For 12 hours in either direction, you'd still be in Texas. If you got in the car in Atlanta and drove 12 hours west, you would end up in Dallas, Texas, after having traveled through four states. The California invasion is truly surprising when you consider the political climate in the Lone Star State. While having no income taxes is definitely attractive, Texas can make up for it by raising property tax rates, which are approximately 60% higher here than elsewhere in the country.
Texas is a dynamic state full of diversity, with 89 state parks, 14 federally managed locations and an entire coastline of beaches. Its history began in the year 1519 when the Spanish conquistadores began to settle in the region that was populated by numerous tribal cultures. Since then, people have loved what Texas has to offer and today, it is the second most populous state in the United States. There are many employment opportunities in Texas due to its strong economy whose growth creates a large number of new jobs. There are several cities in the state that make Texas one of the best places to work in the United States, such as Dallas, Austin and Garland.
All states must collect certain taxes and fees to fund services, but in Texas, it's much lower. The Lone Star State does not collect income taxes. While you'll pay a higher sales tax rate in the state compared to other states, the maximum combined rate is only 8.25% and most households find that they can save more money each year after moving to Texas due to the lower overall tax burden. Texas is huge - if you were traveling from Houston to El Paso, the car ride will take you more than 740 miles and end up in a different time zone at the end of your trip. That is equivalent to more than 10 hours of driving while remaining in the same state, and it is on the most direct route.
So you can imagine how busy the trips are. In addition, Texas is an exciting entertainment hub, from energetic live music to vibrant and lively bar scenes. However, there are some drawbacks to living in Texas. An unusual winter storm hit Texas last winter and claimed the lives of 210 people, mainly due to massive power outages that left residents without heating. There's also a lot of pride in the city in Austin, and locals love to tell you how great their city is - making it easy to engage in positive conversations. Or you could always live in a border city close to a state with a lower sales tax percentage and buy your food there.
For example, even though Texas has the largest rural population in the country, more than 84% of the Texan population lives in metropolitan areas. The best piece of advice I received before moving to Austin was to live within the city limits or choose a neighborhood close to work because otherwise, traffic would take up too much of my time. Austin is known as the world capital of live music and has more live music venues than any other city (per capita) in the country. You'll be able to afford to live with the same standard of living for less than what it would cost you in most states if you lived in Texas. In conclusion, there are many advantages and disadvantages of living in Austin, Texas. It has no income taxes and offers many employment opportunities with its strong economy.
It also has an exciting entertainment hub with vibrant bar scenes and live music venues. However, it can be difficult to navigate due to its size and there have been some extreme weather events that have caused power outages.
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