We all know Texans have a lot of state pride. And here’s more proof.
Nearly 70 percent of Texas residents who were polled say their state is the best place to live in the country -- that's one of the highest rates in the United States. Only Montana, Alaska, Utah and Wyoming ranked higher in terms of people feeling positive about their state.
Meanwhile, only 24 percent of Texas residents -- or about one in four -- say they would like to move out of the state if they could. That’s among one of the lowest rates of any state in the country.
That’s according to several new Gallup Polls.
Only Montana, Hawaii and Maine ranked higher on the list of states where residents want to stay put. In those states, only 23 percent of residents would move. Oregon and New Hampshire were tied with Texas.
Gallup also asked folks how likely they will move in the next 12 months. Again, Texas ranked very low on that list – only 9 percent of Texas respondents said they planned to leave the Lone Star state. Only Maine, Iowa and Vermont residents ranked lower.
Where are residents itching to leave?
So Texans don’t want to leave Texas. But some states are home to significant chunks of people who want out. Illinois tops that list -- a whopping half of residents polled said they’d move if they could. In Connecticut, 49 percent of residents want out. Maryland ranked No. 3, with 47 percent. Many of the states on the top 10 list are located in the north (perhaps they are finally tired of the cold winters?), although Louisiana and Mississippi ranked in the top 10, too.
Residents in all 50 states were asked: "Regardless of whether you will move, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move to another state, or would you rather remain in your current state?" Thirty-three percent of residents want to move to another state, according to the average of the 50 state responses, Gallup says.
Conclusions for Texas?
“Texas, Minnesota, and Maine have little to fear,” Gallup says. “Residents of these states are among the least likely to want to leave and few are planning to leave in the next 12 months.”
Why are Texans so satisfied? Is it the barbecue? The Tex-Mex? The bluebonnets? Friday night football? The Dallas Cowboys?
Perhaps most people want to stay in Texas because of their relative satisfaction with state taxes and state government. Texas has ranked well on recent Gallup surveys regarding those factors.
About 40 percent of Texas residents polled say state taxes are too high – that’s among one of the lowest rates in the country. Meanwhile, more than 70 percent of Texas residents say they have a fair amount or great deal of trust in their state government -- that result places Texas No. 6 on the list of states with the highest trust in state government.
Gallup suggests that Texas' unique history, geography, natural resources and environmental features may contribute to Texans being so proud of Texas.
Texas bucket list
By the way, what's on your Texas bucket list? Here's a list of 39 things you should do in Texas before you die.
