Check out why everything’s better in Texas.

As the second-largest state in the U.S. (both in area and population), Texas adds a certain western flair to its iconic attractions and diverse landscapes. The Texas state tourism slogan even does it up big with this … "Texas. It’s like a whole other country."

That unique and bigger-than-life attitude is evident in movies and TV shows like Walker, Texas Ranger, Friday Night Lights, Urban Cowboy, and Dallas. Plus, any watcher of SpongeBob SquarePants knows you don’t mess with Texas.

Texas may be known as the land of longhorns, ten-gallon hats, and smokin’ hot BBQ, but we’ve found a few other things that make it a wonderful place to live.

1. Diverse Environments to Call Home

From farmlands and coastal dunes to desert landscapes and city settings, you’ll find a wide range of places and spaces to call home. Check out El Paso, Amarillo, or Lubbock if you enjoy the plains and desert landscapes. We’ve got the coastal region covered with Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Freeport. Prefer large urban environments? Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S. and San Antonio is number seven. Then there’s Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin for urbanites.

2. Sports Teams

Between the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros, Houston Texans, San Antonio Spurs, and Texas Rangers, Texans have a wide variety of sports teams to cheer on. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest in the world for those of us who aren’t into the ball games.

3. Low Cost of Living

Texas has an 8% lower cost of living than the national average. This is due in part to the fact that there’s no state income tax. Yes, that’s right. You can save a little extra for things like college, retirement, or vacations.

4. Higher Education Opportunities

Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Austin, Southern Methodist University, Texas Tech University, and Rice University are all located in the great state of Texas.

5. Natural Beauty

Texas is approximately 268,596 square miles in size and features diverse landscapes of mountains, marshes, prairies, plains, urban settings, and the coastal regions along the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande, Colorado, Pecos, and San Antonio rivers all flow through the Lone Star state. This gives Texans a diverse choice of areas to visit without ever leaving their home state.

6. Activities, Attractions, and Recreation

A state this big is going to have a lot going on within its walls. Spend weekends visiting The Alamo, Big Bend National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and Johnson Space Center, to name just a few.

7. Culinary Scene

Foodies flock to Texas for the BBQ, but there’s so much more. Try Tex-Mex, chili, queso, and big cuts of beef. Whataburger is based in San Antonio and the first restaurant opened in Corpus Christi in 1950. Apparently, Dr. Pepper was invented in Texas, so there’s that.

8. Diverse Art and Culture

Texas is the second most diverse state in the nation. There are approximately 145 languages spoken just in Houston. Whether it’s ranches and rodeos, country, blues, and rock music, or Austin’s eclectic art scene, the culture is big here.

9. Warm Weather

If you’re a fan of sunshine, the Lone Star state is for you. It’s typically hot during the summer months (averages between 80 and 100) and warm the rest of the year. Most areas don’t ever see snow.

Do you live in Texas? What’s your favorite thing about the Lone Star State? Let us know in the comments!