Affordable real estate is another reason people hear the call to make Texas home. Housing prices are competitive. In September 2021, Realtor listed Dallas as having a median home price of $415,000, or $225 per square foot, with some Texas areas as low as $255,00 — ask your realtor for a comparison list. That’s quite a deal when you consider that in New York the average home price is $869,000 ($712 per square foot) and $899,000 ($519 per square foot) in Orange County, California. Note that property tax rates are relatively high in Texas, at an average of 1.8%, they are higher than the U.S. national average of just over 1%. However, Texas counties set their property tax rates, so check the rate in the area you’re looking to buy. Popular Texas cities include Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Fort Worth.