San Antonio, Texas

It’s no secret Texas doesn’t have state income taxes. This means living here is less expensive than most large cities in other states. Bonus: San Antonio has lower costs than other big Texas cities. Why? It’s still kind of an in-the-know secret. Austin and Dallas prices have skyrocketed thanks to the remote working boom/pandemic moves and general population growth. People who had an opportunity to ditch the overpriced, underwhelming homes in NYC, San Francisco, etc. did, and they moved to Dallas or Austin or Houston (or Florida). And don’t listen to anyone who says “It’s cheaper because it’s not Austin.” They don’t know what they’re talking about. You can save big and still have a ton of space, the Riverwalk, excellent Mexican food, and the Spurs.

For all the pros that a low cost of living can offer, San Antonio does have its cons. First off, the city is huge. It’s 460 square miles and because it’s so large it can feel like you’re driving through one big suburb. It’s having a bit of an identity crisis and struggling to decide if it’s going to try to be like Houston or if it’s cool being a spread-out city with a small-town vibe. This means that the development Downtown has been booming with lofts and mixed-use apartments, but the suburbs are holding strong. So if you’re moving to Texas from a city like SF or NYC that has a high population in a small area, San Antonio can either be your haven or your headache.

San Antonio is large which can make it feel really spread out at times. Locals make it work by really relying on their neighborhood for that close-knit small-town feel. This way they get a little of both worlds: a neighborly community with a busy Downtown area for weekends. The city is diverse, with a large Hispanic population, but it can feel segregated. The northern suburbs are where a lot of the money is and the westside and southside get a bad rap at times. Besides being a hot spot for tourists looking for their history fix, San Antonio is also a huge draw for military families. There are a large number of bases in the area, giving San Antonio the nickname “Military City USA.” The defense industry has a huge impact on both the population and the economy of the city.

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A lot of San Antonio’s economy depends on the military bases in and around the city. There is Fort Sam Houston inside the city as well as other just outside city limits. Nicknamed “Military City USA,” a huge portion of the local economy is owed to the defense industry. Outside of defense, the top industries are healthcare, government services, financial services, oil and gas, and tourism. Over 20 million tourists visit the city yearly, mainly for the Alamo and the famous Riverwalk. The convention center also brings in a fair amount of people for events. Headquarters in the city include Valero, NuStar Energy, USAA, iHeartMedia, and the beloved H-E-B. Hulu, Toyota, Microsoft, and Wells Fargo also have a huge presence in the city although not headquartered there. The South Texas Medical Center also has a huge influence on the local economy and has a large area with hospitals, clinics, and research centers.