Blog
Many Americans dream of moving somewhere sunny when they retire. A nice place with mild weather and natural beauty. Somewhere affordable. That used to mean Florida or Arizona, but not anymore. Limited housing options, rising costs of living, and other concerns are steering retirees to a new destination: Texas.
What is Halfback Migration?
When retirees who relocated to Florida or Arizona find their lives aren’t as sunny as they’d hoped, some move again after retirement—but not back home. Instead, they find new homes “halfway back,” in a central location where they can enjoy an active retirement with easy access to family. That’s why “halfback retirees,” as these folks are called, are heading to places like the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Texas.
The Lure of the Lone Star State: Why Texas?
Affordability and Cost of Living
Florida and Arizona have long been destinations for sunseekers, and that’s part of the problem. The influx of people moving to Florida and Arizona has driven up costs. In Arizona, home prices have jumped 40%, and rents have increased 50-70% in some areas, hitting those on fixed incomes the hardest. And while severe weather events have cooled Florida’s housing market, the state has the highest average home insurance premiums in the U.S., with some homeowners paying more than $11,000 annually.
Texas, on the other hand, is financially friendly toward retirees, with a lower cost of living and no personal income tax. These are benefits which can defray the cost of moving from Florida or Arizona to Texas. Housing is more affordable, too, with a median home price of $307,629 in Texas, compared with a median listing price of $515,000 in Phoenix, AZ.
Proximity to Family and Friends
If you’re moving to Texas from Florida or Arizona and want to stay connected with loved ones, you’ll love Texas’s central location and its airports, like Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport, (one of the busiest superhub airports in the world), two major airports in Houston, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It’s easy to visit friends and family—or invite them to visit you—when your nearby airport has nonstop service to hundreds of domestic and international destinations.
Diverse Lifestyle and Amenities
Whether you long for a peaceful view of rolling hills or the excitement of vibrant city life, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Texas. You can find the weather that suits you, too, from coastal breezes to semi-arid desert climes.
Halfback retirees find it easy to live an active lifestyle in Texas, with weather that encourages outdoor fun. (Many parts of Texas average between 250-300 days of sunshine annually.) There’s plenty of cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities in our big cities—and you can enjoy them without having to compete with lots of tourists.
Healthcare Access
You’ll be happy to know that you can easily access good healthcare in Texas, especially if you’re moving to Texas from Arizona and Florida, where population surges have strained healthcare resources.
Texas’s robust and growing healthcare infrastructure includes a number of highly rated medical facilities, including UT Southwestern Medical Center, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Baylor University Medical Center, and Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, just to name a few.
Hillwood Communities: Elevating the Texas Retirement Experience
Retirement in Texas is great, but retirement in a Hillwood community is better. You’ll get the benefits of Texas’s mild weather and friendliness, plus amazing resort-style amenities in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, along with a wide variety of home types, new construction builders and price ranges.
Built-In Community and Connection: Hillwood Communities designs neighborhoods with community in mind. Neighbors connect while strolling the many walking paths, swimming at the community pools, and staying fit at the gym. The signature Lifestyle by Hillwood℠ placemaking approach offers a full calendar of events, clubs, and celebrations that make it easy to meet new people. Hillwood Communities welcome all ages, too, so you can mingle with your retired peers and enjoy the buoyant spirit of intergenerational get-togethers (especially nice when you’re missing the grandkids).
Convenient Access to Big City Amenities: Though Hillwood Communities boast a small-town vibe, they’re located within easy access of major metropolitan areas, like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin. It’s an easy drive from any Hillwood community to big city healthcare facilities, entertainment, and diverse services and amenities. And an international airport is just a hop, skip, and a jump if you want to fly further afield.
From Sunshine to the Lone Star: Real-Life Examples
- Outdoor enthusiasts tired of crowds of tourists in Florida and Arizona find beauty in the vast Texas landscape.
- Halfback retirees pining for their grandkids in the Midwest or West Coast discover the perfect middle ground: Texas.
- People who miss the changing seasons while living in Florida and Arizona now glory in fall colors and spring flowers (without all the snow “back home”).
- Retirees tired of driving on congested highways move to Hillwood Communities in Texas, where everything they need is within walking distance or a short drive.
Is Halfback Migration Right for You?
If you’ve made a retirement move that doesn’t feel quite right, consider your priorities.
- Can you easily visit family?
- Is quality healthcare readily available?
- How far do you have to drive to reach essential services?
- Is it important to you to be part of a community?
- Would you prefer more intergenerational friendships?
- What type of lifestyle would you like, and do nearby amenities support that choice?
Planning Your “Halfback” Migration to Texas
If you’ve completed a personal inventory of your retirement dreams and found your current home lacking, Texas may be just what you want. Before making a move:
- Explore the diverse environments Texas offers
- Research specific cities and towns. Don’t forget to consider access to healthcare and transportation hubs.
- Consult with your financial advisor regarding retirement income and taxes.
- Explore your housing options, especially if considering the cost of living in Arizona or Florida vs Texas.
Enjoy an Active Retirement at a Hillwood Community in Texas
If you want to join the halfback retirees while enjoying a relatively mild climate, a lower cost of living (no state income tax!), a strategically convenient location in the center of the US, and an active lifestyle surrounded by friends and neighbors, visit one of Hillwood’s new home communities today. Browse our variety of home styles and available home sites. We’re sure you’ll find a place where you can live out your retirement dreams.
A bonus: Your new home is a good investment, as new construction homes in Hillwood Communities often appreciate in value. Our new construction builders have available homes, and many are offering incentives, so now is a great time to buy! Visit a Hillwood Community today and find your new home.
