Leaving California for Texas? You’re in for a BIG Culture Shock

Recently I came across a lot of posts in a neighborhood Facebook group I’m in and I noticed a trend: Californians are moving to Texas.

It seemed as if I would come across a post almost daily of people asking for “El Paso” recommendations because they just moved to the area from California.

It seems as if Californians are making the move to not only El Paso but Texas cities in general. A recent report from Storage Café unveiled that in 2021, a jaw-dropping 111,000 Californians packed their bags and headed for the landscapes of Texas.

Now, I don’t do math well, but that's a whopping 300 people moving to Texas every single day! *Gasps in Spanish* The report goes on to say that this is an 80% surge from what it was in 2012.

Who are these adventurers taking the Texas plunge?

It turns out that millennials are leading the charge because, according to the report, the appeal of Texas, with its promise of more affordable living and wide-open spaces, has never been stronger.

Why the sudden surge to become a Texan?

The pandemic is a HUGE factor when it comes to wondering why so many Californians decided to make the move to Texas.

“With remote work becoming the norm, Californians are breaking free from the high-cost city chains and flocking to the Lone Star state. Affordable cities like Austin and Dallas have become the new playgrounds for those craving a change of scenery.”

Other factors include the fact that Texas is a business-friendly environment and well, the cost of living is soooooo much more wallet-friendly in Texas compared to California.

In California, the average home costs $737,900, while in Texas, it's a wallet-friendly $302,333, according to Zillow.

Californians Are In For A Rude Awakening:

California and Texas are two COMPLETELY different states. If you’re a Cali person who plans to move to the Lone Star State, here are a few things Texans want to make sure you are prepared for before you make the move:

The Food:

“Team Whataburger, not In-and-Out!”

 

“Tex-Mex food. Them thinking it’s real Mexican food and complaining about it.”

 

The Language:

“We have our own lingo. Spanglish is HUGE here and we like saying “Ay yay” a lot.”

The Culture:

“Friendly neighbors.”

 

“We WILL invite you over for the Carne Asada and make you try Menudo, then tell you what it’s made out of AFTERWARDS.”

 

“Texans really love their high school football!”

 

“Homecoming mums!”

 

The Landscape:

“No bodies of water locally here in El Paso. It took a little getting used to. I moved here from the Bay Area where there was (of course) the Bay, the ocean, rivers, and the delta. I miss it, but I LOVE the desert landscape here.”

 

“The THORNS!!”

 

“There’s no beach in El Paso but we have Wet-n-Wild!”

 

The Weather:

“The heat.”

 

“Never knowing what season we’re in because we only have two: Summer and Winter.”

 

The Commute:

“Construction. Construction EVERYWHERE!! You’ll be seeing orange cones almost everywhere!."

 

“Specifically in El Paso...you can get from point A to point B in like 15 -20 min. Everywhere else Dallas area, Austin, Houston...good luck.”

 

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