Are you new to Texas or thinking about moving to the second-largest state and trying to get a handle on the Texas lifestyle? Or maybe you’re a longtime Texas resident who’s looking to take advantage of everything the Lone Star State offers.
You’ve come to the right place. Below, we outline all you need to know about the Texas lifestyle, from the people to the home life and beyond.
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Texas Lifestyle: The People
Before diving into the Texas lifestyle, you must understand what it means to be a Texan. Being a Texan doesn’t necessarily mean that you were born and raised in the Lone Star State. Instead, it means you’ve absorbed everything about this state — the culture, the music, the art, the fashion, and more — and have a deep pride in Texas’ deep history.
Being a Texan is also about your mindset. Texans are enormously generous and ready to help one another at the drop of a cowboy hat. They also embrace independence and fully believe in and strive for the American dream.
Texans are often a little stubborn, but this is all part of their resilient nature. However, they never let their sometimes-stubborn nature interfere with their friendliness — friendship is the state motto, after all.
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been a Texan for a week or your whole life. Nor does it matter if you’re working the ranch in cowboy boots and a hat or strolling the streets of Austin in the latest fashion. The Texas people are as varied as the land they live on.
Texas Lifestyle: The Arts
With a diverse history and a wide range of settlers who’ve passed through Texas, the Lone Star State has ended up with an eclectic art collection. A prominent part of this historical and modern art is what’s known as cowboy art.
As its name implies, cowboy art displays the lifestyle and rich history of cowboys and cowgirls, right up to the present day. This art often includes cowboy staples like horses, ranches, saloons, wagons, and more. However, it’s not void of abstract works of art, and also includes both portraits and landscapes.
To capture the true essence of the Texas art scene, visit Round Rock or Marfa. These towns are home to bustling artist communities. You’ll find art everywhere you go in Round Rock’s historic downtown. In Marfa, you can stroll the art galleries and museums and check out the famous Prada Marfa “store”.
Texas Lifestyle: The Music
It’s easy to assume that Texas is all about country music. While country and bluegrass have certainly made their mark and continue to be part of the Texas music scene, the options go far beyond that. It’s not uncommon for Texans to also fancy gospel, Cajun, and rock music. But that’s not all, as other musical genres have influenced Texas music, including Tex-Mex (also called Tejano), blues, jazz, Czech music, and other European music styles.
Live music is part of the Texas lifestyle. In fact, Austin, Texas, has over 250 live music venues. This has earned it the title “Live Music Capital of the World.”
With such deep musical roots that influence much of the music we hear nationwide today, it’s clear why the governor’s Texas Music Office has the official motto “You can’t hear American music without hearing Texas”.
Texas Lifestyle: The Food and Drink
Another big part of the Texas lifestyle and history is food. In the early years, the Texas frontiersman’s diet consisted of calorie-dense foods like pork and corn to obtain the 4,500 calories they needed daily. That was a different time, though, as the pioneer food back then was more for sustenance instead of flavor.
Over time, Texan food began absorbing different cultures, including those of the Indigenous people and Europeans. This is a significant reason for the proliferation of Tex-Mex food in southern Texas cities like San Antonio, which has since spread across Texas and the nation.
So, what is Texas best known for in terms of food? First and foremost, the nomadic culture spurred the perfection of BBQ, particularly pork and beef. You really haven’t lived in Texas until you’ve waited in line from sunrise to 11 a.m. just to get a taste of Texas’ most famed BBQ spot, Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas. Some other Texas staples include chicken-fried steak, enchiladas, queso, pecan pie, and chili. It truly is the place for a person with an eclectic palate.
Texas is also no stranger to great drinks, especially wine. The Lone Star State is home to over 470 wineries, making it the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S. There’s even the Urban Wine Trail, where wine connoisseurs can indulge in a collection of tastings of the various wines Texas has to offer, from bold reds to crisp whites.
Texas Lifestyle: Home Life
Texas has a lot of diversity when it comes to home life. You might choose to live in the big city, such as Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Austin, or Houston, or opt for one of the smaller Texas cities or even a small town, with plenty of room to stretch out and high-quality air to breath.
No matter where you live in Texas, one desirable fact holds true: no income tax. That’s right, Texas is one of nine states without income tax, so you can keep a larger chunk of your income. On top of no income tax, Texas offers a lower cost of living than most states, ringing in as the 18th lowest cost-of-living state in 2023.
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Like the rest of the nation, Texas has seen an uptick in housing prices, but costs remain below the national average. The median Texas home price sits at $362,000, well below the median home price nationwide of $410,200. Even big cities have affordable real estate options in Texas, as the median housing prices, at the time of writing, check in at:
- $465,000 for Austin-Round Rock
- $340,000 for Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
- $345,000 for Houston
- $314,900 for San Antonio
If you’re a renter, Texas has you covered there, too. The average rent estimate in Texas as of August 2023 was $1,318 per month, which is lower than the national average of $1,371. As with housing prices, rent prices in the nation’s second-largest state will vary by city and other factors, such as square feet, number of bedrooms, and the neighborhood you live in.
When they say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” they also mean the homes. The average home size in Texas is 2,170 square feet, making it number 11 in terms of average size. This means you’ll generally have a lot of room to spread out.
Now, for a critical home life factor: income. According to ZipRecruiter, the average pay in Texas is $52,132 annually, or $25 hourly. This means it ranks number 35 out of 63 states and U.S. territories that ZipRecruiter tracks. Of course, a person’s actual income will vary by occupation, location, amount of experience, and more.
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Texas Lifestyle: Family Fun
If you have kiddos, Texas offers many family-friendly adventures you can enjoy from spring through winter. From beautiful national and state parks to wild amusement parks, there’s something for everyone in the Lone Star State.
Texas is a perfect spot if your family loves the outdoors and exploring nature. It has 89 state parks, many historic sites, and dozens of other natural areas. You can also find 14 national parks in Texas, giving you plenty of options. Some top parks to consider in Texas are Big Bend Ranch State Park, Garner State Park, Inks Lake State Park, Big Bend National Park, and Padre Island National Seashore.
Is your family into amusement parks? Texas has plenty of those. These range from smaller local parks to huge parks, such as Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Joyland Amusement Park. If zoos or aquariums are more your style, head to Amarillo, El Paso, Fort Worth, or Dallas.
Does your family love science? There’s plenty to satisfy that side, too, starting with the Space Center Houston. This Smithsonian-affiliated center has a 250,000-square-foot educational center and sees about 1.25 million visitors per year. Here you’ll see a range of space-focused exhibits and experiences, such as shuttle replicas, space suite displays, and a Mars display. There are also films and presentations. Other science-focused museums include the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Cockrell Butterfly Center, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, the Witte Museum, and the Thinkery.
Are you and your family history buffs who want to get to know all about Texas and U.S. history? The Lone Star State has an abundance of history-focused museums to pick from. The most famous of these museums is the Alamo, where you can learn about the legendary Battle of the Alamo in 1836 and much more about the 300-year history of this legendary site. Other top options include the National Museum of the Pacific War, the USS Lexington Museum, and the Bullock Texas State Museum.
With all this and more to keep your family entertained, you can see that the Texas lifestyle is all about fun for everyone.
Living the Texas Lifestyle Means Keeping an Open Mind
The Texas lifestyle is unique and diverse, from the abundance of food options to the wide range of activities for everyone in the family. To fully enjoy all that Texas offers, you’ll need to keep an open mind and be willing to experiment. And don’t worry if you’re not sure what to do, as friendly Texans are always happy to help point you toward all the great events and activities in the area.
An additional part of the Texas lifestyle is energy deregulation, which means you can choose which energy provider you prefer. Whether you’re seeking the lowest possible rate or a green provider, you are free to make that choice. Are you interested in changing energy providers? Check out Just Energy plans and select the one that fits you best.
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