TEXAS — Despite a pandemic that ravaged the country last year, Americans risked packing up their homes and moving elsewhere to find refuge.
According a survey done by Move.org, Texas ranked second for an influx of new residents. The state of Florida came in first. The survey also revealed that 45% of movers agreed that COVID-19 played a major role in their reasoning for finding a new place to call home.
While only 14% of movers moved to a different state, Texas also ranked third for an exodus of residents.
The Lone Star State has faced troubling numbers of COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations but cost-of-living and job opportunity have been of steady interest for new residents. Especially compared to states like New York and California, where COVID-19 hit the hardest at its peak and financial losses followed. The two states also ranked second and first for residents who left.
Texas has also become a new home for top business leaders, like Elon Musk and his company of Tesla, as well as tech giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise. These major shake-ups have created jobs and pushed other employees to relocate.
In early October, New Braunfels—a growing, yet affordable city along I-35 between Austin and San Antonio—was named as one of the best places to live in the country. Rockwall, Texas, just outside of Dallas also made the list.
Gov. Greg Abbott has turned to his Twitter account multiple times throughout the year to boast on how Texas is growing, attracting larger companies and providing more opportunities for all Americans.
Welcoming @HPE's global headquarters to the Lone Star State!
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) December 1, 2020
Hewlett Packard Enterprise's new headquarters in the Houston region will bring additional jobs and expand its already robust presence in Texas.#TexasBizStronghttps://t.co/AaGTlPXHwH