Super cities for seniors

Booming Houston suburb named No. 1 retirement spot in Texas

Katy is the best place to retire in Texas, says a new report.

If you’re hunting for a place to retire in Texas, you might want to consider your own backyard.

A recent study by personal finance website SmartAsset ranks five cities in the Houston metro area among the top 10 places in Texas for retirees. Katy nabs the No. 1 spot, with Richmond at No. 5, Tomball at No. 6, Humble at No. 8, and Webster at No. 10.

SmartAsset judged each city on these factors:

Burden from income and sales taxes.
Doctor’s offices per 1,000 residents.
Recreation centers per 1,000 residents.
Retirement centers per 1,000 residents.
Share of seniors in the population.

SmartAsset weighted each factor equally, and them came up with a total score for every city.

Katy’s score of 53.88 puts it at No. 1 in Texas. Among the state’s top-ranked cities, Katy performed best in two categories: doctor’s offices per 1,000 residents (17.3) and recreation centers per 1,000 residents (4.1).

“We recently ranked Katy as one of the best suburbs near Houston. When it comes to retirement in particular, Katy has you covered from health care to entertainment,” according to the Movoto real estate website.

Here are SmartAsset’s top 10 cities in Texas for retirees, including the score for each place:

Katy — 53.88
Granbury (Dallas-Fort Worth) — 46.89
Woodway (Waco metro area) — 43.52
Fredericksburg (Hill Country) — 43.49
Richmond — 40.94
Tomball — 40.09
Burnet (northwest of Austin) — 39.85
Humble — 38.27
Boerne (San Antonio metro area) — 34.17
Webster — 33.96

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana