We moved from California to Texas with our 5-month-old baby before even visiting the state. Now, if our car has issues, we can actually afford to fix it.

Fri, 09/29/2023 - 19:13

Eddie Casillas, Brittany Casillas-Ta, and the couple's baby daughter moved from Sacramento, California to Texas earlier this year.
Courtesy of Brittany Casillas-Ta

Eddie Casillas and Brittany Casillas-Ta moved from Sacramento, California to Tyler, Texas in January.
The couple and their now-1-year-old daughter were looking for a safer, more affordable lifestyle.
The family has since moved to Houston, which they said fulfills their desire to be in a big city.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eddie Casillas, a 27-year-old civil engineer, and his wife Brittany Casillas-Ta, a 25-year-old behavioral therapist, about their decision to move from Sacramento, California, to Texas, earlier this year. The following has been edited for length and clarity.