Seeing stars

Dallas usurps Austin as No. 1 destination for California movers, report says

The Californians keep on coming.

Photo courtesy of PODS

Although U.S News & World Report may not agree, Californians defecting from their home state think Dallas is the best place in the world to live. Even better - shocker! - than Austin.

So says a new report by moving and storage company PODS, which crunched their numbers to determine that Dallas was the No. 1 destination for Californians on the move in 2022. Unsurprisingly, Texas was also the top-ranked state.

"It’s only taken a few years, but Dallas has usurped Austin as the top spot for people moving from California to Texas," the study's authors say.

The bottom line for these movers? Money. A side-by-side comparison of Dallas and Sacramento shows that although median household income is less in Dallas than in Sacramento, cost of living, housing costs, and rent are also significantly less. The report says:

Cost of living: Dallas is 17% lower than Sacramento.
Median household income: $58,200 (Dallas is 18% lower than Sacramento.)
Average home value: $309,900 (Dallas is 33% lower than Sacramento.)
Average rent (one-bedroom): $1,575 (Dallas is 15% lower than Sacramento, with apartments as big as 805 square feet going for $1,500 a month in the city.)

And let's not forget that Texas has no state income tax. (How could we forget? It's mentioned in every study about why people are moving to Texas.) Californians, on the other hand, pay as much as 13.3% in state income tax, PODS says.

"All this adds up to more bang for your buck and an adjusted quality of life," the report says.

Other appealing attributes about Dallas cited in the report include access to several professional sports teams, and a rich nightlife full of bars, restaurants, live music, culture, and art. Dallas-Fort Worth - together, making up the fourth-largest metro area in the U.S. - also has North America's best airport to keep people connected.

In a similar PODS report from 2022, Dallas-Fort Worth was the No. 2 destination for new residents (from all over, not just California) who used their services.

According to PODS, the top 5 destinations for people leaving California are:

No. 1 – Dallas
No. 2 – Seattle, Washington
No. 3 – Portland, Oregon
No. 4 – Nashville, Tennessee
No. 5 – Boise, Idaho

In PODS' newest analysis of destination states for Californians, Texas still comes out on top. The overall cost of living in the Lone Star State is 37 percent lower than California, they said. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is under $1,300, which is 44 percent less than an equivalent apartment in the Golden State.

"For many finance-strained Californians, the pandemic was the final push they needed to call it quits and move to the Lone Star State, where cities like Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston — all cities that made the top 15 out-of-state destinations for Californians — offer up sunny weather, job opportunities, and culture," the report said.

The top destination states for people leaving California are:

No. 1 – Texas
No. 2 – Florida
No. 3 – Washington
No. 4 – Tennessee
No. 5 – Oregon

dallas reports texas destinations rankings

Animal News

Dallas animal shelter invites residents to host a pet during holiday

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is inviting the community to help bring pets “Home for the Holidays” by adopting or fostering during one of the shelter’s busiest times of the year.

DAS has achieved strong positive outcomes this quarter, including adoptions, foster-to-adopt placements, and underage foster placements, with 1,377 in October and 1,378 in November. The department is now working toward a December goal of 1,400 positive outcomes, with 588 completed so far this month.

“We are grateful for the support our community continues to show,” said Victoria Chittam Bennett, Assistant Director. “Every adoption opens a kennel for another pet in need, and the holidays are an especially meaningful time to welcome a new companion.”

This season, adopters will also have the chance to participate in the Friends of Dallas Animal Services (FODAS) 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, fully funded and supported through donations from generous community supporters. For more information about this initiative, visit friendsofdas.org and watch out for announcements on social media.

Holiday staycations
Residents who may not be ready to adopt can still support DAS pets by participating in Silent Night Holiday Staycations, a short-term foster opportunity that gives dogs a relaxing break from the shelter during the holiday period.

Pickup dates are scheduled for December 20-21, with drop-off options on December 27-28 or January 3-4. Participants typically spend 1-3 hours at the shelter selecting a foster match, and contact with pets outside the home should be limited. Questions may be directed to DASFtA@dallas.gov.

“Holiday Staycations allow our dogs to decompress and show their personalities in a home environment,” said Amanda Earl, Assistant Director. “The insight we receive from these foster stays is invaluable in helping pets find permanent homes.”

DAS encourages the community to adopt, foster, volunteer, or share adoptable pets to help meet December’s lifesaving goals.
“Together, we can bring home the holidays for the pets relying on us,” said Director Paul Ramon.

For more information on adoptable pets, holiday programs, or ways to get involved, visit https://bedallas90.org/ or stop by the DAS Shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd.

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