Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Texas, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years longer
In Texas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 22.8% less likely to be obese
In Texas, 36.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
be 19.4% less likely to have diabetes
In Texas, 13.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In California, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 19.9% more money
Texas has a GDP per capita of $70,071 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 30.8% more likely to be unemployed
In Texas, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 28.8% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Texas has a violent crime rate of 391 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 26.3% more money
The median household income in Texas is $76,292 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 2.7 times more for a home
The median home value in Texas is $260,400 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 46.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Texas is $1,339 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 10.9% less likely to own your home
In Texas, 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 57.5% less likely to be uninsured
In Texas, 16.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 21.1% less likely to smoke
In Texas, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 19.1% less likely to be physically inactive
In Texas, 27.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In California, that number is 22.4% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.1 years older on average
The median age in Texas is 35.5 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
be 24.4% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Texas, 20.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 29.8% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Texas, 9.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
be 18.8% less likely to be food insecure
In Texas, 12.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% as of 2021.
commute 2.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Texas takes 26.7 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.1 times more densely populated
Texas has a population density of 45.3 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
