Moving from Washington to Houston

The Story

DC-to-Houston is federal/HHS → NASA Johnson + TMC + MD Anderson move — direct NASA federal-to-federal lateral. DC 8.95% → TX 0% saves $8,950/yr. Housing 42% cheaper, COL 38% lower. Pull: NASA Johnson Space Center (federal lateral), ExxonMobil HQ, Chevron, Texas Medical Center (largest globally, Cerner bridge), MD Anderson Cancer.

Why This Move

Why people move from Washington to Houston.

NASA Johnson Space Center — direct federal-to-federal lateral
ExxonMobil HQ — Fortune 5 oil/gas
Chevron + ConocoPhillips — energy corridor
Texas Medical Center — largest medical complex globally (Cerner bridge)
MD Anderson Cancer + Houston Methodist + Memorial Hermann
Port of Houston — logistics
No state tax (saves $8,950/yr)
Astros/Rockets/Texans + diverse food scene

Cost Comparison

The money side of DC → TX.

Washington

Median home$600,000
Income tax8.95% (DC)
Cost index152

Houston

Median home$350,000
Income taxNone (TX)
Cost index95

What to Do in Houston

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Houston, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

Discovery Green — 12-acre downtown park; ice skating in winter
Buffalo Bayou Park — 160-acre linear park; kayaking, biking, art installations

Culture & Arts

Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) — Sixth-largest museum in US; James Turrell Skyspace
The Menil Collection — Free private collection; renowned 20th-century works
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo — March; world's largest rodeo and concert series
Minute Maid Park (Astros) — Retractable-roof MLB stadium

Family-Friendly

Space Center Houston — NASA Johnson Space Center visitor center; Mission Control tour
Houston Museum of Natural Science — Cockrell Butterfly Center, Hall of Paleontology
Hermann Park / Houston Zoo — 445-acre park; 55-acre zoo
Galveston Island (50 min south) — Beach, Pleasure Pier, historic Strand district

Where to Eat

Houston's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Houston resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Steakhouse Galleria

Classic Houston steakhouse
Crawfish & Noodles Vietnamese-Cajun Bellaire/Chinatown

Viet-Cajun crawfish — a Houston original cuisine
Ninfa's on Navigation Tex-Mex East End

Original 1973 Ninfa's; invented fajitas (claim)
Truth BBQ BBQ Midtown

Brisket comparable to Austin's Franklin (some say better)
Underbelly Hospitality (multiple) Various Multiple

Chris Shepherd's restaurant group; James Beard winner
Killen's BBQ (Pearland) BBQ Pearland

Ronnie Killen's flagship BBQ
Xochi Mexican Downtown

Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan-focused; James Beard winner
March Mediterranean tasting Montrose

Felipe Riccio's tasting menu; Michelin star

Where to Live

Best Houston neighborhoods for Washington transplants.

Mapped to the Washington neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Montrose

If Logan Circle was your scene — walkable, gay-friendly, restaurants
The Heights

If H Street NE was your vibe — bungalows, walkable, breweries
Midtown

If you wanted urban — walkable, nightlife
The Woodlands (suburb)

If Bethesda was your model — master-planned, top schools
Sugar Land (suburb)

If you wanted family-friendly — top schools, diverse
River Oaks

If you wanted prestigious — mansions, top schools

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Houston.

Climate

Humid subtropical (effectively coastal). Hot, humid summers (78-95°F, June-Sept). Mild winters (45-65°F, occasional freeze). Hurricane season June-November (Harvey 2017 was catastrophic). 204 sun days/year.

Summer78-94°F
Winter45-65°F
Sun days/yr204
Rainfall53 inches

Walkability

Walk Score47/100
Transit Score36/100
Bike Score51/100

Houston is car-dependent — most errands require driving.

Outdoors & Recreation

Buffalo Bayou Park — 160 acres of linear park, kayaking, biking
Memorial Park — 1,500-acre urban park; Seymour Lieberman Trail
Galveston Island — beach access (50 min south)
Brazos Bend State Park — alligators, hiking (1 hr southwest)
Sam Houston National Forest (1 hr north) — hiking, kayaking
Houston Bayou system — paddling Buffalo, White Oak, Brays bayous

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

DC 8.95% becomes TX 0% — saves $8,950/year on $100K
Housing 42% cheaper — $600K DC becomes $350K Houston
COL 38% lower
Climate flips humid subtropical to humid subtropical (Houston hotter, hurricanes)
Property tax TX 2.0% higher than DC 0.85%
Walkability decrease — DC Metro walkable, Houston no zoning + car-dependent
Federal/HHS → NASA Johnson direct federal lateral
Sports — gain Astros/Rockets/Texans, lose Commanders

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-66 W to I-81 S to I-40 W to I-30 W to I-45 S

1,450 miles via Roanoke, Knoxville, Memphis, Dallas. 22 hours / 3 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 1,450 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$6,200-$11,000
Container/PODS$4,500-$7,500
DIY (26-ft truck)$3,200-$5,500
Best monthsOct-Apr (avoid summer heat + hurricanes)
Lead time6-8 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions