11 Reasons Retirees Regret Moving To Texas

With 31 million inhabitants, Texas is the second-most populous state in the union and one of the fastest-growing in the past few years. People flock to the Lone Star State for its coastal cities, year-round warmth, and certain tax advantages. In fact, it's home to some of the best places for retirees to spend winter. These perks have encouraged a growing number of people to consider spending their golden years in the south to avoid the frigid winters and other shortcomings associated with northern states. This has led to an unofficial battle between Texas and Florida — a classic for pensioners — for the best destination for people to retire. While Texans enjoy a host of advantages, the state isn't without its downsides.

CNBC ranked Texas as the worst state for quality of life, giving retirees serious consideration before moving to the Lone Star State. The state suffers from exceptionally high healthcare expenses, severely restricted insurance coverage, high cost of living, poor infrastructure, and a prevalence of natural disasters, just to name a few. A full accounting of these negatives needs to be taken into account before pensioners decide where to spend their golden years. It doesn't matter if you're considering moving to the Lone Star State permanently or jetting down during the winter months. These factors impact your everyday life. Here are some of the main reasons why retirees regret moving to Texas.

The Texas Medical Association calls its home state the "uninsured capital of the United States," and that's not an exaggeration. The Lone Star State is in the unfortunate position of having the highest uninsured population in the country. Nearly four million Texans are living without insurance. Keep in mind, we're not talking about inadequate or limited healthcare coverage. Millions upon millions of Texans simply don't have any coverage. This is a serious concern for retirees who, despite receiving Social Security and Medicare, still face gaps in coverage. With nearly a million children in Texas living with no insurance coverage, pensioners who plan on moving with their family have even more to take into account. Furthermore, the uninsured population in Texas tends to lead unhealthier lives than those with coverage.

Although residents would hope politicians are taking steps to alleviate the widespread issue of living without insurance, the problem is only getting worse. The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act is on track to make some of the worst Medicare cuts of 2025. Health insurance remains one of the largest expenses for retirees, so any threat to coverage presents a serious financial threat, to say nothing of the potential negative health ramifications.

Texas is celebrated among a handful of states with no state income tax, meaning residents' income is only affected by federal income tax. In fact, the Lone Star State's constitution guarantees that financial protection, offering retirees a reliable hedge to protect their nest eggs. At least, that's the assumption. Similar to Florida, many retirees eye a move to Texas in an effort to optimize their savings by maximizing their pensions or Social Security payouts. However, the Texas government performs a clever sleight of hand by making up for its lack of income tax through other forms of taxation, such as sales and property taxes. In reality, these other tax models tend to be higher than other states, calling into question the true savings offered by no income tax.

Across the state, a 6.25% sales tax is imposed on the overwhelming majority of goods and services, meaningfully higher than the national average. Of course, local jurisdictions in Texas apply their sales taxes, too. Collectively, these state and local sales taxes cost retirees 8.2% on nearly every purchase, effectively adding more than 8% to monthly living expenses. That might seem high, but the Texas government makes its real money through property taxes. The Lone Star State has the seventh-highest property tax rate in the country, with an effective rate of 1.36% as a percentage of a home's value. This number can reach closer to 2% in some of the state's most popular and densely populated cities, including Dallas, Houston, and Austin.

As previously discussed, Texas leads the nation in the highest percentage of uninsured residents. Yet, having healthcare coverage doesn't fully protect retirees when it comes to medical affordability. Among all fifty states, Texas's healthcare system ranks as the fifth-most-expensive, significantly burdening retirees with tight budgets. Tragically, 16% of Texan adults don't even bother seeing a doctor because of the exorbitant costs. This inevitably leads to worse health outcomes and higher healthcare costs later down the line when problems become too serious to ignore. This expensive healthcare coverage is even more pressing for retirees without Social Security, either due to insufficient contributions throughout their lifetime or not yet being at retirement age.

With an above-average premium cost of $500 per month, according to Unbiased, retirees in Texas are already overpaying compared to the rest of the country before accessing healthcare. When you start getting treatment, the costs only go up. Hospital stays tend to cost around $2,500 daily, although more involved treatments will raise these expenses. More specific to retirees, nursing home costs run up to $4,000 per month for a semi-private space. Fancy a private room? That will cost you over $9,000 per month. You can hit a middle ground at $5,000 for at-home care, although those costs are still extremely high. Of course, retirees will see higher costs in bigger cities.

Despite being the second-most populous state in the country, Texas is often criticized by locals for its unreliable public transportation networks. Texans commonly complain about long wait times, routine delays, unforeseen cancellations, limited routes, and low-quality buses or trains. The state's major cities have lackluster transit systems compared to their population sizes, strained by booming growth and severely limited public investments. The hundreds of thousands of newcomers are weighing on an already exhausted network. Instead of proactively solving the problem with robust investments, Texas leaders across the state actively seek to pull money away from public transportation. In 2025, the state legislature considered axing funding for public transportation systems in Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin.

Specifically in Dallas, politicians reduced service frequency on bus and train rails, permanently removed over half a dozen routes, increased fares, and plan to cut over 100 related jobs. Collectively, these decisions impact millions of people. Fixed-income retirees facing such restricted public transportation would be forced to get around by car, which comes with various second-order consequences. Paying for gas and vehicle maintenance can quickly weigh on a nest egg. Plus, big cities in Texas are notorious for their bad traffic, something pensioners would face when avoiding poor or nonexistent public transit options. This financial strain is more severe for retirees working side hustles to make extra money, but they're an important consideration for all seniors.

Texas is home to many cities where retirees can live on Social Security alone, but these tend to be rural, low-population centers rather than bigger cities. The popular areas that tend to attract the majority of retirees are beleaguered by an expensive real estate crunch. Over the past few years, a historic population boom has pinched a tight market, driving up prices as demand outruns available supply. The result has been a surge in home prices, which ends up boosting rental prices, too. That means retirees are almost guaranteed to be impacted, no matter their intended living situation in the Lone Star State.

Last year, Texas experienced the largest numeric jump in population growth when compared against the whole country. An influx of over half a million people drastically elevated the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The percentage increase was more severe in densely populated urban centers, which tend to attract more people. Now, Texas suffers from a shortfall of around 320,000 homes, a severe shortage that weighs heavily on affordability as home and rental prices rise.

According to Zillow, the average home costs around an eye-watering $300,000, and that's already down 2.6% from the prior year, highlighting how severe the housing affordability crisis has been. For perspective, the standard home in the Lone Star State was valued below $200,000 in 2018. That $100,000 price surge in a handful of years is enough to price out many retirees with strict budgets and limited appetite for significant financial investments in their golden years. Renting isn't a much better financial option as the average monthly cost hovers around $2,000, up from $1,300 in 2018.

The Lone Star State is renowned for its rugged individualism and can-do spirit, yet this approach has its shortcomings. Unlike other states that connect to a federal or regional power grid, Texas runs an entirely independent system. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) provides coverage for tens of millions of residents. This characteristically Texan setup is designed to keep the power system competitive and free from federal pressure, but the independence comes with some inherent risks. In 2021, severe winter storms overwhelmed the power grid, leaving residents without power in dangerously freezing temperatures. Since this catastrophic event, the ERCOT grid has been placed under the microscope, giving potential snowbirds something else to think about.

The American Society of Civil Engineers, which provides rankings for infrastructure across the country, currently ranks the Lone Star State's energy grid at a C. The group cites the state's lack of sufficient regulations, market turbulence, overbearing privatization, booming population, and severe weather as roadblocks to better, more reliable, and more affordable coverage. Unfortunately, Texas's infrastructure issues extend to roadways, too, which received a C- rating. The group highlights safety concerns and congestion as significant challenges. This degradation can affect retirees in various ways, from driving around town to staying safe during harsh weather.

Texas has been known for having warm, sunny weather year-round. With hot summers and up to 230 days of sun annually, it's understandable how the Lone Star State earned this reputation. Yet, the reality is a bit more nuanced due to its massive size. Average temperatures in Texas can range from over 100 degrees to below freezing, depending on the location and time of year. Scientists blame the volatile temperatures on the state's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, especially the Gulf of Mexico, as well as climate change.

Regardless, retirees considering a move to the Lone Star State risk realizing this misconception when it's too late. One study found that extreme temperature fluctuations in the state drive up energy costs by around 4% for residents. Unfortunately, Texans experienced a double-whammy of temperature-related costs as the cost of electricity per unit increases linearly with demand. That means retirees are paying more to keep their temperature control units running more often while paying higher utility costs. Although these higher prices are concentrated in the summertime as people blast their air conditioners to combat the heat, the winter costs are higher, as well. Forecasts suggest these drastic temperature swings will continue affecting Texans, further pressuring fixed-income retirees.

Many retirees rethink Florida due to the prolonged hurricane season and related severe weather complications. However, those would-be Sunshine Staters shouldn't assume Texas offers a reprieve from environmental calamities. The Lone Star State is subject to a wide range of natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, wildfires, heat waves, and even freezing spells. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, almost 200 weather-related disasters have been reported in the state between 1980 and 2024, highlighting the volatile and extreme climate of the area. The inclement weather is due to a combination of Texas's massive size, its position along the Gulf of Mexico, and complications caused by global warming.

Although there are plenty of sneaky reasons why your property insurance rates went up, natural disasters are among the most obvious — and the most costly. In fact, home insurance premiums skyrocketed by nearly 60% between 2015 and 2023. AARP reports some instances when home insurance premiums jump up 78% in a single year. Tragically, the increasing frequency of natural disasters in Texas leads to an acceleration of insurance coverage costs as providers attempt to stay ahead of rising costs. This can place an unforeseen strain on retirees who want to maintain proper coverage to protect their belongings.

When looking for a place to retire, people usually consider factors such as affordability, weather, healthcare access, location, and available activities. Regrettably, considering your golden years in Texas would require an uncomfortable conversation about crime. According to a Wallet Hub study, the Lone Star state ranks 48th in terms of safety, meaning it's the third most dangerous in the country. Mississippi and Louisiana are the only two states with higher crime rates. The in-depth analysis looked at various aspects of safety, including personal, residential, financial, road, and workplace safety, to get a comprehensive view of a state's overall security. Texas ranked low on all of these safety factors.

The picture is even more bleak when looking at crime specifically. For instance, the average burglary rate in America is 268.5 per 100,000 people. In Texas, that figure climbs to 321.6 per 100,000 residents. Unfortunately, the elderly tend to suffer more severe consequences of these types of crime. The National Institute of Justice explains how seniors tend to lose more money than their younger counterparts. Furthermore, the police may be less inclined to follow through on pursuing justice if the victim is older. In addition to the immediate financial loss associated with theft, burglary, fraud, or other forms of financial crime, retirees are also looking at higher insurance premiums that come with living in a higher-crime area.

The Lone Star State suffers from exceptionally high poverty, with 14% of the population falling under the poverty line. Although this figure has fallen as a percentage of the total population, it's risen for individuals 65 years and over. In other words, seniors are more likely to experience poverty now than in the past. To make matters worse, seniors live in poverty at much higher rates in Texas compared to the rest of the country. 12% of the elderly are in poverty in the Lone Star State, against a national average of 8%. This reflects how the high cost of living in many areas can drive down a retiree's expendable income. For perspective, the U.S. defines the poverty line as individuals earning $15,650 or lower annually or a family earning less than $21,150 or lower.

Retirees aren't only at a higher risk of poverty in Texas, compared to other states, but there's also a host of negative knock-on effects that follow. According to The Online Journey of Issues in Nursing, seniors in poverty are more likely to fall victim to early death and suffer from elevated rates of loneliness, anxiety, disability, and depression. Unless you have enough money in your savings to retire rich, the rising cost of living in the Lone Star State is a serious consideration as it inevitably impacts the overall quality of life.

Healthcare is the one major expense retirees shouldn't forget about, but not all possible medical issues are visible. Beyond lackluster insurance coverage and expensive care, Texas also suffers from a silent killer in the form of poor air quality. Several major cities throughout the Lone Star State have become known for their rapidly deteriorating air quality, with allergens, toxins, and other pollutants contaminating the air. Houston was recently placed among the worst cities in the country when measuring air pollution, ranking seventh in the nation. Dallas also made it onto the worst cities for air quality, landing at number 10. Unfortunately, the steadily rising population in these urban areas is likely to further erode the state's air quality.

While air pollution might not seem like the most serious health concern, especially for retirees facing other pressing medical issues, it can actually have serious repercussions. Air Now reports that pollutants in the air you breathe can worsen diabetes, respiratory illnesses, stroke, and heart disease. In the worst cases, it can even lead to heart attacks, chronic bronchitis, cardiac arrhythmias, or premature death. Alone, air pollution can increase healthcare costs by $2,500 annually, according to the World Economic Forum. Considering retirees already face steep healthcare costs in Texas, any additional bump in expenses is a serious concern.