A new nationwide study shows what many Texans have already long suspected: everyone wants a piece of the Lone Star State.
According to recent search data published by CabinetSelect and emailed to The Dallas Express, Texas is officially the most desirable state to move to in America, with cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston dominating online searches.
The report analyzed Google searches related to moving across 250 major cities and found Austin, Texas, ranked first, averaging more than 36,000 monthly searches for phrases like “move to Austin” and “Austin housing market.”
Dallas came in third within the study, and Houston ranked fourth, showing Texas’s status as a mega-magnet for relocation.
“It is fascinating to see which states Americans are most eager to relocate to. With Austin, Dallas and Houston all in the top four, it is clear that Texas is a popular choice. This could be due to a number of factors, including low cost of living, no state income tax, and warm weather,” said a CabinetSelect spokesperson.
Austin’s booming tech sector, iconic music scene, and lower taxes helped it edge out second-place Orlando, Florida.
Dallas, with 36,062 average monthly searches, continues to attract new residents thanks to its job opportunities, huge sports market, and central location within the state. Houston was a close second with 34,435 searches, thanks to its energy and oil industries, diversity, and overall affordability.
For many Texans, this is just more proof in the pudding of what conservative leaders have been celebrating and trying to maintain for years: policies that emphasize personal freedom, low taxes, and economic growth.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Elon Musk moved Tesla, Space X, and X headquarters to Texas within the past few years due to Texas’ favorable economic and political climate. Simply put, Musk was fed up with California’s red tape and crime.
Yet, California did end up rounding out the top three states in the report.
However, the sunshine state still did not come close to Texas’s search volume online. Combined, Texas’s five most populous cities attracted 133,633 average monthly searches, compared to Florida’s 96,968 and California’s 96,479.
Notably, San Antonio also made the top 15 cities, with over 25,000 monthly searches, suggesting interest in Texas extends beyond just its “headline” cities.
CabinetSelect claims the state’s popularity is due to factors like no state income tax, a lower cost of living, a strong job market, and a decent housing market. In turn, Texas continues to draw families, young professionals, and retirees alike from all over the world, all looking for a piece of the Lone Star State’s opportunities.