Austin, TX
No state income tax, higher property taxes, a lot more square footage.
Austin is one of the most common landing spots for people leaving Los Angeles. The two headline differences are taxes and space: Texas has no personal income tax, and in the most recent Redfin data the typical Austin home sold for about $570K versus about $904K for the typical LA County zip code.
The money picture
| Typical LA County zip | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $904K | $570K |
| Median price per sq ft | $588 | $316 |
| Median days on market | n/a | 47 |
| State income tax on wages | Progressive, top rate 13.3% | None on wages (Texas has no personal income tax) |
Market figures: Redfin Data Center. Austin: May 2026, all residential. LA: median of LA County zip-code medians, Mar 2026 to May 2026. Medians are a rough guide and hide a wide range of homes. Tax rates as published by each state for tax year 2026; rates change, so verify with the state's revenue department.
The trade-off most people ask about is property tax. Texas funds a lot of local government through property taxes, so combined rates in the Austin area are generally well above what most Californians pay under Prop 13. The exact rate depends on the city, county, school district and special districts a home sits in, and Texas offers homestead exemptions that reduce the taxable value of a primary residence.
Say a couple sells in LA and buys a $570K home in Austin. If the combined property tax rate on that home happened to be 2%, the annual bill before exemptions would be about $11,400. At 1.6% it would be about $9,120. Real rates and exemptions vary by address, so a buyer would look up the specific property with the Travis Central Appraisal District (or the relevant county) before deciding.
What people tend to weigh
- Income tax. No state tax on wages can be a large swing for high earners coming from California, whose top marginal rate is 13.3%. How much it matters depends entirely on someone's income and situation.
- Property tax and insurance. Higher property tax rates, and homeowners insurance costs that have been rising in Texas, eat into some of the income tax savings. Run both numbers together.
- Climate. Long, hot summers and occasional winter freezes. Many buyers pay close attention to a home's HVAC, roof and foundation.
- Housing stock. Much newer construction than LA, including large master-planned communities in the surrounding suburbs and cities like Round Rock, Cedar Park and Georgetown.
Selling the LA side first
The move usually starts with the sale here. Our guide to selling your LA home and moving out of state walks through timing, California withholding at closing, transfer taxes and other things people commonly ask a CPA about.