TEXAS – Not only is California-to-Texas migration not slowing, but the route is getting more crowded, according to a new StorageCafe study.
Overall, 111,000 people—or 300 a day—exchanged the sunny California skies for Texas ones in 2021, the peak period of the last decade and an 80 percent increase over 2012.
This route is obviously not a one-way street, but Texans tend to move to California in much smaller numbers. In 2021, a total of 33,000 Lone Star residents made California their home. Austin is the preferred destination of the new Texans. StorageCafe analyzed the impact on Greater Austin and found:
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More than 16,000 Californians relocated to Williamson and Travis Counties in 2021 alone. Travis County is by far the most preferred relocation destination among the state’s top 25 routes for Californians. Los Angeles County was the “main supplier” of new residents, followed by Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
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One of the big reasons folks are fleeing the Golden State is to get more for their housing dollar. A typical home in Travis and Williamson Counties is 69 percent cheaper than in notoriously expensive L.A. County, resulting in a list price gap of $359,000.
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The most profitable move when thinking to buy a home is trading Redwood City for Austin. There is a 243 percent difference between home prices in San Mateo County vs. Travis County, which can result in average savings of more than $1.2 million.
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Renters pay over 50 percent more in California than in Greater Austin destinations.
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In terms of living space, switching from Santa Clara County to Williamson County generates the biggest gain, an extra 386 sf for homeowners and 79 sf for renters.
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On average, homeowners enjoy 17 percent bigger homes in Texas than in California, whereas apartments are 6 percent larger.