Why So Many Californians Still Move to Texas for More House and Less Pressure

A lot of Californians are still choosing Texas because the housing math is hard to ignore. At the end of 2025, the California Association of REALTORS® reported a statewide median home price of $850,680, while Texas REALTORS® put the 2025 Texas statewide median at $335,000. That gap is the real story. For many buyers, Texas is not a downgrade. It is a way to buy more house, more land, and keep more breathing room in the monthly budget.

The mistake people make is focusing only on Texas property tax rates and stopping there. Yes, Texas property tax rates can run higher than California’s, but the home values being taxed are often much lower. That means the actual annual tax bill is not always worse, and sometimes the total housing cost is still materially better once you compare real purchase prices. California’s own affordability tracker continues to show how strained housing costs remain there, which is why this move keeps making sense for families, professionals, and investors.

There is also a broader migration pattern behind this. The Census has continued to show Texas adding population, and reporting on state-to-state flows has consistently identified California-to-Texas as one of the biggest relocation pipelines in the country. So no, the idea that everyone is running back to California does not match the bigger picture.

If you’re weighing California against Central Texas or the Texas Hill Country, start at https://chrispesek.com, email chris@drippingspringshometeam.com, or call 512-736-1703. Chris Pesek is a Texas Hill Country Realtor specializing in land, acreage, and custom homes. 390 sales. Top 2 Percent Producer. 68 five-star reviews.

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