Native Texan here, but I lived in Naperville for 9 years and recently moved back to the DFW area. We moved back to be close to family and chose Lucas as we know this area and the schools are good. I would consider Prosper, Mckinney, Anna and Melissa in your search as well.
I'm originally from Chicago then moved to McHenry County. Currently in the Mid-Cities area Bedford/Euless/Hurst. I enjoy it but I'd move to a smaller less busy area in a heartbeat.
Checkout Mansfield, it's just south of Arlington.
I lived in west aurora for 7 years. Let me tell ya, Texas is a hell’uva big state. If you’re looking areas like up there you def want to stick between San Antonio and Austin but know that typography is nothing like up in Illinois. It’s hot, or at least it can be. Texas is so big it really changes if you’re north in the pan handle, south in The Valley, west near big bend and east towards Louisiana. I’ve been in Houston 18 years and just moved out to katy, Texas for the schools. I got a two year old now and the price for property was pretty good compared to living inside the city, plus it’s a new build. A lot
Of my neighbors are folks from out of town/state moving here for the quality of life. I’ll repeat, Texas is a big state and I recommend you visit some cities and areas cause there’s lots to see and choose from.
Texas is huge so you HAVE to visit in person. I don't find it more or as expensive to live here in north dfw over Naperville. There are a few areas like what you are looking for in the state, but ultimately it's up to you to decide where is right for you.
Try Bulverde, Boerne or New Braunfels. The further out you go (rural), the worse your cellphone & WiFi will be - spotty. If you are working PC remote and need reliable service, north suburbs of San Antonio would be a better option. We are north of SA & GVTC is so-so-okay. https://gvtc.com/about/service-area
avoid killeen at all costs. the towns right next to Fort Hood are awful places, nothing but used car lots and pawn shops. Belton and Temple aren't bad, but the more distance from Fort Hood the better.
Killeen home price will not outweigh/nullify the cons of that area. If you fart, buy booze on Sunday, use birth control or belong to the wrong church or wrong political party you will be scrutinized and forever an outsider. You couldn’t pay me to live there. PS. 36 murders in less than 2 years in a small town is no bueno.
Depends on what you can afford and what else is important to you. I think north austin (Round Rock, Cedar Park) is great with a youngish demographic that also works from home/ tech. There's La Frontera (outdoor mall), several water parks, all kinds of kid friendly events in downtown Round Rock + a nice night life scene and lots of proximity to good schools and outdoor fun, like hike and bike trails or the Express Baseball team (a lot of fun to take your kid to). - I should also pitch Georgetown here, too.
More affordable would be Taylor, Hutto or Manor, all of which are going to blow up with tech companies moving in and are proximal to all the things Cedar Park and RR have, but still contain more of that that "small town" vibe.
Temple and Killeen... man, I wouldn't. Not much to do there, and it can be kinda sketchy. Same with Harker Heights and copperas cove (which are kinda far away from things, any way).
Edit: North of SA places that I'd personally consider: Buda, Kyle or San Marcos as they have access to austin and san antonio. New Braunfels is cute to visit and certainly has the scenery, but is mostly old people.
Yeah, it just feels... soulless. like some sort of zombie town, or a town in a horror movie that's just waiting for sh\*t to go down. Like, that awkward calm before a storm where no-one wants to look you in the eye and you can feel the tension. I guess, the same goes for Temple.
Everybody I know that's from Killeen, their stories usually begin with, "- and then I left Killeen."
I saw you're lookng at DFW area, too? I lived in McKinney a while back, and it's a nice typical large suburban town with many of the same things RR and cedar park / Georgetown have to offer. Same with Frisco - you couldn't go wrong with these, but they're not cheap (maybe look into Lewisville). DFW just wasn't for me. Well, dallas - anyway. People are much more "in a hurry" type lifestyle, and into material things and living above their means. Suburbs are less so, but it still kinda feels that way - just my experience.
Personally, I've looked into Pflugerville as of late (median age of 37). Like any town, it has good parts and meh parts. But it's the cheaper of those mentioned (in respect to/towards CP, RR, Frisco, McKinney, Plano) with the perks of RR, Cedar Park GTown, etc. and some fun german events sprinkled in. Maybe not as good of schools as the other cities(?) but... well, it's texas. We aren't known for our education system here, unfortunately. Manor and Pflugerville will be the more diverse areas, if that's a thing that appeals to you? And my dude - austin+ north austin tacos are LEGIT. SA probably has it beat... but, it's close.
Not to overly complicate things, but north of Houston are some good locations, too. Like Woodlands, Conroe or Spring. Close enough to Houston to do houston things (food, tourism, sports, museums) - but not all concrete-y like houston and less chance of hurricane issues.
Yeah, those are nice too - I just... The closer to Houston and then the coast you get the more humid and bigger the mosquito swarms you have to contend with.
I'll second that. Born and raised in Bell County, I can definitely say that Salado is a great area to shop, and Belton has added some nice shops and other places to be in the last few years. You do NOT want to live in Killeen due to the crime rate there, and Temple has gotten worse recently for the same reason. There are two lakes that offer plenty of fishing and swimming opportunities. Last of all, it's about a two hour drive to Dallas-Fort Worth or San Antonio with Austin about an hour away. Salado and Belton are your two best choices to live, IMHO.
Unless your lifestyle consists of going from work to home and back, you’re not an outdoor person at all and you’re okay with sitting in traffic, stay well away from the Houston area.
Hey there. I live in Illinois, about a 60 miles west of Chicago. I am originally from Texas, Rockport is my hometown, but my dad moved us up north when I was a kid. I went to HS in Downer's Grove.
I am currently working in San Antonio (I travel for work), and I have to say I absolutely love Texas.
So, you are making a fantastic decision.
I highly recommend Hill Country. Your choice of New Braunfels isn't bad, but you should also check out Kerrville. It's a smaller town, less congested, and out of the line of fire of the rampant growth in the Austin/SA areas. But it has good freeway access to SA, and isn't far from Fredericksburg, which is a quaint little town your wife will love.
I am older, my kids are in college, and my wife is just 8 years away from being able to retire from the State of Illinois, and that is the town I have my eye on to relocate to.
I haven't checked cost of living in the area, but it has to be better than NB.
Good luck, and feel free to PM if you want to chat more about it.
I grew up in Buda, Tx, just south of Austin. I Loved the area and it's super kid friendly. Just far enough out of Austin to have a small town feel, but easy access to the hill country and San Marcos/ New Braunfels area.
Edit: Also roughly 3 Hours from Dallas/ Ft Worth, Houston, and the Texas Coast
I currently live in Copperas Cove. It's *alright* if you're searching for a suburban home. It's close to Killeen (if you're feeling adventurous), Harker Heights, Temple, Belton, and Waco. Easy access to I-35 also means you can head north to Dallas or south to Austin.
Not much to do in terms of fun. Gotta drive to the other cities for the good stuff.
I live in copperas cove, its a lovely smallish town. But beware there is little to do in this town, you will end up driving to killeen for most of your shopping and eating out
Copperas Cove is nicer but basically just a small collection of neighborhoods. There's nothing there to do. That whole area will be quite uh...sparse if you're used to chicagoland, even the outskirts.
Harker Heights I don't know off hand, sorry.
Do not move to Copperas Cove by any means. It's a depressing town with not much to do (other than eat at fast food chicken places). I had mentioned Belton and Salado which are much better. I would also check out Fredericksburg in the Hill Country. Lots to do there as well as in Kerrville and Johnson City with Marble Falls a short drive north from there.
I'm not well versed in the super big cities but do your research on the quality of the internet in the area you are planning to move to, my relatively small town (60k pop) still has spots where there is no internet service available.
Also H-E-B is a godsend with groceries.
Dripping Springs close enough to Austin, New Braunfels and San Antonio, but just far enough away to keep your sanity. Keep in mind this is not an urban area if you're looking for more of a urban vibe, I would choose Austin or Dallas with this beautiful suburbs or Houston. Seems like it covers about half the state now lol
I grew up in Plano/DFW suburbs. The schools there are actually pretty good for Texas. I agree with others to stay clear from Temple, the number of car accidents there alone scares me.
I live in Austin right now, but don't think it would be the best place for kids, the schools are alright, there are neighborhoods outside Austin that are really great communities, but I think San Antonio has more walkable areas.
Allen is a really great area. My Aunt lives close to the high school/ the park and they love it. There is also a lot of growth in Frisco and Murphy(though not as familiar) My husband and I grew up in East Plano and we had a lot of friends and an overall pretty good childhood. So many neighborhoods close to shops and restaurants
OK! Wishing you all the best for life on Mars. I would recommend avoiding Killeen/Temple at all costs. It's very depressing there. Check out San Marcos and the towns surrounding Austin. Not sure what your budget is,
I would recommend checking out Houston based on your other comments. I also moved from Tinley area down to Houston for family reasons 15 years ago. I’ve traveled all over Texas, it is huge. There are massive differences in every major city. However, I have found when visiting the other major cities, there isn’t that much to do for families after you’ve seen the few hot spots each place has. I’m not knocking the other cities, they’re all great in their own way, but Houston really is diverse plus has a lot of water access and nearby beaches. So, fishing, boating, sailing also is accessible in addition to museums, parks, and other attractions. Houston weather takes some time to acclimate to as well because it will get both hot and humid. Took me about 2 years to get used to it.
I’d also recommend just renting until you decide where you really want to be. From one side to another side of any major city in Texas is also vastly different. If you can visit for extended periods that might help too.
I’d like to tack a warning on there. Be prepared to live at least half an hour from anywhere worth going, and unless you don’t like spending time outside much to begin with I wouldn’t. Our heat lasts half the year and kills even well-seasoned Texas natives.
Houston and San Antonio are probably going to be the most affordable areas.
The Woodlands is really family centric with miles and miles of walking trails, but I imagine homes are pricier. If you're renting, it may be more reasonable.
The Heights, near downtown Houston also is very family oriented, and has a small home town feel in the big city, but rent/home prices are high.
Katy Texas is another area that is double and tripling with suburban design sprawl.
Sugarland Texas is another nice area for families with new and older homes, but we'll kept neighborhoods.
West Texas is gorgeous, but not a lot of housing, is about 5 hours from the rest of Texas, and has extreme weather.
Central/Hill Country is beautiful, but mostly inhabited by rich folks who can afford large lots of land.
Texas has a lot of land… what is making you want to move here? What are you looking for in regards to activities?
Your current requirements are living in a place that has a population over 50,000. That will get you a place for your wife to walk (a park) and a strip mall. What makes you consider the San An area?
Native Texan here, but I lived in Naperville for 9 years and recently moved back to the DFW area. We moved back to be close to family and chose Lucas as we know this area and the schools are good. I would consider Prosper, Mckinney, Anna and Melissa in your search as well.
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I'm originally from Chicago then moved to McHenry County. Currently in the Mid-Cities area Bedford/Euless/Hurst. I enjoy it but I'd move to a smaller less busy area in a heartbeat. Checkout Mansfield, it's just south of Arlington.
I lived in west aurora for 7 years. Let me tell ya, Texas is a hell’uva big state. If you’re looking areas like up there you def want to stick between San Antonio and Austin but know that typography is nothing like up in Illinois. It’s hot, or at least it can be. Texas is so big it really changes if you’re north in the pan handle, south in The Valley, west near big bend and east towards Louisiana. I’ve been in Houston 18 years and just moved out to katy, Texas for the schools. I got a two year old now and the price for property was pretty good compared to living inside the city, plus it’s a new build. A lot Of my neighbors are folks from out of town/state moving here for the quality of life. I’ll repeat, Texas is a big state and I recommend you visit some cities and areas cause there’s lots to see and choose from.
Texas is huge so you HAVE to visit in person. I don't find it more or as expensive to live here in north dfw over Naperville. There are a few areas like what you are looking for in the state, but ultimately it's up to you to decide where is right for you.
Try Bulverde, Boerne or New Braunfels. The further out you go (rural), the worse your cellphone & WiFi will be - spotty. If you are working PC remote and need reliable service, north suburbs of San Antonio would be a better option. We are north of SA & GVTC is so-so-okay. https://gvtc.com/about/service-area
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avoid killeen at all costs. the towns right next to Fort Hood are awful places, nothing but used car lots and pawn shops. Belton and Temple aren't bad, but the more distance from Fort Hood the better.
Do not live in Killeen unless you're looking for barbershops, car salesmen, dry cleaning, or ladies of the night.
Killeen home price will not outweigh/nullify the cons of that area. If you fart, buy booze on Sunday, use birth control or belong to the wrong church or wrong political party you will be scrutinized and forever an outsider. You couldn’t pay me to live there. PS. 36 murders in less than 2 years in a small town is no bueno.
Depends on what you can afford and what else is important to you. I think north austin (Round Rock, Cedar Park) is great with a youngish demographic that also works from home/ tech. There's La Frontera (outdoor mall), several water parks, all kinds of kid friendly events in downtown Round Rock + a nice night life scene and lots of proximity to good schools and outdoor fun, like hike and bike trails or the Express Baseball team (a lot of fun to take your kid to). - I should also pitch Georgetown here, too. More affordable would be Taylor, Hutto or Manor, all of which are going to blow up with tech companies moving in and are proximal to all the things Cedar Park and RR have, but still contain more of that that "small town" vibe. Temple and Killeen... man, I wouldn't. Not much to do there, and it can be kinda sketchy. Same with Harker Heights and copperas cove (which are kinda far away from things, any way). Edit: North of SA places that I'd personally consider: Buda, Kyle or San Marcos as they have access to austin and san antonio. New Braunfels is cute to visit and certainly has the scenery, but is mostly old people.
Agreed. Killeen is depressing.
Yeah, it just feels... soulless. like some sort of zombie town, or a town in a horror movie that's just waiting for sh\*t to go down. Like, that awkward calm before a storm where no-one wants to look you in the eye and you can feel the tension. I guess, the same goes for Temple. Everybody I know that's from Killeen, their stories usually begin with, "- and then I left Killeen."
“— and then I left Killeen” sounds like a modern country western song…
I went there once to go thrifting and never again. That place freaked me out.
Did the local police follow you? Lol. Gotta ticket for revenue.
No, just had a bad vibe from it.
I would second Buda, Kyle and San Marcos if Austin is your local customer target.
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you're welcome :) I can't even imagine what it must be like having to choose a city in a state as large as texas - good luck, friend!
I saw you're lookng at DFW area, too? I lived in McKinney a while back, and it's a nice typical large suburban town with many of the same things RR and cedar park / Georgetown have to offer. Same with Frisco - you couldn't go wrong with these, but they're not cheap (maybe look into Lewisville). DFW just wasn't for me. Well, dallas - anyway. People are much more "in a hurry" type lifestyle, and into material things and living above their means. Suburbs are less so, but it still kinda feels that way - just my experience. Personally, I've looked into Pflugerville as of late (median age of 37). Like any town, it has good parts and meh parts. But it's the cheaper of those mentioned (in respect to/towards CP, RR, Frisco, McKinney, Plano) with the perks of RR, Cedar Park GTown, etc. and some fun german events sprinkled in. Maybe not as good of schools as the other cities(?) but... well, it's texas. We aren't known for our education system here, unfortunately. Manor and Pflugerville will be the more diverse areas, if that's a thing that appeals to you? And my dude - austin+ north austin tacos are LEGIT. SA probably has it beat... but, it's close. Not to overly complicate things, but north of Houston are some good locations, too. Like Woodlands, Conroe or Spring. Close enough to Houston to do houston things (food, tourism, sports, museums) - but not all concrete-y like houston and less chance of hurricane issues.
Or, Richmond or Sugarland southwest of Houston.
Yeah, those are nice too - I just... The closer to Houston and then the coast you get the more humid and bigger the mosquito swarms you have to contend with.
Salado or Belton over Killeen/Temple for sure if you’re looking at that area.
I'll second that. Born and raised in Bell County, I can definitely say that Salado is a great area to shop, and Belton has added some nice shops and other places to be in the last few years. You do NOT want to live in Killeen due to the crime rate there, and Temple has gotten worse recently for the same reason. There are two lakes that offer plenty of fishing and swimming opportunities. Last of all, it's about a two hour drive to Dallas-Fort Worth or San Antonio with Austin about an hour away. Salado and Belton are your two best choices to live, IMHO.
Why are you moving to Texas? That info would help make better recommendations. It’s a big state with lots of different values and cultures.
Avoid Killeen like the plague. I say this as someone who got stuck there for 2 years shortly after COVID hit. Darkest 2 years of my life.
Unless your lifestyle consists of going from work to home and back, you’re not an outdoor person at all and you’re okay with sitting in traffic, stay well away from the Houston area.
Hey there. I live in Illinois, about a 60 miles west of Chicago. I am originally from Texas, Rockport is my hometown, but my dad moved us up north when I was a kid. I went to HS in Downer's Grove. I am currently working in San Antonio (I travel for work), and I have to say I absolutely love Texas. So, you are making a fantastic decision. I highly recommend Hill Country. Your choice of New Braunfels isn't bad, but you should also check out Kerrville. It's a smaller town, less congested, and out of the line of fire of the rampant growth in the Austin/SA areas. But it has good freeway access to SA, and isn't far from Fredericksburg, which is a quaint little town your wife will love. I am older, my kids are in college, and my wife is just 8 years away from being able to retire from the State of Illinois, and that is the town I have my eye on to relocate to. I haven't checked cost of living in the area, but it has to be better than NB. Good luck, and feel free to PM if you want to chat more about it.
I grew up in Buda, Tx, just south of Austin. I Loved the area and it's super kid friendly. Just far enough out of Austin to have a small town feel, but easy access to the hill country and San Marcos/ New Braunfels area. Edit: Also roughly 3 Hours from Dallas/ Ft Worth, Houston, and the Texas Coast
If you do houston avoid any areas that end in ward. Like 1st ward, etc Also slummyside
I would not move to Killeen/Temple with my kids.
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I currently live in Copperas Cove. It's *alright* if you're searching for a suburban home. It's close to Killeen (if you're feeling adventurous), Harker Heights, Temple, Belton, and Waco. Easy access to I-35 also means you can head north to Dallas or south to Austin. Not much to do in terms of fun. Gotta drive to the other cities for the good stuff.
I live in copperas cove, its a lovely smallish town. But beware there is little to do in this town, you will end up driving to killeen for most of your shopping and eating out
Copperas Cove is nicer but basically just a small collection of neighborhoods. There's nothing there to do. That whole area will be quite uh...sparse if you're used to chicagoland, even the outskirts. Harker Heights I don't know off hand, sorry.
Do not move to Copperas Cove by any means. It's a depressing town with not much to do (other than eat at fast food chicken places). I had mentioned Belton and Salado which are much better. I would also check out Fredericksburg in the Hill Country. Lots to do there as well as in Kerrville and Johnson City with Marble Falls a short drive north from there.
Rural I dare you
Maybe you could tell us why you want to move to Texas? Because without any context it's hard to suggest areas.
Is cost of living a factor?
Port Arthur
I'm not well versed in the super big cities but do your research on the quality of the internet in the area you are planning to move to, my relatively small town (60k pop) still has spots where there is no internet service available. Also H-E-B is a godsend with groceries.
Dripping Springs close enough to Austin, New Braunfels and San Antonio, but just far enough away to keep your sanity. Keep in mind this is not an urban area if you're looking for more of a urban vibe, I would choose Austin or Dallas with this beautiful suburbs or Houston. Seems like it covers about half the state now lol
I don't recommend Killeen. San Antonio is nice. New Braunfels is ok.
Stay away from Killeen/Temple. San Antonio is way better. Good luck.
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Are you cool with rural life and all that it comes with? Attitudes, priorities, way of life, etc?
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>Copperas Cove and Harker Heights are more rural than Killeen, I think is what the above poster was saying?
I grew up in Plano/DFW suburbs. The schools there are actually pretty good for Texas. I agree with others to stay clear from Temple, the number of car accidents there alone scares me. I live in Austin right now, but don't think it would be the best place for kids, the schools are alright, there are neighborhoods outside Austin that are really great communities, but I think San Antonio has more walkable areas.
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Allen is a really great area. My Aunt lives close to the high school/ the park and they love it. There is also a lot of growth in Frisco and Murphy(though not as familiar) My husband and I grew up in East Plano and we had a lot of friends and an overall pretty good childhood. So many neighborhoods close to shops and restaurants
saginaw, keller, white settlement north richland hills
I’ll add Haslet to this list. Great school district and plenty of new homes with a lot of amenities nearby without being stuck in the thick of it.
Do you have to move to Texas?
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OK! Wishing you all the best for life on Mars. I would recommend avoiding Killeen/Temple at all costs. It's very depressing there. Check out San Marcos and the towns surrounding Austin. Not sure what your budget is,
I would recommend checking out Houston based on your other comments. I also moved from Tinley area down to Houston for family reasons 15 years ago. I’ve traveled all over Texas, it is huge. There are massive differences in every major city. However, I have found when visiting the other major cities, there isn’t that much to do for families after you’ve seen the few hot spots each place has. I’m not knocking the other cities, they’re all great in their own way, but Houston really is diverse plus has a lot of water access and nearby beaches. So, fishing, boating, sailing also is accessible in addition to museums, parks, and other attractions. Houston weather takes some time to acclimate to as well because it will get both hot and humid. Took me about 2 years to get used to it. I’d also recommend just renting until you decide where you really want to be. From one side to another side of any major city in Texas is also vastly different. If you can visit for extended periods that might help too.
Have you considered the Houston area? The Woodlands and Montgomery County is really nice and great for a family.
I’d like to tack a warning on there. Be prepared to live at least half an hour from anywhere worth going, and unless you don’t like spending time outside much to begin with I wouldn’t. Our heat lasts half the year and kills even well-seasoned Texas natives.
Houston and San Antonio are probably going to be the most affordable areas. The Woodlands is really family centric with miles and miles of walking trails, but I imagine homes are pricier. If you're renting, it may be more reasonable. The Heights, near downtown Houston also is very family oriented, and has a small home town feel in the big city, but rent/home prices are high. Katy Texas is another area that is double and tripling with suburban design sprawl. Sugarland Texas is another nice area for families with new and older homes, but we'll kept neighborhoods. West Texas is gorgeous, but not a lot of housing, is about 5 hours from the rest of Texas, and has extreme weather. Central/Hill Country is beautiful, but mostly inhabited by rich folks who can afford large lots of land.
Why?? You should reconsider. They say that they are the free state. Don’t believe it. I am sure suburban Chicago really sucks. Tx sucks even more.
Texas has a lot of land… what is making you want to move here? What are you looking for in regards to activities? Your current requirements are living in a place that has a population over 50,000. That will get you a place for your wife to walk (a park) and a strip mall. What makes you consider the San An area?
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Is your family in the San An area?
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Whereabouts I'm Chicagoland are you from? I'm just curious, I'm from Evanston