Welcome to Texas. You're going to love it and you're going to be confused. Here's everything nobody tells you.
Weather
- It WILL be 100+ degrees for 30-60 days straight in summer. This is not an exaggeration.
- Hail storms are real and they WILL damage your car. Get comprehensive auto insurance.
- Tornadoes happen. Download a weather app with push alerts. WFAA is the best local weather.
- "It's a dry heat" — no it's not. DFW humidity is brutal June-August.
- Spring is 2 weeks long. Winter is random.
Driving
- Highway speeds are 75-80+ in reality, regardless of posted limits
- Toll roads are everywhere. Get a TollTag (ntta.org) immediately — cash tolls cost 50% more
- The left lane is for PASSING. Texas drivers will flash you. Move over.
- Frontage roads (service roads) exist on every major highway. Unique to Texas.
- "The 635" is not a thing. It's just "635." Texans don't put "the" before highway numbers.
No State Income Tax (but...)
- Texas has no state income tax. Celebrate.
- But property taxes are 2-3% of home value. On a $400K home that's $8,000-$12,000/year.
- Sales tax is 8.25% (6.25% state + 2% local)
- Energy is deregulated. You CHOOSE your electric provider. More on this below.
Electricity (This is important)
- Go to powertochoose.org to compare plans
- Avoid variable rate plans — get a fixed rate for 12-24 months
- Read the EFL (Electricity Facts Label) — that's where the real price per kWh is
- Summer bills can be $300-500+ for a house. Set the thermostat to 78 and invest in ceiling fans.
- During extreme cold or heat, conserve energy. ERCOT grid strain is real. See: 2021 winter storm.
Food
- Tex-Mex is its own cuisine, not Mexican food. Both are amazing here.
- BBQ brisket is the state religion. Pecan Lodge, Terry Black's, Cattleack are the DFW holy trinity.
- Whataburger is better at 2 AM. This is not debatable.
- H-E-B is the best grocery store you've ever been to. It's expanding into DFW.
- Kolaches are a thing. Try them.
Culture
- Texas politeness is real. People WILL wave at you. Wave back.
- "Yes sir" and "yes ma'am" are standard. Not old-fashioned, just respectful.
- High school football is a cultural event, not just a sport.
- Pickup trucks are not political statements here. They're practical.
- Everything is 30 minutes away. Accept this. DFW is the size of Connecticut.
Source: 6 years of living here after moving from Chicago + every transplant conversation I've ever had
The property tax thing is the biggest surprise for most transplants. No income tax sounds amazing until you see your first property tax bill. ALWAYS protest your appraisal.