Meet the typical person moving to Texas: An unmarried millennial making $50,000 in search of a better life
David Zalubowski
- Between 2021 and 2022, about 668,300 people moved into Texas, according to Census data.
- Many movers to Texas are unmarried millennial renters coming from California, Florida, and New York.
- Recent movers to Texas said they are motivated at least in part by a lower cost of living.
The typical American moving to Texas doesn't own a home, isn't married, and makes about $50,600.
A Business Insider analysis of individual-level data from the Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey, assembled by the University of Minnesota's IPUMS program, found that people moving to Texas are more likely to be millennials, less likely to be homeowners, and make slightly more a year than those leaving Texas.
Many people moving to Texas are doing so for a cheaper cost of living compared to states such as California, a slower pace of life, and opportunities to start a family. Some others are relocating to cities such as Austin and Houston for work opportunities.
The Census data, though, helps us paint a clearer picture of the attributes of people moving to Texas.
The average yearly income of those moving to Texas was $50,565, just about $138 a year higher than those leaving Texas. Those moving to Texas were 68.3% employed — compared to 66% of those leaving Texas — with 25.8% not in the labor force.
People moving to Texas are predominantly millennials and Gen Zers — 40.5% and 29.9%, respectively. That compares to the 37.3% millennials and 31.2% Gen Zers leaving the state. About 11.4% of people moving to Texas were boomers, the same percentage for people leaving Texas.
Between 2021 and 2022, more than 668,300 people moved into Texas overall. Over 102,400 of the movers to Texas came from California, per the Census Bureau's tabulation of ACS data, followed by 41,700 from Florida and 30,900 from New York.
For the many Americans moving to Texas' more expensive areas, renting may be the only option. About 70% of those who moved in are renters, while 30% are owners. Among owners, the average home price is $451,568. Some movers previously told BI that they rented in Texas for a few months before settling on a new home.
Additionally, movers to Texas are predominantly — 58.6% — not married, while 44.5% are single or unmarried. The remainder are divorced, separated, or widowed.
People who moved to Texas explain why they did it
Eric Hartnett, a 57-year-old photographer and bar owner, was a lifelong Californian before moving to Texas in 2018.
He's been able to afford a larger home and finds day-to-day expenses, like groceries, cheaper.
"I bought asparagus in Texas for $1.90 a bunch," he told Business Insider in November. "Two weeks later, I visited Northern California and was asked to cook — the asparagus there was $5, and it was the exact same product from the same place in Mexico."
Jayne Jordan, 61, told BI that moving from California to Texas allowed her to retire early.
John Brunner and his wife, Manon, moved from France to Kyle, a city between Austin and San Antonio, in 2022.
"Since our housing is affordable, we're taking trips and vacations around the country," Brunner said. "It's not going to break the bank."
Pengyu Cheng, a program manager who moved from the Bay Area to Austin in 2021, said he likes the less-competitive atmosphere.
"While living in Austin, it has been refreshing to hear stories about weekend soccer practice for the kids or community gatherings and concerts," he said. "And while careers are important, no one is talking about it all the time here."