Whenever there is a major global catastrophe, it forces people to change how they think about their lives. When COVID-19 swept through the United States and the rest of the world, it led people to reconsider what they value in terms of where they live. Having to shelter within the boundaries of our home led to people realizing that their living spaces might not be cutting it, particularly in major East Coast cities like New York, where tightly congested apartments are the norm.
This has led to a major shift, as people from around the country rethink their living arrangements. Many have decided that spaciousness is the new ideal. Work from home has also given people the freedom to make relocations they never could’ve before. One state that has been the primary beneficiary of this is Texas.
Texas is the most spacious state on the mainland United States by a wide margin, and there has been an influx of new residents that have decided to make this state their home. With more affordable real estate and a booming economy, Texas is a prime option for people seeking a fresh start.
Let’s look at the four major metropolises surging in Texas.
Austin
Austin has long been considered the primary boomtown in Texas. Its population has consistently surged yearly, going from 656,000 in 2000 to over a million in 2021, a consistent, steady growth. This is in large part due to the enduring appeal of the city, a live music hub with tons of family-friendly green spaces, great food, and a strong local culture. While the population surge has rapidly forced real estate prices up, Austin is still an affordable city relative to New York, L.A, or the Bay Area.
2020 and 2021 have seen major developments for the city economically. While the population boom helped Austin’s economy surge, it is now positioned as a tech hub, with companies like Tesla headquartering there and regional headquarters for Apple, Adobe, Oracle, and much more. It is positioned as one of America’s new powerhouses, and the population surge reflects that status.
Dallas
Dallas is Texas’ third biggest city, a major commercial hub with an incredible arts scene and delicious Texas-style eats. The city is known as the center of Texas’ artistic world, with various world-class museums, symphonies, operas, and more. It is a massive city sprawled across a huge stretch of land, meaning it offers a ton of space for those looking to move into a big city that provides large homes.
Compared to other major cities in the United States, real estate in Dallas is extremely affordable. This is a big reason for the appeal of the city. According to data from Redfin, the median sales price for a home in Dallas is $382,000. Dallas Business Journal reports that the median square footage of a home in Dallas is over 1,800 square feet, making the typical Dallas home on the significantly larger end of the spectrum for a city home, especially when compared to cities like Detroit, Milwaukee, and New York,
Houston
Everything is bigger in Texas, and Houston reflects that ideal. It is 600-square miles of city sprawl with tons of space to accommodate the city’s significant population. Houston is known for its major contributions to scientific industries. It is the heart of the space industry, a booming energy town, and is considered the country’s number one job creator. The thriving economy has driven their continued population growth.
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States by population, behind New York, L.A, and Chicago. For a city of this size, you won’t find anywhere with more affordable real estate options. RedFin has the median sales price of a home at $286,000, a rate that would get many East Coast residents’ mouths watering. The average home size is over 1,700 square feet, meaning space comes very cheap in Space City.
San Antonio
San Antonio is yet another Texas city whose population has surged. The city has grown by over 300,000 people in the past decade and is now one of Texas’ biggest. It is known for its great outdoor spaces, its delicious Tex-Mex food, and its historical sites. It is a city where a rising population has been met with a booming economy, much like the other big cities in Texas.
One thing that sets San Antonio apart is the size of its real estate options. The average home size in San Antonio is 2,175 square feet, and the average home built between 2010-2016 was 2,947 square feet. Both of these were easily the biggest of the six biggest metropolises in Texas. This is true even as the median sales price of a San Antonio home is $280,000, according to RedFin, an extremely affordable price for a home in a major city. This makes homes both spacious and budget-friendly, similar to other Texas cities, which is a big part of why Texas’ population continues to grow.
