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Yes, Texas can be a good place to retire, but that depends on what kind of life you want. Some people are drawn by the no-income-tax perk, warm winters, and plenty of space to spread out. Others love the mix of big-city culture in Dallas, Houston, or Austin, balanced by small towns where life moves more slowly.
Still, Texas isn’t perfect. Summers are brutally hot, property taxes run higher than in many states, and extreme weather can disrupt daily life. Public transit is limited, so in most places you’ll need a car.
If you dream of sunshine, affordable homes, and a wide range of lifestyles, Texas might be the right fit. But if you prefer mild summers or lower property taxes, you might need to look elsewhere.
This guide breaks down the pros and cons so you can decide if Texas matches your retirement goals.
What You’ll Learn
There are several key factors to consider when retiring in the Lone Star State. You will discover:
The advantages of spending your golden years in Texas
The drawbacks of being a retiree in the state
The other notable considerations to think about when it comes to retirement in Texas
Summary
Pros of Retiring in Texas
Warm Weather
Texas averages about 85.3°F in the summer, which is warmer than most northern states. If you like plenty of sunshine and mild winters, the Lone Star State can be a comfortable place to live. Also, snowstorms and long stretches of freezing weather are less common than in many other parts of the country.
Since Texas is the largest state in the lower 48, the weather changes depending on where you are. Desert areas in the west can be extremely hot, while parts of the north tend to be a bit cooler. Humidity makes a difference, too. Coastal cities have a more humid feel, while inland regions are much drier.
This variety means you can find places that match your weather preferences. But if you prefer the sun, some cities that offer plenty include:
El Paso: Nearly 300 sunny days per year.
Austin: Almost 300 sunny days per year.
No State Income Tax
Texas does not collect income tax. This rule is written into the state’s constitution, which means it cannot be changed without an amendment. Texas is one of only a few states, along with Alaska, Florida, and Tennessee, that have this policy.
For retirees, living in a state with no income tax can be a big advantage. You keep all the income you receive from Social Security, pensions, or a 401(k), and there is no need to file a state income tax return. One estimate suggests that a typical family of three in Texas saves about $4,000 each year by not paying this tax.
What this also means:
More funds for everyday expenses: The extra money can help pay for regular costs like food, utilities, and healthcare without straining your budget.
More funds to extend retirement savings: Keeping more of your income each year can help your savings last longer and provide a stronger safety net.
Lower Home Prices
Texas is more affordable in many ways, especially when it comes to housing. The average home value in the state is about $304,005. That’s almost 20 percent lower than the national average.
Housing is cheaper in the Lone Star State because the state covers a lot of land. That gives builders plenty of room to build new houses and keeps land costs low. Many parts of Texas are also rural, so homes can be bigger and spread out at lower prices.
In many Texas cities, local rules are less strict about building. In fact, its largest city, Houston, does not have any formal zoning laws at all. The less restrictive building environment lets developers add more homes faster.
The table below shows how prices in the largest cities in Texas stack up against the national average:
Source: 2025 data from Zillow.com
As you can see, not all cities in Texas are more affordable. In Austin, the average price is about one-third higher than the national average. A fast-growing population and a limited number of lower-cost homes have pushed prices up for new buyers.
If you’re thinking of making Texas your home, understanding these price differences can help in choosing a place that fits your needs. Other factors to consider include:
Transportation options: Some Texas cities make it easy to get around without a car. San Antonio, for example, runs over 500 accessible buses through VIA Metropolitan Transit.
Nearby amenities: Some cities offer plenty for retirees. Dallas, for instance, is home to around 80 golf courses. It was once recognized by Golf Digest as its “#1 Golf City” in 2013.
Diverse Landscape
Texas offers a wide range of natural areas to enjoy. The state spans deserts in the far west, forests in the east, mountains in the west, coastal marshes along the Gulf, and prairies at its core.
The beaches in Texas alone range from the activity-filled shores of Galveston to peaceful, undeveloped spots like Padre Island National Seashore or Boca Chica, offering a mix of family fun, natural escapes, birding, and water sports.
This is because of one fact that becomes clear the more time you spend in the state: Texas is huge. It covers more than 268,000 square miles, making it 1.65 times larger than California. With that much space, the variety of scenery is almost endless.
Here are just a few unique places to visit in Texas:
Guadalupe Peak: Rising to 8,751 feet, Guadalupe Peak is the state’s highest point, offering a rare glimpse of snow, rugged terrain, and sweeping desert views all in one spot.
Caddo Lake: Home to one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the U.S., this area features thick swamp water, towering trees with Spanish moss, and a true wetland ecosystem.
Affordable Cost of Living
Texas is not the cheapest state, but it is far from the most expensive.
Housing is a major factor. Healthcare in Texas is also slightly cheaper compared to other states. On average, health-related expenses run around $9,822 per person, while the national average hovers around $11,910. That means Texans spend nearly $2,100 less per year on healthcare.
Beyond that, some of your everyday costs may be a bit higher than in other states. You might pay more for electricity, and your grocery bills could be slightly steeper. Rent in many areas can also be on the higher side compared to the national trend.
This table shows how some cost factors stack up against the rest of the country:
Sources: WorldPopulationReview.com, Zillow.com, HelpAdvisor.com, FindEnergy.com, USAFacts.org.
As you can see, the state’s overall cost of living is still lower than the national average. Other factors help bring down costs, like:
Strong local manufacturing: Texas is home to big-name companies like Dell, Tesla, and Apple, which invest heavily in factories and supply chains statewide.
Diverse economy: The state is home to a wide range of businesses from industries like energy, agriculture, healthcare, aerospace, technology, real estate, and more. This makes Texas less vulnerable to downturns in any single sector.
Top-Tier Healthcare
Texas has many top hospitals and medical centers, especially in big cities, offering advanced care and treatment options.
In fact, Texas is home to one of the largest medical complexes in the world. The Texas Medical Center in Houston spans over 1,345 acres and hosts more than 106,000 employees, including doctors, researchers, and support staff. It serves more than 10 million patient visits each year, operates 21 different hospitals, performs one surgery every three minutes, and welcomes roughly 26,000 births annually.
Other notable healthcare centers in the Lone Star State include:
Baylor University Medical Center: Located in Dallas, it is home to the AT&T Memory Center, which specializes in evaluating and diagnosing memory disorders.
UT Health San Antonio: It delivers care for patients struggling with memory-related disorders through the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Outdoor Activities and Culture
If you like wearing cowboy hats one day and attending world-class opera the next, Texas has it all.
You could saddle up for a weekend at a dude ranch or watch a live rodeo in Fort Worth or San Antonio. You can also go zip-lining through hundred-foot cypress trees at Cypress Valley.
For more relaxed affairs, many cities and towns offer cultural activities. In Houston, the Theater District stretches for 17 blocks and includes opera, ballet, symphony, and Broadway-style performances. There are also outdoor musical dramas, such as “TEXAS,” which play in Palo Duro Canyon.
Other towns are the attractions themselves. Some prominent examples include:
Fredericksburg: Located 80 miles west of Austin, this town was founded by German immigrants in 1846 and has been called “The Prettiest Town in Texas” by Architectural Digest magazine. Fredericksburg is known as one of the country’s top wine regions.
Salado: Located 49 miles north of Austin, this place began as a college town in the mid‑1800s. It features numerous historic buildings, such as the Stagecoach Inn, where prominent individuals like Sam Houston and Jesse James have stayed.
Cons of Retiring in Texas
Intense Summer Heat
If you are not a fan of hot weather, know that Texas summers can be intense. In San Antonio, the temperature reaches around 90°F for a large part of the year. Dallas and Houston also go through long periods of high heat.
In fact, the state has faced record heat waves numerous times. In 2023 alone, some areas broke temperature records. Austin, for example, went more than 40 days in a row with highs above 100°F.
Managing intense heat may involve:
Planning outdoor activities thoughtfully: Wait until early morning or late evening to get outside to avoid peak heat.
Drink plenty of water: Start drinking water about half an hour before heading outdoors, and keep sipping even if you don’t feel thirsty. Most heat-related deaths happen in adults over the age of 50.
Extreme Weather
Texas often deals with extreme weather. Its large size and location on the Gulf mean the state has faced nearly 200 major disasters since 1980, each causing more than $1 billion in damage. The biggest threat comes from tropical cyclones, which bring flooding, strong winds, and heavy rain to coastal areas like Houston and Galveston.
But the risks don’t stop there. Tornadoes, hailstorms, wildfires, and even harsh winter storms are part of life.
In 2021, a rare winter storm caused millions of people to lose power for days, and temperatures dropped to record lows. This led Houston, a city known for its humid climate, to issue its first-ever wind chill warning. Many homes weren’t built for freezing temperatures, leading to broken pipes and heating failures.
To manage these, you may need to:
Build a personalized emergency kit: Prepare a small kit with medicines, a waterproof list of health needs, emergency contacts, and water.
Find a buddy: During an extreme weather event, your buddy will check in with you every day by phone or in person.
Limited Public Transportation
Public transportation in Texas does exist, but it only covers certain areas. Dallas, for instance, runs the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), which operates dozens of rail stations across the city. Still, outside large metro areas, buses and trains are limited. In many towns, sidewalks and bike lanes are rare, so walking or biking is not always practical.
As a matter of fact, six of the 20 most car-dependent cities in the country are in Texas, including Plano, McKinney, Round Rock, and Frisco. This is why part of your retirement in Texas is owning a car.
You can get around without having a personal vehicle, though, by:
Calling your local agency on aging: They can help you access senior transport services that get you to medical appointments or grocery runs.
Using on-demand transit services: There are programs that allow you to book and pay for same-day trips at relatively low costs.
Higher Property Taxes
If you plan to buy a home in Texas, keep in mind that property taxes are higher than in many other states. The statewide average rate is about 1.63 percent, which can mean thousands of dollars each year for the typical homeowner. What you actually pay depends on where you live.
Some counties in Texas, like El Paso, have rates above two percent, while others, such as Glasscock County, are far lower. For retirees on a fixed income, these taxes can be a strain and may even affect future resale value. Checking local property tax rates ahead of time can help you make a smarter choice.
Other actions you can take to lower your property tax liability:
Apply for the over-65 property tax exemption: This can reduce taxable value by at least $10,000 on top of the general homestead exemption.
Reach out to your local county appraisal district: Many counties and cities offer extra tax relief beyond the state minimum.
Rural Healthcare Access
If you're settling into retirement in a rural part of Texas, you might find that medical care can be hard to reach. About 15 percent of Texans live outside cities, yet many rural counties have no hospital or only one doctor, making access to care a challenge.
The State Office of Rural Health works with local officials to bring clinics, mobile medical teams, telehealth, and help for new doctors to these areas. This may not solve every healthcare challenge, though, which is why you may need to:
Choose towns with healthcare facilities: Select a community that already has a clinic or small hospital nearby. This keeps your travel time short when you need care.
Contact your local Area Agency on Aging: They connect you directly to services like rides to doctor appointments, in-home help, or care coordination.
Higher Crime Rates
If you settle in a larger Texas city, prepare for slightly higher crime than the national average. In Houston, violent crime runs around 1,091 incidents per 100,000 residents, while Dallas records about 672 per 100,000.
Still, property crime and violent crime in these areas remain within the broad range of U.S. urban centers. Some Texas cities, meanwhile, have seen a downward trend. San Antonio, for example, saw violent incidents fall by over 22 percent in 2024.
Other places in Texas are standouts for their safety, including:
Horizon City: A suburb of El Paso with crime rates that are 77 percent lower than the state average.
Trophy Club: A suburb near Dallas that has a crime rate almost 90 percent lower than the state average.
Other Notable Aspects
Cost of Living Differences
Rural Texas communities often cost much less than big cities like Austin or Dallas. You’ll find lower housing prices, fewer tax burdens, and generally less expensive daily expenses in the countryside compared to urban centers.
Senior Resources
Besides local agencies on aging, you can tap into Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), which guide you to long-term care, home services, legal support, and caregiver help. You can also proceed with the Texas Health Information, Counseling, and Advocacy Program for assistance with Medicare, Medicaid, and care planning.
Retirement Communities
Many Texas retirement communities sit just outside major cities, offering quiet living with easy access to healthcare, shopping, and entertainment. You’ll find active-adult neighborhoods near Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston that blend resort-style amenities with city convenience.
Final Thoughts: Retiring in Texas
Settling in Texas brings together warm weather, affordable living, and a wide mix of lifestyles across one of the country’s largest states. From cultural hubs and outdoor escapes to tax savings and healthcare access, Texas gives you the chance to shape retirement around comfort, opportunity, and personal choice.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are there specific “senior fraud” prevention initiatives or consumer protection programs in Texas that specifically target older adults and their finances?
Texas empowers older adults through the Attorney General’s “Senior Scams” initiative and the Texas State Securities Board’s “Practice Self Defense” tools.
For retirees interested in lifelong learning, what unique or specialized educational programs (e.g., historical preservation, specific crafts, local ecology) are offered at Texas universities or community colleges that cater to older adults?
You can enroll in lifelong learning programs like Osher Learning Lifelong Institute at Texas Tech, the University of North Texas, and Dallas College.
How accessible are natural spaces (state parks, nature preserves) and outdoor recreation for seniors with varying mobility levels across Texas?
Many state parks include paved trails, boardwalks, and accessible facilities. Programs like guided nature tours and mobility rentals help you enjoy Texas’s natural areas, regardless of mobility level.
Is public transportation accessible for seniors who don’t drive in major Texas cities?
In cities like Dallas, DART offers senior discounts and paratransit. On-demand services such as GoLink also provide convenient, flexible transit options for older adults who prefer not to drive.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the content, laws, regulations, and local conditions are subject to change without notice. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking appropriate professional counsel, especially in financial and legal matters.
