4 Fun Facts About Texas

Many people associate Texas with cowboys, guns, oil, and the world’s best barbecue. While you’re likely to find all of those things on a visit to Texas, you may run into some surprises along the way. Here are 4 fun facts about the state of Texas.

Size

Everything is in fact, bigger in Texas. If Texas were its own country, it would be the 40th largest in land area. With an area of 268,820 sq. mi., Texas is second only to Alaska’s landmass. In terms of gross square footage, the Texas Capitol is only smaller in size to the U.S. Capitol building. Additionally, the Texas Capitol dome actually sits 7 feet higher than the U.S. Capitol’s. Texas has three of the top 10 most populous cities in the U.S. These cities are Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. The total population of the Texas Triangle mega-region as of the 2010 census was 17,745,584. The King Ranch in South Texas covers 1,289 square miles. Compare that to the size of the entire state of Rhode Island, which is 1,212 square miles. There’s also a windmill farm that’s about seven times the size of Manhattan.

Low Tax

Texas is one of only seven states where residents pay no personal state income tax. The state has a disproportionate take from property taxes, which has become a big complaint among homeowners. But overall, only five states had a lower individual tax burden than Texas. Most of Texas’ tax revenues come from sales taxes and taxes on businesses and specific industries. 

Homes

There’s more to love about Texas than just its beef brisket, sunny weather, and a healthy job market. Residents also happen to enjoy an exceptionally low cost of living in Texas. For example, McAllen houses for sale are 12% lower than the Texas average, and 21% lower than the national average. In addition to not having to pay state income taxes, Texas residents can easily afford to own a home as home prices tend to be lower than the national average in many cities. 

Food

Texas is known for so many good food choices. An entire book could be written about each of the scores of food made famous in Texas, from chile con queso to peach cobbler, not to mention deep-fried guacamole from the Texas State Fair. Most agree that Texan pecans are delicious, but while you might prefer to soak your pecans in hot sauce, your friend might prefer her glazed, roasted or plain. The same goes for Texan food in general. It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t like several Texas menu staples, but not everyone would pick the same ones. Treat yourself to the wealth of Texas cuisine, and everything else that this great state has to offer.