whole budget picture here.
Weather: the honest version
San Antonio's summers are hot: the average summer temperature is about 86 degrees, and the 100-degree mark is hit roughly 18 days a year on the long-term climate normal, closer to 26 to 27 days over the past two decades. Winters are mild, springs are gorgeous, and the Hill Country is unmatched in wildflower season. If you are trading coastal California for Texas heat, plan for real summers and a backyard you will use in the evenings. It is the trade most transplants say they adapt to faster than they expected.
A realistic timeline for a California buyer
Most of my out-of-state buyers land in a three-month rhythm. Month one: video consult, get pre-approved by a Texas lender, and narrow the map to two or three communities. Month two: one focused house-hunting trip, an offer, and a negotiated contract. Month three: inspection, appraisal, and closing at a title company, which in Texas typically lands 30 to 60 days after the contract is signed. Add another month if you are aligning with a school year, a lease, or a job start date. Buying from California works well when someone local is managing the timeline, and that is my specialty.
What still surprises people
Four things come up again and again. First, the homestead exemption is not automatic: you file with the appraisal district, and the deadline is April 30 of the tax year, so the timing shows up in your first full year of taxes. Second, homeowners insurance, hail risk, and Texas heat shape utility and insurance budgets in ways California does not prepare you for. Third, school assignments follow the address, and the districts vary enormously, so we verify the feeder school for every home. Fourth, no state income tax does not mean no taxes: sales tax and property tax are real, and I model them honestly before you fall in love with a house.
On my channel: San Antonio vs California: Cost of Living Revealed
Ready to run your California to Texas numbers?
Send me where you are in California, your target month, and your budget. I will reply with honest area comparisons, a real tax estimate, and a timeline that works for your move.
The California to Texas move is very doable.
It just needs a plan and someone local on your side. That is exactly what I do.
Prefer email? realtorphyllisdomingo@gmail.com