Texas to Virginia Moving Guide
Updated June 14, 2025

Planning a 1,406 mile interstate move from Texas to Virginia? This moving guide will help you compare living in Texas vs Virginia across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like extreme summer heat vs milder summer temperatures), food & health (like Brisket vs Ham), real estate & housing (ranch vs colonial), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Virginia), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Brisket and Barbecue Ribs, but get your taste buds ready for Ham & Crab Cakes
- Virginia housing costs are 27% more expensive than they are in Texas
- Rent in Virginia is 8.12% more expensive than in Texas
- Moving from Texas to Virginia will cost on average between $2,000 - $7,000
- Our top recommended Texas to Virginia movers is Phoenix Express Specialty Moving & Delivery
Texas to Virginia Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Texas to Virginia
- Extreme summer heat
- High property taxes
- Lack of scenic diversity
- Milder summer temperatures
- Lower property taxes
- Rich landscapes & mountains
- Higher cost of living
- Competition in tech industries
- Less diverse culture
- Favorable cost of living
- Robust job market
- Vibrant cultural scene
Pros of moving from Texas to Virginia
- Say goodbye to extreme summer heat and hello to milder summer temperatures
- Look forward to moving away from high property taxes and moving to Virginia with lower property taxes
- Swap the lack of scenic diversity of Texas for rich landscapes and mountains in Virginia
Cons of moving from Texas to Virginia
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the favorable cost of living in Texas to live with a higher cost of living in Virginia
- You'll lose out on the pro of a robust job market and have to settle with the con of competition in tech industries
- Time to bid farewell to a vibrant cultural scene and get used to a less diverse culture in Virginia
Texas vs. Virginia: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Brisket | Ham |
Most popular meat dish | Barbecue Ribs | Crab Cakes |
Most popular street food item | Tacos | Oysters |
Most popular vegan food | Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad | Kale Caesar Salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness (out of 10) | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks (out of 10) | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene (out of 10) | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly (out of 10) | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Texas to Virginia, you will be trading the iconic Brisket of Texas for the equally delicious Ham of Virginia. And while the locals in Texas rave about their flavorful Barbecue Ribs and sumptuous Tacos, Virginia residents know they have tasty Crab Cakes and Oysters to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Kale Caesar Salad of Virginia. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Texas eateries like Franklin Barbecue, The Salt Lick BBQ, and Big Texan Steak Ranch. After the boxes are unpacked in Virginia, don't wait too long before making your way to Virginia's acclaimed eateries like The Inn at Little Washington, Leaping Lizard Cafe, and Vietnam Garden.
When comparing lifestyles, Virginia shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Texas. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Virginia compared to what you are used to in Texas. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Virginia.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Texas and Virginia
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch | Colonial |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious yards, open floor plans | Historic landmarks, proximity to D.C. |
- The Ranch architecture that Texas is known for will be replaced with the Colonial architecture typical of Virginia.
- Compared to Texas's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious yards and open floor plans, Virginia real estate listings often highlight features like historic landmarks and proximity to D.C.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Virginia is more walkable than Texas.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Virginia is more bike-friendly than Texas.
- Virginia has more of an urban feel than Texas.
- Virginia housing costs are 27% more expensive than they are in Texas, with a median home price of $385,780 compared to Texasβs $304,027.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Virginia have increased by 42% compared to a 45% increase in Texas.
- Rent in Virginia is 8.12% more expensive than in Texas.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Texas and Virginia
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Tornadoes | Hurricanes, Nor'easters |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good to Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 94/73 | 87/67 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 60/38 | 48/29 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 36 | 44 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 1 | 14 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Texas to Virginia. Virginia gets 13% fewer sunshine days than Texas.
- Virginia has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Texas.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and tornadoes in Texas, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and nor'easters in Virginia.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Virginia is 7 degrees colder than in Texas.
- The average winter lows are 9 degrees colder than they are in Texas.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Virginia. Virginia receives 8 more inches of rain compared to Texas.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Texas and Virginia
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $72,284 | $85,873 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.1 | 96.6 |
State Income Tax | 0% | 2-5.75% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.80% | 0.80% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 8.19% | 5.65% |
Top 3 Industries | Energy, Agriculture, Technology | Technology, Government, Finance |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Higher | Lower |
Homelessness | Moderate | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Virginia tend to earn about 19% more than in Texas
- The COLI in Virginia will be 6% higher than what you are used to living in Texas
- Bummer... By moving from Texas to Virginia, you'll now have a state income tax of 2-5.75%
- The affluence in Virginia is high compared to moderate affluence in Texas
- The poverty level is lower in Virginia compared to higher poverty in Texas
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in Texas and low in Virginia
Political and Religious Climate in Texas vs. Virginia
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Lean conservative | Swing state, currently lean liberal |
Local Politics | Republican stronghold in rural areas | Democratic strongholds in urban areas like Fairfax County |
Religion | Evangelical Protestant, Catholic | Broad mix; Protestant, Catholic, growing non-religious population |
- Texas tends to lean conservative in its political climate
- Virginia, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state, currently leaning liberal
- Virginia's religious environment can be described as a broad mix of Protestant, Catholic, and a growing non-religious population
- Texas's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as evangelical Protestant and Catholic
Education Guide When Moving from Texas to Virginia
Comparison | Texas | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Texas Texas A&M University of Houston | University of Virginia Virginia Tech William & Mary |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Valley Creek Elementary (McKinney) Canyon Creek Elementary (Richardson) Carver Elementary (Georgetown) | Arlington Science Focus (Arlington) Nottingham Elementary (Arlington) Westbriar Elementary (Vienna) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Canyon Vista Middle (Austin) Fort Settlement Middle (Sugar Land) Beckendorff Junior High (Katy) | Longfellow Middle (Falls Church) Frost Middle (Fairfax) Henley Middle (Charlottesville) |
Top 3 High Schools | Liberal Arts and Science Academy (Austin) School for the Talented and Gifted (Dallas) Westlake High (Austin) | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria) Langley High (McLean) McLean High (McLean) |
Top 3 private high schools | St. Markβs School of Texas (Dallas) The Hockaday School (Dallas) Greenhill School (Addison) | The Potomac School (McLean) St. Christopherβs School (Richmond) The Madeira School (McLean) |
Top 3 Private K-12 Schools | The Kinkaid School (Houston) St. John's School (Houston) Trinity Valley School (Fort Worth) | Flint Hill School (Oakton) The Collegiate School (Richmond) Norfolk Academy (Norfolk) |
Top 3 School Districts | Eanes ISD (Austin) Carroll ISD (Southlake) Highland Park ISD (Dallas) | Falls Church City Public Schools Arlington Public Schools Loudoun County Public Schools |
How Much Do Texas to Virginia Movers Cost?
Moving 1,406 miles from Texas to Virginia will typically cost between $3,000 and $7,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,000 - $7,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-4 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Estes SureMove
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,000 | 300 ft3 | $6.67 |
1 Bedroom | $2,977 | 450 ft3 | $6.62 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,924 | 750 ft3 | $6.57 |
3 Bedrooms | $7,167 | 1100 ft3 | $6.52 |
4 Bedrooms | $10,344 | 1600 ft3 | $6.47 |
5+ Bedrooms | $11,547 | 1800 ft3 | $6.42 |
Top Texas to Virginia Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Texas to Virginia movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Phoenix Express Specialty Moving & Delivery
Best moving company overall for Texas to Virginia