Texas, the second-largest state with nearly 30 million residents, has experienced rapid growth for the past two decades. Its major cities, including Houston and Dallas, have consistently ranked among the largest in the U.S. for over 30 years, with San Antonio and Austin now joining the ranks. However, despite its previous allure, Texas has lost some of its advantages and was recently dubbed the worst state to live in, prompting many residents to consider moving elsewhere. (These are America’s fastest-growing big cities.)
People may want to leave because of increased crowding in the largest cities and an environment that has made them barely habitable in the hottest times of the year. Austin had a population of 1.2 million in 2000. That figure rose to 2.3 million in 2020, according to the Census. Austin’s infrastructure has been overwhelmed. A reporter for The New Yorker recently wrote, “Austin is now characterized by stifling traffic and unaffordable restaurants.” Home prices in Austin have skyrocketed and become among the country’s most expensive.
Another challenge Texas presents is that the summer temperatures can rise above 100 F for several days in a row. NBC recently reported, “Blistering triple-digit temperatures across Texas this week have the state rivaling the hottest locations on the planet, including the Sahara Desert and parts of the Persian Gulf.” Due to global warming, this will not get better and may get much worse. (These are the worst cities to live in as climate change gets worse.)
Recently, USAToday ranked Texas as the worst state to live in. Among the reasons the newspaper gave were crime rates, the quality of the environment, the healthcare system, whether people had access to good childcare, and “inclusiveness in state laws such as reproductive rights, protections against discrimination and voting rights.’
CNBC recently named Texas the worst place to work and live in. Among the reasons, the analysis said, were healthcare and crime.
The migration to Texas could soon move to an exodus. And there are powerful reasons people should get out now.
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