The Vibe: It Doesn’t Just Stop At The Cowboys
Home to that booming personality that the Lone Star State is famous for, the people of
Texas are as diverse as the state is huge.
It’s got a population that’s made up of old school cowboys, transplants from around the entire world, a huge Hispanic population, and even a Native American presence.
For the most part, expects Texans to be friendly, generous, and community driven people, always willing to help out someone in need.
Just make sure you don’t piss them off though, the “don’t mess with Texas” slogan remains one of the realest around the entire country.
Local Flavor: There’s Never A Dull Moment In Texas
Thanks to the many big cities, diverse population, and warm weather, there’s always something going on in Texas.
A few of the coolest events to give you a real taste of what life in Texas is like include Austin’s South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive Festival (also called SXSW), celebrations like the State Fair of Texas complete with a carnival, auto show, and plenty deep fried food. There are also cultural festivals like Wurstfest, a 10-day German heritage festival held in the city of New Braunfels with tons of music, games, and sausage.
One things for sure, it’s never boring in Texas.
Cuisine: Texas Has Got The Beef
When it comes to the local food, Texas is a big state with even bigger flavors. This state is probably most famous for its awesome barbecue, built around slow-cooked beef that’s typically sold by the pound.
It’s also important to mention that this state basically invented Tex-Mex, a cheesier, steak driven variety of the Mexican food that everyone in the Lone Star State loves.
Plus, due to the high number of transplants that now call Texas home, the local dining experience has turned into a sort of melting pot during recent years, with plenty of authentic German and Italian joints popping up in larger cities.
There’s always something new to try in Texas.
Nightlife: The Party Never Stops In This State
Unique dive bars, dance clubs blasting music, and world-class restaurants are a standard in any large Texan city, with most places capable of supporting multiple nightlife districts.
If you’re looking for a good place to start, Austin’s got its 6th street, Houston has Washington Avenue, San Antonio has the River Walk, and Dallas has McKinney Avenue.
Of course, part of the Texas charm is trying to find the many hidden gems you’ll find tucked in various small town all around the Lone Star State.
Weather: Warm Weather With A Side Of Sunshine
Because Texas is such a huge state, the weather tends to vary depending on where you’re at, but you can usually count on things getting pretty warm.
The west tends to be a lot more arid than the humid east, with most areas in the Lone Star State averaging something in the mid-80s during the summers, with dropping down to a tolerable average in the 40s or low 50s.
It is important to mention that Texas does experience some occasional flooding, as well as an average of 139 tornados that hit the state each year, though most are far from any major cities.
However, the bottom line is that the weather in Texas rarely gives you something to complain about, as residents here have no problem kicking back and enjoying the sunshine on a regular basis.
Safety & Crime: It’s A Little High, But It’s Getting Better
Crime in Texas is higher than what you’ll find in most American states, with a state average of 3,667 reported criminal acts per 100,000 residents, a little more than the national average of 3,100.
However when you take into account that bigger population centers usually have a higher rates of crime, this inflated number isn’t too surprising considering all of the huge cities in Texas. These numbers also vary greatly depending on where you’re at, with places like Dallas averaging a higher 4,820 reported criminal acts per 100,000 people, while smaller towns like Plano only have 2,291 reported incidents per 100,000 residents.
However, due to recent efforts crimes rates in Texas have been consistently dropping in recent years.
Commute: It’s Not As Bad As You’ve Heard
A lot of Texans in big cities will constantly rant about how horrible the local traffic is, however it’s actually pretty comparable to what you’d find in the rest of the country. The state average when it comes to commuting is still only 25 minutes each way, with a lot of the traffic problems here occurring in big cities.
Population centers in Texas have expanded quickly in recent years and are still working to build an infrastructure capable of handling the additional traffic that’s come to town as a result.
This population spike has also caused many cities to focus to alternative methods of transportation, such as developing bike routes and better public transportation for residents to take advantage of instead of getting constantly stuck on crowded roads. You’ll get used to getting around this state in no time.
Cost of Living: Texas Delivers A Great Bang For Your Buck
As a whole, Texas is inexpensive. On a cost of living index that scores the national average at 100, Texas scores a 90, meaning your dollar will stretch quite a bit further in the Lone State, with housing and groceries being two of the most noticeable places you’ll save.
Even the big cities here are typically cheaper than the national average, with Dallas scoring a 98 on the same scale and with San Antonio scoring a shockingly low 86.
Places thought to be expensive in Texas aren’t actually that bad either, with Austin scoring a reasonable 104, much lower than big cities like Los Angeles with its 142 and New York City with its 167. If you’re hoping to purchase a home somewhere in Texas, expect to find something close to the state average of $128,000, a far cry from the $181,400 you’ll find nationally.
Sports: Texas Has It All
Everything is bigger in Texas, including their sports. Around this state, high school football is a huge deal, especially in smaller towns, where star athletes tend to get treated like celebrities, “Friday Night Lights style.”
This state’s obsession with football doesn’t stop there though, as college sports are celebrated on an even larger scale when it comes to teams like the Texas Longhorns or the Texas A & M Aggies. In additional to the high school and college sports that the people in this state love, there are also more than 10 major professional sports teams scattered throughout the larger cities in Texas, along with a ton of minor league teams spread throughout every corner of the state.
One thing’s for sure, it’s always easy to find a live game with an electric atmosphere somewhere in the Lone Star State on any given night of the week.
Nature: It’s Not Just A Desert
There seems to be a common belief throughout the rest of America that Texas is just one giant desert filled with dust, sand, and cowboys. While Texas does have its fair share of dust, sand, and cowboys, this assumption is still far from the truth.
Sure, parts of Texas are more arid, but for the most part, the nature in this state is filled with green space loved by the locals. In fact, only around 10 percent of the state gets 10 inches of rain or less per year. A few of the greener outdoorsy attractions you can’t miss here include the “Lost Pines” of Bastrop State Park, the desert oasis Balmorhea State Park with its spring-fed pool, and Barton Springs in Austin.
Quit thinking Texas is just one big desert from a 1940s Western movie, it’s so much more than that.
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