Moving to Texas from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pennsylvania to Texas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to Texas, you would find that Texas is 4.1% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $70,332 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Austin averages 79°F vs 61°F in Harrisburg, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pennsylvania and Texas.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $70,332
To maintain the same standard of living in Texas
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.2% more
Groceries
pay 15.3% less
Transportation
pay 3.5% less
Housing
pay 2.8% more
Childcare
pay 19.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Texas compared to Pennsylvania.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania performs better than Texas across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult smoking rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Pennsylvania performs better than Texas across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Pennsylvania generally does better on infrastructure, though Texas leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Texas leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Pennsylvania performs better than Texas across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harrisburg | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 65°/40°F (18°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 93°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harrisburg | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) | 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) | 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) | 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C) |
| Apr | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) | 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C) |
| May | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) | 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) | 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C) |
| Jul | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) | 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) | 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) | 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) | 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C) |
| Nov | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) | 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) | 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas than Pennsylvania?
On average Texas is about 6% less expensive than Pennsylvania, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Texas?
Budget about $17,583 for 3 months in Texas (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Texas safe?
Pennsylvania performs better than Texas across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Texas compared to Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult smoking rate.
What's the weather like in Texas compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.
