...It may sound odd, but the political landscape matters a lot to me...
I’ll be blunt. Texas hasn’t been the friendliest to the 2A since a bunch of carpet-bagging Yankees rewrote the state constitution in 1877, and Texas has been historically a D state. Fiscally conservative, but socially liberal on a few things related to poverty.
You won’t get taxed on income, but your property is going to be taxed nine-ways from Sunday by everybody that legally can. You’ll end up paying less in total taxes, but you’ll be taxed for services you’ll never use, such as schools.
Anywhere near the Texas triangle is the absolute worst with regards to everything above, and you can find some pretty serious methbillys in and around everywhere in east Texas.
Also realize that while this may be Mecca compared to where your from, for a lot of natives and long-timers, this state is going downhill due to everyone moving here and trying to soften the place up and make it more ‘acceptable’ based on what they’re familiar with where they came from.