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Comment by s1artibartfast | Hacker News Reader

The average income in California 25% higher than Texas (60k vs 48k), but taxes and costs are more than 25% higher in California.

The typical home value of homes in California is $599,159. [1] The typical home value of homes in Texas is $224,065

California sales tax rate of 7.25% is higher than that of any other state, and its top marginal income tax rate of 13.3% is the highest state income tax rate in the country.

Texas has an 6.25% sales tax and no state income tax. [2]

California's per capita combined state and local taxes is ~$6,000 per person.

Texas's per capita combined state and local taxes is ~$4,000 per person

https://www.zillow.com/ca/home-values/

https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/texas-residents-pay-8-...

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For the cost of a normal middle-class home in Palo Alto [1], I could buy an entire public airport with a paved runway and home on almost 300 acres in the (not Texas) town I lived in as a child [2].

1: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/529-Driscoll-Pl-Palo-Alto...

2: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/37-Colonel-Lindbergh-Ln-M...

Just a nitpick, while Texas' state wide sales tax is 6.25%, every local municipality is allowed to tax up to 2% for their own revenues. I have yet to make a purchase anywhere in the state in my entire life and not been charged the full 8.25%.

Texas also exempts grocery store food purchases from sales tax, barring a few specific luxury categories, so that's something to keep in mind as well if you have a large family. Saving 8% on food could be a decent chunk of change for a lot of families. Restaurant food is still taxed at the normal rate.

>Texas also exempts grocery store food purchases from sales tax, barring a few specific luxury categories

California does this too. That said, food prices are higher in California because the local cost of living is factored into all prices.

I found grocery stores in LA to be incredibly affordable compared to Seattle. More variety as well. Not sure about Texas m, but prices for food in CA follow the west coast norm.

Note that the oil industry-related taxes and fees tend to subsidize TX coffers. Without plentiful oil, TX would probably have higher taxes.

> The typical home value of homes in Texas is $224,065

It's not uncommon to find decent homes in decent neighborhoods well below that average (I'm in a north Houston suburb, in a 1600 sqft corner lot 3/2 that's currently around $160k)

I do not doubt or dispute that Texas is cheaper to live in. It was the "significant" quality of life for children statement struck me as a red flag. It's a form of WASP signaling I've seen many times before (I may be a WASP too...)

It's a particularly egregious statement given that people the world over (myself included) would love to retire in California some day due to the wonderful weather, the abundance of high-quality food and the lovely ocean next door, not to mention the world-class in-state universities, and the abundant employment opportunities. Yes, SF is expensive, and perhaps it makes sense to move out, but leaving California altogether is a whole other kettle of fish. Resorting to Texas as being significantly better given its poor social safety net, open-carry laws, wide variation in schooling based on neighbourhood wealth, well "significantly better" starts to look downright fishy.

>well "significantly better" starts to look downright fishy.

Thankfully you're not owed an explanation of what someone deems to be a significantly better option to another.

So therefore the OP must be secretly racist??

No.. just afraid. Fear is a powerful motivator, one sufficiently strong enough to get a lifelong Democrat to move to a Republican state.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/1/26/14340542/wh...

I understand it's an uncomfortable discussion, and I'm happy to stop, although I personally think these discussions are worth having as there are some fundamental issues around diversity and inclusion at play here. For the record, I have not once claimed it's motivated by racism.

> For the record, I have not once claimed it's motivated by racism.

> Texas is still predominantly white. I'm wondering if that is the unstated preference here.

Sure, you didn't actually claim it was motivated by racism, you just wondered it out loud.

I think it's pretty amusing the only conclusion you can come to for why a person would possibly move from California to Texas is because of race. If CA has a kool-aid you've been drinking it.

I love where I live, in Colorado. I would not move to California. I'm not racist though, I promise.

I downvoted because you seemed to lump multiple items together assuming they are a universal bad (poor social safety net, open-carry, variation in schooling). I'd prefer you be more specific rather than losing your point in broad assumptions

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