Key Takeaways
- In the last year, 265,112 people moved to Texas from out of state, which is an average of 22,092 per month, or 60 every day.
- The majority of newcomers came from California, Florida, and Colorado, with California accounting for more than 14% of inbound moves from another state.
- The Dallas, Austin, and Houston metros rank among the top three for both sending and receiving residents.
- The Austin, TX metro area had the 2nd highest net gain in total population despite being the 3rd most popular metro for total moves.
- Gen X and millennials accounted for 3 out of every 4 inbound new residents, suggesting a workforce-driven and family-focused migration trend.
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Our Proprietary Data Source
This analysis is based on PGM’s database of 18,000,000 moves tracked between June 2024 and May 2025. Unlike studies that rely on outdated census releases or modeled estimates, this dataset reflects real moves over the past 12 months, making it one of the most current views of U.S. migration patterns available.
Texas Migration at a Glance
Everything’s bigger in Texas — including the number of moving trucks. According to our proprietary migration data, more than 1.6 million adults aged 18 or older moved to or within the Lone Star State last year. That includes 265,112 new arrivals from outside Texas and a net population gain of 44,114 adults, meaning more people moved in than out.
Put another way, roughly 22,000 people each month decided to make Texas their new home, and about 726 people every day crossed state lines to get there.
In total, 84% of all moves in Texas came from within the state, a sign of how many residents are shifting from one metro area to another, rather than leaving entirely. Only 16% of new residentscame from out of state, but that group has a powerful impact on local economies and housing demand.
Texas vs. U.S. Migration Trends
While Texas added tens of thousands of new residents, it ranked 19th nationwide for net migration last year. A notable position considering its size and growth over the past decade.
States like California, Florida, and Colorado remain the biggest sources of inbound Texans, making up nearly one-third (27.8%) of all out-of-state arrivals. California alone accounted for 14% of newcomers, almost 3 in 20 people moving to Texas. Florida followed at 9.2%, while Colorado (4.5%), Arizona (3.8%), and Illinois (3.7%) rounded out the top five.
Experts often point to familiar reasons behind this trend: affordable housing, job opportunities, and no state income tax. Texas is no exception, and its major metros continue to attract both families and corporations looking for room to grow, literally and economically.
The Most Popular Cities to Move to in Texas
When it comes to where people are headed, the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metro leads the way by a wide margin. It welcomed over 519,000 residents last year, representing nearly one-third (31.7%) of all moves in the state.
The top 5 metros:
- Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington – 519,078 (31.7%)
- Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands – 376,391 (20.7%)
- Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos – 186,109 (13%)
- San Antonio–New Braunfels – 159,306 (10.5%)
- Killeen–Temple – 33,049 (3%)
Other metros like El Paso, Lubbock, Corpus Christi, and McAllen also saw steady inflows, though on a smaller scale.
Interestingly, some of these fast-growing metros also topped the list for outbound moves, especially Dallas, Houston, and Austin, suggesting an ongoing shuffle within the state as Texans trade city centers for more affordable suburban markets.
For example, many of those relocating to Dallas came from Houston (19%), Austin (13%), and San Antonio (8%), hinting at a corridor of movement among Texas’ four largest metro areas. This trend reflects a broader national pattern of urban-to-suburban migration, often driven by housing costs and remote work flexibility.
Migration Within Texas
Even as thousands of people arrive from other states, most of those moving in Texas are actually relocating within the state itself, a trend that highlights the growing appeal of certain metros over others. The data shows that many Texans are trading dense urban cores for nearby areas with more space, lower housing costs, and expanding job opportunities.
For those moving within Texas, the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metro area continues to be the top destination. Nearly one in five of those relocating to DFW (19.4%) came from the Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands area, while another 13.4% relocated from Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos.
Moves from San Antonio (8.4%) and nearby regions like Sherman–Denison (4.2%) and Granbury (3.8%) round out the top five. This pattern points to DFW’s continued dominance as the state’s economic hub, with a mix of job growth, corporate headquarters, and relative affordability fueling steady inbound interest from all corners of Texas.
Meanwhile, the Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands metro saw the strongest inbound migration from Dallas–Fort Worth (24.4%), suggesting that movement between Texas’ two largest metros is highly reciprocal.
Another 14.4% of new Houstonians came from Austin, and 10.9% from San Antonio, reflecting Houston’s pull as a diverse, opportunity-rich region with one of the lowest costs of living among major U.S. metros. The city’s robust energy sector and expanding healthcare and tech industries may also be drawing Texans back from pricier markets.
In Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, the story looks slightly different. The state’s capital continues to attract residents from nearly every corner of Texas, but especially from its big-city neighbors: Houston (23.7%), Dallas (21.8%), and San Antonio (17.9%). Moves from Killeen–Temple (8.9%) and Corpus Christi (2.6%) also contribute to the city’s rapid growth.
Austin’s ongoing influx reflects its reputation as a tech and innovation hub, paired with a strong cultural identity and lifestyle appeal, though rising home prices are beginning to push some residents toward surrounding communities like Round Rock and San Marcos.
When looking at net population gains, where inbound moves exceed outbound ones, the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metro once again leads the pack with a net gain of an estimated 8,225 residents, followed closely by Austin (5,860) and San Antonio (5,826). Even Houston, despite high turnover, posted a net increase of 2,479.
Smaller metros like Sherman–Denison, Tyler, and Granbury also stand out for their relative growth, each gaining between 600 and 1,600 residents. These areas represent the next frontier of Texas migration: smaller, more affordable communities benefiting from spillover growth as housing costs rise in the state’s largest cities.
Who Is Moving to Texas?
It’s not just a random assortment of people moving to Texas — it’s specific demographics of people. The data shows the largest share of newcomers are Gen X (40.7%) and millennials (35.7%), together making up over three-quarters of all inbound residents.
Who is Relocating to Texas by Income
Financially, the majority of new Texans come from middle- and upper-middle-income households:
- 41% earn between $51,000–$100,000
- 33% earn $101,000–$200,000
That profile fits the narrative of professionals and families moving for career opportunities, lower taxes, and a more affordable lifestyle compared to some coastal states.
States Sending the Most New Residents to Texas
The latest data shows that Texas’ biggest influx of new residents came from California, Florida, and Colorado, with Californians making up 14.05% of all out-of-state new residents, by far the largest share. Florida followed at 9.2%, and Colorado contributed another 4.55%.
Other top contributors included Arizona (3.85%), Illinois (3.68%), Louisiana (3.54%), Georgia (3.47%), New York (3.36%), Washington (3.33%), and Oklahoma (3.24%). Collectively, these states represent a cross-section of regions where rising housing costs, higher taxes, and crowded job markets are driving people to seek the relative affordability and opportunity that Texas continues to offer.
Who Is Leaving Texas?
Of course, migration isn’t a one-way street. The same metro areas drawing newcomers, like Dallas, Houston, and Austin, also see the most people leaving.
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metro saw 85,712 residents move out last year (6.74% of outbound moves), while Houston and Austin followed with 4.75% and 3.19% of the state’s total outbound moves.
When Texans pack up, the top destinations are often familiar:
- Florida (8.53%)
- California (7.92%)
- Colorado (6.33%)
- Oklahoma (5.00%)
- North Carolina (3.82%)
Warm-weather states with strong job markets continue to attract Texans seeking new opportunities, especially those chasing lower housing prices or lifestyle changes post-pandemic.
Still, the outbound volume remains smaller than what’s coming in, reinforcing Texas’ position as a net gainer in population and an enduring magnet for both businesses and individuals.
What Does the Future Hold?
Texas’ migration momentum shows no signs of slowing, though its growth story may evolve. Rising housing costs in Austin and Dallas could push more people toward smaller metros like Tyler, Granbury, and Brenham, all of which saw notable net gains this year.
Meanwhile, continued corporate relocations including Tesla, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, are likely to sustain inbound migration from high-cost states such as California and New York.
With no state income tax, a strong labor market, and room for expansion, Texas remains one of America’s most attractive states for relocation. The real question isn’t whether people will keep moving to Texas, it’s which part of the state they’ll choose to call home next.
Methodology
To examine Texas’s migration patterns, we analyzed PGM’s proprietary database of 18,000,000 national moves recorded between June 2024 and May 2025. Each move in this dataset represents an actual relocation, providing a uniquely current perspective on the mobility trends of adults.
Our analysis focused on:
- Origins and destinations of adult moves,
- Intrastate versus interstate flows, and
- Demographic characteristics of people who are moving.
Unlike many studies that rely on outdated U.S. Census Bureau releases or modeled estimates from relocation calculators, this dataset reflects real moves as they occurred. As such, it represents one of the most up-to-date and reliable sources of migration data available in the United States in 2025.
In Partnership With PGM
This migration report used in-depth consumer insights from data provider PGM, part of the Porch Group of companies. PGM’s robust audience data helps businesses reach customers strategically.