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Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, and for almost a decade was a stand-alone republic until eventually joining the Union as the 28th state.

Today, Texas remains the biggest of the lower 48 states (second only to Alaska) and ranks second only to California in number of residents, half of whom reside in its largest metro areas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.

A global leader in aeronautics and energy industries, Texas leads the nation in cotton and beef cattle farming and remains headquarters to the most Fortune 500 companies of any state in the Union.

With its availablity of jobs, low housing and tax costs, the state's economy and population numbers continue to increase year after year ...

• Demographics : (Texas Census Data)
  Major cities: Austin (capital), Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, El Paso
  Population : 23,507,783
  White : 83.2%
  Black, African American : 11.7%
  Hispanic : 35.1%
  High school graduates : 75.7%
  Bachelor's degree or higher : 23.2%
  Average household income: $38,945
  
  
• Crime : see Texas Crime Statistics
  
  
• Cost of Living: Sperling's Best Places - Texas - Compared to the rest of the country, Texas's cost of living is 20.30% lower than the U.S. average.
  
  
• Property Taxes : Texas Tax Climate - Property tax collection per capita equaled $1,254 for all levels of government in FY2004, ranking it 13th nationally.
  
  
• Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Texas Real Estate
  Home ownership rate : 63.8%
  Average home price : $123,400
  Average travel time to work : 25.4 minutes
  
  
• Schools : see Texas Education Agency
  
  
• Weather : While Texas generally experiences hot summers and mild winters, its vast expanse also allows for wide variations in climate, with drier conditions in the south and more humid weather in the northwest. Thunderstorms are more frequent in the eastern and northern parts of the state, and tornadoes can become a threat in any area and at anytime of year.

More about relocating to Texas around the Web:

Living in Texas : Moving to Texas - Link portal to resources and information on Texas cities and counties, vehicle registration, family support and childcare, employment help, resident status.

Texas City Data Forums - Busy forums with exchange of ideas & information on cost of living, schools, real estate & apartments, jobs & employment, with separate message boards featuring tips & advice on moving to Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Forth Worth and San Antonio.

Relocating to Houston - Helpful guide from the official city site with links to information on job listings, apartments & real estate, public & private schools, daily newspapers, voter registration.

Dallas City Web Portal - One-stop browsing for information on local news and what's going on around town, kid-friendly events, area attractions, job listings, city services, cost of living and demographic data, weather facts.

San Antonio Community Portal - Neighborhood guides, maps, visitor information and area attractions, city job listings, crime data & statistics.

Texas Real Estate, Apartments & Job Classifieds:

• Houston : Chronicle
• Dallas : Morning News
• San Antonio : Express-News
• El Paso : Times
• Austin : American-Statesman

also see -> Texas Beaches | Texas Eviction Laws

Texas Fall Foliage | Texas Taxes | Texas Tourist Attractions

Texas Wine Tours | Christmas in Texas