What changes first: the housing gap between Silicon Valley and the Texas capital
The two cities are close in size, with Austin at 967,862 residents and San Jose at 990,054, so the adjustment is about money and climate rather than scale. A median home in Austin is worth $512,700, which is 57% less than the $1,187,800 it takes in San Jose. Rent follows the same direction: $1,655 a month in Austin against $2,617 in San Jose, 37% lower.
Incomes move the same way, though not by as much. Median household income is $91,461 in Austin and $141,565 in San Jose, so weigh any Austin job offer against Austin rents instead of carrying your San Jose budget across unchanged. On the federal price index for 2024 (U.S. = 100), the Austin area sits at 98 and the San Jose area at 110.
Texas also has no state income tax, while California's rate climbs as high as 13.3%. The offset is property tax, which in Texas runs higher than California's on a rate basis, a point that matters most if you plan to buy.
Houses, apartment towers and what the truck needs at each end
Austin and San Jose are built differently. In Austin, 42% of homes are in buildings of five or more units and 44% are detached houses. In San Jose, 28% are in larger buildings and 51% are detached.
That shift can change moving day itself. If you are leaving a detached house in San Jose, the crew parks in a driveway and carries across a yard or up a few stairs. If you are arriving at an Austin apartment building, ask the management about elevator reservations, a loading dock and where a full-size truck is allowed to park. A long carry from the curb is one of the things that adds to a bill, so tell the mover about it before the survey rather than on delivery day.
What moves the price of a San Jose to Austin shipment
The price range at the top of this page is the starting point. Where a quote lands inside it depends on a handful of things you control:
- Weight and home size. A long-distance shipment is priced on how much goes on the truck, so every piece you leave behind lowers the weight.
- Packing. Having the crew pack costs more than boxing things yourself.
- Stairs, elevators and long carries. Both addresses count, which is why the building types above matter.
- Specialty items. Pianos, gun safes and art need separate handling and should be named in the first call.
Estimates and liability on a haul across state lines
On a move from California to Texas, the estimate must say whether it is binding or non-binding: with a binding one you pay the estimate at delivery, plus services added after signing and up to 15% for impracticable operations (anything above that is billed later), while a non-binding one follows actual weight, your goods are released once you pay 110% of it, and the remainder is billed after 30 days from delivery. A written estimate has to rest on a physical survey, in person or by live or recorded video, unless you waive it in writing, so a sight-unseen phone quote for your San Jose home is a red flag. Full Value Protection applies automatically, meaning the mover must repair, replace or pay the replacement value, unless you sign a written waiver choosing Released Value (60 cents per pound per article); either one is the mover's liability level, not insurance.
A not-to-exceed price is a common form of binding estimate and is fine to ask for.
Choosing who loads your San Jose belongings
A move of this length rewards careful screening more than the lowest bid. Work through these steps:
- Collect three binding or not-to-exceed quotes, each built on an inventory. A phone guess with no inventory is close to useless, and a reputable company will offer a video walkthrough or an in-home survey.
- Look up each company's USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA website before signing anything.
- Read reviews on review platforms, and look for ones about long-distance jobs. A long haul poses different operational problems than a local move.
- Ask who will load your truck. The company quoting you may hand the job to another carrier, and FMCSA's search tells you which it is: "Motor Carrier of Household Goods" means the company moves you, while "Broker of Household Goods" means it passes you along.
- State any hard move-in date up front and get the carrier's answer in writing.
Our team has 35+ years of hands-on service-provider experience, including an operator who ran a moving company for 18 years.
Use the directory to find movers with documented long-haul experience on California-to-Texas routes. If your Austin home is not ready when the shipment arrives, movers in San Jose can talk through storage and packing before you leave.
When to start asking, and how long the shipment takes
Start collecting quotes about 6 to 8 weeks ahead for a summer move, or 3 to 4 weeks ahead for fall and winter. Movers often quote a delivery window of 3 to 7 business days from pickup. A shipment can share truck space with other customers, so the carrier's routing sets the pace. No law fixes the number of days; the dates that count are the ones written on your paperwork, so ask for a loading window and a delivery window before you sign.
The climate at each end affects the timing:
- San Jose: Summer highs sit near 82°F and winter highs near 57°F, with wet winters. Drought, wildfire smoke from surrounding hills and regional fires, and the rare earthquake along nearby fault lines are the local hazards.
- Austin summer: Heat regularly tops 100°F, so a summer unloading day is hard on the crew.
- Austin spring: March through May brings severe thunderstorms and tornado risk. Install a weather alert app before you arrive and learn the difference between a tornado watch and a warning.
- Austin winter: Freezes are rare but ice storms happen. In February 2021 extended freezing temperatures overwhelmed the power grid and left residents without heat or water for days.
September through November lines up well with those facts: the worst Austin heat is breaking and you are ahead of the winter ice-storm window. February is the month to treat with the most caution.
Austin areas worth researching
Austin has grown fast enough that last decade's edge of town is now built out. Five areas are worth a look before you pick a lease:
- South Congress / South Lamar (SoCo): Walkable and eclectic, with local restaurants and music venues, and an urban feel without downtown prices.
- East Austin: The fastest-changing part of the city, with craft cocktail bars, food halls and bungalows next to new construction. Rents are rising.
- North Loop / Hyde Park: Quieter and established, with good housing stock at relatively reasonable prices, and home to University of Texas faculty and longtime locals.
- Round Rock / Cedar Park (north suburbs): If you live in a San Jose suburb such as Santa Clara or Sunnyvale, these will feel familiar, with school districts, newer construction and easy access to tech campuses along the 183/MoPac corridor.
- Bee Cave / Lakeway (west): The edge of the Hill Country, with higher price points and access to Lake Travis.
Browse movers in Austin for companies that handle local moves inside the metro, which helps if you start in temporary housing.
Rent first or buy right away, and what taxes change
Austin is spread out, and commute times and highway patterns matter more than they do in a denser city. Renting for at least six months gives you time to explore several areas on weekends and to watch how the city changes with the seasons. The market has also shifted since its 2021 to 2022 peak. A first-year lease is an ordinary way to start: 56% of Austin households rent, against 44% in San Jose.
If you do buy, build the property tax into your budget: Texas runs about 1.6% to 2.5% of assessed value annually. That can narrow the gap that a home price 57% below San Jose's seems to promise. The absence of state income tax matters at any income level and more so if you earn a tech-sector salary. Austin has drawn major employers in tech and semiconductors, and the job market has matured since 2020.
Texas paperwork, in the order you meet it
- Vehicle registration. Register your car within 30 days. If it was already registered in your name in another state, a $90 new-resident tax applies instead of sales tax.
- Driver license. Get a Texas license from DPS within 90 days of establishing residency.
- Inspection. Since January 1, 2025, most cars no longer need a safety inspection, and a $7.50 fee applies instead. Emissions tests still apply in the big metro counties, including the Austin area; Bexar County is added from November 1, 2026.
- Homestead exemption, if you buy. The school-tax exemption is $140,000 (plus $60,000 if you are 65 or older or disabled), and you file by April 30.
Check the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and DPS for current fees before you go. You can also browse by state to compare mover options along the way.
Austin-bound questions, answered
How soon after the pickup in San Jose should the Austin apartment or house be ready?
Movers often quote a delivery window of 3 to 7 business days from pickup, and a shared truck can stretch it. Have the Austin address available for the whole window, or arrange storage if it is not. Get the window in writing before signing.
Does having no income tax in Texas outweigh the property tax for a San Jose buyer?
Texas has no state income tax, while California's rate goes up to 13.3%. Texas property tax runs about 1.6% to 2.5% of assessed value, though, and it applies every year. Run your own salary and home price through both, because the two taxes affect different budgets.
Which Austin months are hardest for an unloading day?
Summer, when heat regularly passes 100°F, and spring, when severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible from March through May. February can bring ice storms, as in 2021. Fall is the stretch when the heat has broken and the winter risk has not started.
How should I handle a lease in Austin before buying?
Rent for at least six months if you can, and learn how far each neighborhood sits from your workplace. Austin's rental share is 56%, and a lease is a low-commitment way to test an area before weighing it against the $512,700 median home.
Will an Austin apartment building change who I hire?
It changes what you tell them. With 42% of Austin homes in buildings of five or more units, ask your mover how they handle elevators, loading docks and truck parking, and mention any long carry at the survey. That information goes into the estimate.
Do I need a different kind of estimate for a California-to-Texas move?
You need a written one that says whether it is binding or non-binding, built on an inventory or survey. A not-to-exceed price is a binding option worth asking about. Ask each company to confirm which kind it is giving you.