Some big-name streamers have moved to Texas. What’s so great about the Lone Star State?
Why do streamers move to Texas?
One of the main reasons streamers move to Texas is because there is no State income tax there. Other reasons streamers move to the Lone Star State include the relatively low cost of living, fast and cheap internet, plus great city and country living options.
In this article, I’ll dig deeper into each of those points, and talk about well-known streamers who have moved to Texas plus some high-profile native Texan content creators.
I’ll also explore the potential drawbacks of living in Texas for streamers and look at some alternatives (it doesn’t cost money to stream on Twitch but there are some factors that can make it quite an expensive full-time pursuit).
No state income tax
For all its other plus points, it’s hard to look past the fact that Texas has no state income Texas when considering why streamers move there.
The Texas state government is prohibited from taxing individuals’ income by Article 8, Sec. 24-a of The Texas Constitution, which says:
“The legislature may not impose a tax on the net incomes of individuals, including an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”
It’s one of only nine U.S. states that don’t require residents to help fill up the state coffers on top of mandatory federal tax contributions.
That gives you a big headstart if you’re starting your streaming empire compared to someone who lives, for example, in California (13.3% state income tax) or Hawaii (11%).
Fast, cheap internet
Texans benefit from some of the fastest and cheapest broadband internet in all of the United States.
That’s largely because Texas has a huge urban population, which brings demand for high speeds up and the average price down despite the fact that many Texans also live in remote, rural locations.
Texas has the 12th fastest average internet speed in the U.S. at 163.7 Mbps. If you want the fastest possible speeds in the country, you’ll have to head to Maryland, Virginia, or New York, but Texas has it pretty good.
A 2020 study (the most recent I could find) put Texas in the top ten for states that pay the least for their internet (relative to speed/quality) at a measly $2.29 per Mbps.
That’s more than 40% lower than the national average and nearly three and a half times cheaper than the average price per Mbps paid by those poor souls in Wyoming.
Relatively low cost of living
Texas also ranks favorably against most other states when it comes to the overall cost of living.
Data from the Council for Community & Economic Research survey for Q3 2022 showed Texas had the 17th lowest cost of living in the country.
Of course, your money won’t go as far in Austin as it will in Amarillo but, on average, you’ll be better off in Texas than in most other places in the U.S.
Vibrant cities, chill country
The relatively low cost of living in Texas is made even better by the fact that the state is home to some of the nation’s coolest and fastest-growing cities.
Austin, for example, is a regular on ‘top cities to live in the U.S.’ type listicles, while Houston – which is the fourth largest city in the country – is also one of the more affordable metropolises.
In Texas, you’ve also got the opportunity to head out somewhere a little more relaxed and remote. After all, it’s the biggest state by land area in the lower 48.
With 85% broadband coverage across the state, you’ll not find it too difficult to get your streams broadcast in high quality from a rural ranch.
Strong streaming community
All of those things I mentioned above have convinced a bunch of streamers to move to Texas and give little reason for streamers who are Texas natives to move away.
That means there’s a strong community of streamers making money on Twitch and other platforms in the Lone Star State.
Some of them even live together, which raises the specter of some IRL backseating. You can find out more about some of them below.
Famous streamers who have moved to Texas
Mizkif
Active since: 2015
Twitch followers: 2 million
YouTube subscribers: 863,000
Home state: New Jersey
Current location: Austin, Texas
Emiru
Active since: 2016
Twitch followers: 1.1 million
YouTube subscribers: 496,000
Home state: Kansas
Current location: Austin, Texas
LxthuL (2x Halo World Champion)
Active since: 2010
Twitch followers: 86,300
YouTube subscribers: 6,800
Home state: Michigan
Current location: Dallas, Texas
Famous streamers from Texas
Asmongold
Active since: 2009
Twitch followers: 3.4 million
YouTube subscribers: 1.71 million
Current location: Austin, Texas
Sodapoppin
Active since: 2011
Twitch followers: 8.8 million
YouTube subscribers: 1.12 million
Current location: Austin, Texas
Esfand
Active since: 2016
Twitch followers: 1.2 million
YouTube subscribers: 260,000
Current location: Austin, Texas
It’s not all fine as cream gravy
I think it’s well worth starting a YouTube gaming channel or streaming regularly and Texas is a great place for streamers to move.
But there are some downsides, too, especially if you want to own a property, you sunburn easily or you want to be 100% sure of avoiding any catastrophic weather…
Property prices and taxes
The lack of state income tax is a big plus for streamers moving to Texas. There’s also no state property tax. However, property taxes in the Lone Star State are set at the local government level, so you’ve still got to fork out.
In fact, Texas has some of the highest average property tax rates in the country (only New Jersey and New Hampshire’s average rates are higher).
The median property tax of just over $2,000 is likely to be more than offset by the savings you make by not paying state income taxes, but it still stings.
As far as property prices go, you’ll still be able to find a bargain at much lower than the national average price per square foot if you’re willing to shop around (and be flexible on location).
However, property prices in Texas have been rising at a much faster rate than elsewhere in the U.S. for a number of years now. That’s the price you gotta pay for having all the benefits I talked about above!
Very, very hot summers
I had a long think about whether to add climate as a plus point for living in Texas because it really can be glorious.
That said, Texas has long and often oppressively hot summers, with average highs in this season sitting well above 90 degrees across pretty much all regions.
Maybe that’s why streaming is so popular in Texas – it’s too hot to go outside for half of the year. Get your curtains drawn and start streaming those emulators, AAAs, or whatever it is you like to play.
Hurricanes and Tornados
Another weather-related drawback that can’t be ignored is Texas’ nack for getting pummeled by severe events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
Texas is hit by more tornadoes annually than any other state and the Wikipedia page listing hurricanes in Texas from 1980 to the present day is more than 10,000 words long, which tells you all you need to know.
Shooting buffalo from the balcony
Unfortunately, if your hobby is using high-powered rifles to neutralize big game from a lofty vantage point, Texas is not the state for you.
State law prohibits you from shooting buffalo from the second story of your hotel.
Plenty of states have strange laws that make you wonder about the event which led to such oddly specific behavior being outlawed, and Texas is no different.
So… Are there any good alternatives?
Texas ain’t for everyone. Here are a few alternatives for streamers.
Alaska
Alaska is one of the few other states in the union that does not impose a state income tax. It also has the lowest state-local tax burden in the entire country (that means Alaskans benefit the most from federal tax collections from other states).
If you’re the type that burns easily in the hot summer sun, you’re also pretty much in the clear up in Alaska (but you will, of course, have to put up with cold, dark winters).
I personally prefer extreme cold to extreme heat and getting out into the wilds of The Last Frontier when I’m not bathed in RGB lights behind a camera has a big appeal.
Your money goes a lot further on property in Alaska, too.
Tennessee
If Alaska feels a bit extreme and you want to stick to the contiguous states, Tennessee would be worth checking out:
No state income tax, low property taxes, relatively low cost of living, vibrant cities, great nature, manageable climate with four seasons.
I mean, I’m considering it myself just writing that out…
Portugal
Streamers looking further afield would be hard-pressed to find a better place to set up shop than Portugal.
Portugal is in the EU and is a Schengen State, which means that once you have sorted your residency here you can travel freely between 27 different countries without needing a visa.
Another big plus for content creators moving to Portugal is the favorable tax regime for residents that qualify for ‘Non-Habitual Residence’ status.
Bag that and you’ll pay zero income tax in Portugal on foreign-sourced income.
Why do streamers move to Texas? (Summary)
The main reasons streamers move to Texas are:
- No state income tax
- Fast, cheap internet
- Relatively low cost of living
- Vibrant cities, chill country
- Strong streaming community
