Moving from Florida to Texas: What You Need to Know (2026)
Thinking about moving from Florida to Texas? Here is an honest breakdown of costs, taxes, weather, jobs, and what the move actually looks like in practice.
Sarah Jenkins
Staff Writer
Why are people moving from Florida to Texas?
For years, Florida was the destination. People left New York, New Jersey, and Illinois chasing warm weather and no income tax.
That story started changing around 2026.
Insurance costs in Florida exploded. Homeowners in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and other coastal areas watched premiums soar far faster than anywhere else in the country, with some major insurers pulling out of the market altogether. Housing prices, which had been creeping up for years, stopped being the bargain they once were. And hurricane season, which used to feel like an abstract risk, became something people thought about differently after a string of damaging storms.
The result: people from Florida started looking west.
Texas makes obvious sense as a destination. Both states have no income tax. Both have warm climates. But Texas offers something Florida increasingly does not: lower overall costs, a broader job market, and weather risk that is real but different in character from hurricane exposure along Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
The main trade-off when moving to Texas
Both Florida and Texas have no state income tax, which is the headline that draws people to both states. But once you look past that, the picture gets more specific.
Living in Florida now costs $500-$900 more per month than in Texas, driven almost entirely by insurance spikes and housing volatility. That is a real gap. For a family of four, the annual cost advantage of Texas over Florida runs roughly $6,000-$7,000 when you factor in housing, groceries, and insurance.
The catch is property taxes. Texas property tax rates at 1.69% are nearly double Florida's rate of 0.94%. On a $400,000 home that is about $6,760 per year in Texas versus $3,760 in Florida. Something to factor in before you assume the move is a pure financial win.
Cost of living comparison: Florida vs Texas
| Category | Florida | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 103.3 | 95.5 |
| Median home price | ~$415,000 | ~$300,000-350,000 |
| State income tax | None | None |
| Property tax rate | ~0.94% | ~1.69% |
| Homeowners insurance (coastal) | $7,000-$8,345/yr in Miami area | $3,400-3,800/yr in Austin/San Antonio |
| Groceries | ~15% above national avg | Near national average |
The groceries gap is something people do not always expect. Florida's tourism economy pushes consumer prices up across the board. In Texas you generally pay less for everyday items.
Texas job market
This is where Texas has a clear edge over Florida for most professional categories.
Texas has built one of the strongest and most diversified economies in the country. The major states each have their own flavor:
- Austin handles tech. Tesla, Oracle, Apple, Amazon, Dell, and a dense startup ecosystem make it the de facto tech capital of the South.
- Dallas-Fort Worth is the corporate hub. American Airlines, AT&T, Toyota, Goldman Sachs, and a long list of Fortune 500 companies have major operations here.
- Houston runs on energy and healthcare. The largest medical center in the world is here. So is the headquarters of a large portion of the US energy industry.
- San Antonio is military, healthcare, and tourism. More affordable than the other major states and growing steadily.
Florida's job market is strong in hospitality, real estate, and finance (Miami in particular), but it is narrower in breadth for professional workers in tech and corporate roles.
Weather: swapping one heat for another
People moving from Florida to Texas are not escaping heat. Both states are hot. What they are doing is trading one type of extreme for another.
Florida heat comes with relentless year-round humidity, particularly in South Florida. Summers feel oppressive from May through October. The bigger issue is hurricane risk along the coasts from Miami to Tampa to Jacksonville, which has become harder to ignore and significantly more expensive to insure against.
Texas heat is extreme in its own right. Dallas and Austin regularly see 100°F days from June through August. San Antonio and Houston add humidity to that. The difference is the winter, which in most of Texas is genuinely mild, and the complete absence of hurricane exposure if you settle inland.
Houston is the exception. It sits on the Gulf Coast and gets real hurricane exposure. If you are moving to escape Florida's storm risk, Houston is not your answer. Austin, Dallas, or San Antonio are the better calls.
Texas also gets winter storms occasionally, and the state's power grid has famously struggled with them. The 2021 freeze was a wake-up call that extreme cold, while rare, is a real possibility.
Best Texas states for people moving from Florida
Austin works best for people in tech, creative fields, or remote work who want a city with real energy and culture. It is the most expensive Texas option and has a vibe that Floridians from Miami or Tampa tend to find familiar.
Dallas-Fort Worth is the practical choice for corporate professionals and families. The suburbs of Frisco, Plano, and McKinney are popular with people moving from Florida with kids. Lower prices than Austin, excellent schools in the right suburbs, and a massive job market.
San Antonio is the most affordable of the major Texas states and the most underrated. Median home prices around $257,000 make it genuinely accessible. Strong healthcare and military employment. A slower pace than Austin or Dallas.
Houston has the broadest job market and the lowest housing costs among the large metros, but the Gulf Coast location means you are trading Florida hurricane exposure for Texas hurricane exposure. Still worth considering for energy and medical professionals.
If you are also weighing other states alongside Texas, our guide to the best states to move to from California covers similar ground with Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio comparisons.
The insurance question
This is the main driver pushing people out of Florida, so it deserves a direct answer with real numbers.
Florida's statewide average homeowners insurance premium in 2026 runs roughly $3,240 to $4,500 per year, but that average hides a dramatic range by location. In Miami, the average hits $8,345 per year. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood see premiums exceeding $7,000. Even relatively inland Orlando comes in around $3,000. The further south and the closer to the coast, the worse it gets. Some major insurers have pulled out of the Florida market entirely, leaving homeowners on smaller carriers or the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance program as a last resort.
Texas insurance has also been rising, driven by hail damage, flooding in Houston, and wildfire risk in western parts of the state. The statewide average runs around $4,085 to $4,915 per year. Houston homeowners can pay over $6,300 annually. So if you are moving from Miami to Houston, the insurance math does not improve much.
The real savings come from moving out of coastal Florida into inland Texas. Austin and San Antonio homeowners typically pay $3,400 to $3,800 per year. That is a meaningful drop from a $7,000-$8,000 Miami premium. The key is where in Texas you land.
What does moving from Florida to Texas cost?
The distance between Florida and Texas varies depending on where you are starting and landing. Miami to Houston is roughly 1,300 miles. Tampa to Dallas is about 1,200 miles. Jacksonville to San Antonio is around 1,100 miles.
A professional long-distance move at these distances typically runs $3,000-$6,000 for a one-bedroom and $6,000-$10,000 for a three-bedroom, depending on the mover and the amount of stuff. Summer moves are more expensive and harder to schedule. If you can move in fall or winter, you will get better pricing and availability.
Pros and cons
Reasons to move to Texas:
Lower overall cost of living, particularly if you are in South Florida where costs are highest. Dramatically lower homeowners insurance for inland Texas locations. A broader job market for tech, corporate, and professional roles. More housing for your money in every major Texas city. Mild winters compared to Florida's year-round heat.
Reasons to stay in Florida:
Texas property taxes are significantly higher and will offset some of your savings. Texas summers are brutal and not dramatically different from Florida summers in terms of discomfort. The Texas power grid has a documented vulnerability to winter storms. If you are moving from Tampa or Jacksonville to Houston, you have not escaped hurricane risk.
FAQ
Is Texas cheaper than Florida to live in?
Overall yes, by roughly $500-$900 per month for most households. Texas has a lower cost of living index (95.5 vs 103.3 for Florida), lower housing costs in most states, and lower grocery prices. The offset is higher property taxes, which run nearly double Florida's rate.
Do I still pay no income tax if I move from Florida to Texas?
Yes. Both states have no personal income tax, so you keep that advantage either way.
What is the best Texas city to move to from Florida?
It depends on what you are leaving and what you want. Austin suits tech workers and people who want a city with energy. Dallas-Fort Worth is best for families and corporate professionals. San Antonio is the most affordable. Houston has the most job diversity but retains Gulf Coast weather risk.
Is Texas safer from hurricanes than Florida?
Inland Texas is significantly safer from hurricane exposure. Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio have no meaningful hurricane risk. Houston sits on the Gulf Coast and does face real storm exposure, similar to Florida's western coast.
How long does it take to drive from Florida to Texas?
Depending on your starting and ending states, the drive runs 14-20 hours. Most people doing a full household move use professional movers rather than driving the whole route themselves.
What should I know about Texas winters before moving from Florida?
Texas winters are generally mild, particularly in San Antonio and Houston. But the state does get occasional severe winter storms, and the power grid has struggled with extreme cold in the past. It is worth knowing before you arrive, especially if you are coming from South Florida where below-freezing temperatures are almost unheard of.