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The Most Popular Cities in Texas: Powered by Live Moving Data

Texas sees significant migration, with Houston, Austin, and San Antonio leading in arrivals. While these cities gain new residents, they also experience notable departures, particularly to and from California. Smaller cities like Fort Worth and Katy show strong net growth.

In this article:

The great state of Texas: Cowboys, oil, barbecue, and all those weirdos in Austin. The Lone Star State has a great economy, a distinctly Texas-flavored culture, and it’s comparatively affordable compared to other states in the Union (looking at you, California and New York). How many people are moving in? iMoving’s up-to-the-minute moving data paints an interesting picture.

Our moving database keeps track of all moves from 2023 to the present. The statistics reveal important trends in nationwide moving - and Texas in particular. According to our system, there are a few Texas cities that are seeing the most arrivals (and departures).

Key Takeaways

  • Houston, Austin, and San Antonio saw the most arrivals in general. Collectively, those three cities were the destinations for 19.64% of all moves to Texas!
  • Houston saw high amounts of arrivals (8.68% of all moves to Texas) and departures (8.72% of all move from Texas) alike. As Houstonians move out and transplants move in, it’ll be interesting to see how the vibe of the city changes.
  • 26.8% of all out-of-state transplants were coming from California. However, 10% of all moves leaving Texas were going right back to California in the first place.

These Texan Cities Saw the Most New Arrivals

1. Houston

  • Population: 2.31 million
  • Average Home Price: $265,434
  • 8.68% of Arrivals

2. Austin

  • Population: 979,882
  • Average Home Price: $517,589
  • 5.48% of Arrivals

3. San Antonio

  • Population: 1.49 million
  • Average Home Price: $250,675
  • 5.48% of Arrivals

Here’s What Makes iMoving a Reliable Source

We have over a decade of experience with local and interstate moving, and a network of movers that includes over 1000 specialists across all 50 states.

Our dynamic moving information comes from quote requests, completed moves, and 3000+ verified mover tariffs. This data gives our system an up-to-the-minute picture of nationwide moving trends, including which states and cities are the most popular destination for customers across the country.

Between 2023 and 2025, we completed 2,839 moves. 9.33% of those moves were bound for destinations in Texas. Our system compiled statistics on which Texan cities were receiving the most traffic, and which Texan cities were losing the most people as well.

Quick note: Want to see nationwide moving trends across all 50 states? Check out our study on American moving patterns to see a state-by-state analysis.

Moving to the Lone Star State: What are the Most Popular Cities in Texas?

Our system compiled data on all moves with a destination in Texas. These cities saw the highest amount of arrivals:

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Percent of Arrivals:8.68%

Percent of Arrivals:5.48%

Percent of Arrivals:5.48%

Percent of Arrivals:2.74%

Percent of Arrivals:2.28%

Percent of Arrivals:1.83%

Percent of Arrivals:1.83%

Percent of Arrivals:1.83%

Receiving 8.68% of all Texas-bound moves is nothing to sneeze at. Houston saw high arrivals, and Austin and San Antonio were tied for second place.

Leaving Town: These Texas Cities Saw the Highest Amount of Departures

Out of all the moves that originated in Texas, these cities saw the highest amounts of departures:

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Percent of Departures:8.72%

Percent of Departures:5.05%

Percent of Departures:3.67%

Percent of Departures:3.21%

Percent of Departures:2.75%

Percent of Departures:2.75%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Interestingly enough, while Houston saw high arrivals, it also ranked number 1 for departures. On the other hand, Austin and San Antonio - while still in the top 10 for departures - still managed to gain more people than they lost.

Net Gains, Net Losses: Texas Moving in Context

Some cities saw high amounts of arrivals, but they were also offset by high amounts of departures. Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas were all big players on the arrivals chart, but they were also big losers when it came to residents moving out.

Unlike those locations, these Texan cities saw high numbers of net arrivals: They gained plenty of new residents, but they didn’t lose many in the process.

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Percent of Arrivals:2.28%

Percent of Arrivals:1.83%

Percent of Arrivals:1.83%

Of course, some places saw high departures with relatively few new arrivals. These Texan cities lost residents, without gaining new people to fill in those empty spaces.

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Percent of Departures:3.21%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Percent of Departures:2.29%

Out of all of our Texas cities, there was an impressive 4-way tie between El Paso, Irving, Midland, and Texarkana for departures. Interestingly, Fort Worth (comparatively close to Dallas) saw high arrivals without the turnaround.

Where are the Most Popular Neighborhoods in Texas?

Zooming in, our data also revealed which communities saw the highest influx of arrivals. These Texan neighborhoods saw high rates of arrivals.

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City:Houston

Percent of City Arrivals:26.32%

City:Fort Worth

Percent of City Arrivals:18.18%

City:Austin

Percent of City Arrivals:16.66%

Some neighborhoods also experienced a high amount of departures compared to other parts of their cities:

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City:Austin

Percent of City Departures:37.5%

City:Dallas

Percent of City Departures:27.27%

City:Houston

Percent of City Departures:10.53%

West Austin, Downtown Dallas, and Midtown Houston aren’t no-name neighborhoods. These places used to draw in plenty of people, whether they were tourists folks looking to move in. Does this mean housing in these locations will get cheaper, too? Time will tell.

A County-by-County Look at Texas Moving

What regions saw the highest incoming migration? And what regions saw the highest outbound migration? As you can see here, our database also provided details for each county in Texas.

When Texas is the destination, these counties see the highest percentage of arrivals:

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Percent of Arrivals:17.09%

Percent of Arrivals:7.04%

Percent of Arrivals:6.53%

Percent of Arrivals:6.53%

Percent of Arrivals:6.03%

Percent of Arrivals:4.52%

Percent of Arrivals:3.52%

Percent of Arrivals:3.52%

Percent of Arrivals:2.01%

Percent of Arrivals:2.01%

…And these counties see the highest departures across the Lone Star State:

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Percent of Departures:13.64%

Percent of Departures:12.63%

Percent of Departures:4.55%

Percent of Departures:4.04%

Percent of Departures:3.54%

Percent of Departures:3.54%

Percent of Departures:3.54%

Percent of Departures:3.03%

Percent of Departures:2.53%

Percent of Departures:2.53%

Percent of Departures:2.53%

Houston is the county seat of Harris County. Harris County is also home to Katy, Spring, and Tomball, which definitely boosts the countywide arrival numbers. It’s also worth noting that on a county level, Dallas County is high in departures, but not so high in arrivals.

Zooming Out: Texas on the National Moving Stage

What do the new Texans look like? And where are the old Texans moving? Our data highlighted nationwide moving trends, with Texas as both a point of origin and a destination.

First up, the departures. When Texans move out of state, here’s where they’re going:

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Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:10%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:10%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:7.5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:7.5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:5%

Percent of Moves Leaving Texas:5%

Yes, some folks are moving out. But plenty of folks are moving in, too. Be prepared to see a lot more of these license plates during your daily commute:

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Percent of Moves Entering Texas:26.83%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:14.63%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:12.2%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:7.32%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:4.88%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:4.88%

Percent of Moves Entering Texas:4.88%

Complain all you want about the Californians moving in - they’re not going anywhere. It looks like some Texans are playing the “Uno Reverse” card and moving into California instead. Will it make California more red? Will it make Texas more blue? Who knows - but housing prices will probably keep climbing in both states.

Want Live Moving Data?

We keep our information as current as possible. That’s why we publish each month’s moving statistics on our live moving page. Check it out, and take a good look at the latest migration trends and patterns across the United States.

Ready to Get Moving? iMoving is Here to Help

Moving to Texas? Moving from Texas? Doesn’t matter. iMoving is here to help make the whole process easier. We’re the only place that lets you shop, compare prices, and book your move from the comfort of your computer (or phone), and with a marketplace of over 1000 vetted and verified moving pros, we can set you up with the best Texas movers for your exact needs.

Ready to get started? So are we. Check out our moving cost calculator, and get a free quote in just a few clicks.

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Author of the article

Harrison Gough

Harrison has been writing for real estate and moving companies for the past three years, but his knowledge isn't just from behind a desk. Having moved over a dozen times himself, sometimes with professional help and sometimes on his own, he's learned firsthand what makes moving smooth and what makes it stressful. When he's not writing, he's looking into ways to make his next move simpler.

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