Texas
Moderate tax burden · COL index 97
Wins 8 categories
California
High tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 4 categories
Texas has no state income tax. California's top rate is 13.3%. Cost of living in California (index 142) runs 46% higher than Texas (index 97). Property taxes are meaningfully different: Texas averages 1.6% annually vs California's 0.71%. The median home in California costs $790K vs $340K in Texas.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
8
Texas
4
California
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How much is $100,000 salary in Texas after taxes?
Why are people leaving CA for TX?
Is it better to retire in California or Texas?
Key Points. Florida's climate and low taxes make it the top retirement destination. California is more expensive, but it's still attracting affluent retirees. Texas's low housing prices and low cost of living are attracting new retirees.
Why is Texas doing better than California?
Buildings are significantly more modern over there. The job market is better in Texas. They have more openings on average and have more diverse industries. They are very strong in Tech, Finance, and Energy. California laid most of its eggs in tech and now is finding out the hard way as AI replaces many of their jobs.