Moving from Oklahoma City, OK, to Houston, TX

Setting up a home in “The Lone Star State”

While they’re in neighboring states, moving from Oklahoma City to Houston, TX, takes you south around 500 miles, depending on which part of the city you’ll call home.

Unlike OKC, Houston isn’t the capital of its state, but it is the most populous city in Texas. Houston has over 2.3 million residents and 7.1 million in the metro area. Oklahoma City is significantly smaller, with around 681,000 in the city and 1.4 million in the metro. 

There’s much more to anticipate from changing your home from the “Sooner State” to “The Lone Star State.” Keep reading to learn more about Houston.

A brief history of Houston

Incorporated in 1837, the city was named for Sam Houston, who served as the first president of the Republic of Texas until 1845, when it joined the United States.  

Brothers Augustus and John Allen founded the city. They purchased land and offered up their new city to serve as the temporary capital of the Republic by offering a state capitol building. The city’s population of less than 15 residents had grown to 1,500 by the time Texas Congress met.

Soon after, in 1839, the Republic of Texas relocated its capital to Austin, where it remains today. Despite the setback, the city became a hub of commerce in the 1840s, and shipbuilding continued to drive the economy well into the 1950s. Later, Houston became known as “Space City” as the location for NASA’s “Manned Spacecraft Center,” which was renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973.

Anticipate more rain and milder winters

Summer highs average around 93 degrees in both cities, but Houston’s proximity to the ocean creates a damper environment. The city gets around 53 inches of rain annually, compared to 36 inches in OKC. 

Houston's winters are milder, with average lows around 43 degrees and rare snow accumulation. Oklahoma City’s average lows are around 27 degrees, with around 6 inches of snow per year.

Your preparedness for tornadoes in OKC will help you in Houston, which can be impacted by tropical storms and hurricanes. 

Making a living in Houston

While the cost of living in Houston is typically higher than in OKC, salaries are also generally higher. Plus, unlike Oklahoma, Texas does not charge individual income taxes, so you’ll take home more of your salary.

Once known for mostly port jobs or oil and gas industry work, Houston now offers more job variety. It’s home to multiple Fortune 500 companies, including ConocoPhillips and Sysco. The Texas Medical Center employs many residents in the medical field, and the city is also an aerospace hub thanks to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Move to Texas with U-Pack

U-Pack® has nationwide service centers and nearly 30 years of long-distance moving experience. We have locations near Oklahoma City and Houston prepared to help with your move. 

We’re a DIY service where you handle packing, loading, and unloading, and then take care of the driving. Get a free online quote today or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant.