Could You Live in Texas?

By: Elisabeth Henderson
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Could You Live in Texas?
Image: ferrantraite/E+/gettyimages

About This Quiz

While Texas is bigger than any country in Europe, there may still not be enough room for you. Perhaps more than any other state, Texas has its own brand of behavior and welcome. If you don’t fit the brand, you may well feel uncomfortable in parts of Texas. Within the great state of Texas, it’s just an understanding that the Texan way is the best way. But, once you step your foot outside the border, you find that the rest of the world has different opinions. The cowboy swagger does not always generate respect.  

Is country music the music of the gods, or is it a backwater, old fashioned and sentimental? Which is the king of BBQ: pulled pork, ribs or brisket? Is the Bible the literal word of God? Is oil the lifeblood of the country? If you answer one of these questions wrongly in a Texas honky-tonk, you may well hear the music stop and all the stools swivel in your direction. 

Then again, Texas boasts a variety of culture, landscape and people groups, and, if you know where to look, you can always find pockets of likeminded folk. Texas is home not only to King Ranch — a working ranch that’s larger than Rhode Island — but also to Austin, home of all things progressive and "weird." If you lean to the weird, maybe there’s room for you after all. 

So, saddle up to these questions and we’ll reckon whether or not we can find a place where you’d be at home in the Lone Star State. 

01_gridlocked
WALTER ZERLA/Cultura/gettyimages
How do you feel when you enter a gridlocked highway?
I grit my teeth and go through it.
Something is deeply wrong in the world.
It’s just how life is.
Hmm, what music should I listen to?

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02_dancing
DIGITALproshots/E+/gettyimages
If your friends want to go dancing, what are you going to wear?
Wranglers and a pearl snap shirt
Something black
Tight pants and a fancy shirt
Jeans and a T-shirt

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03_lunch_break
d3sign/Moment/gettyimages
When you get a lunch break for work, what would you prefer to do to relax?
Eat a burger on the tailgate of my truck
Grab some tacos and go to the park
Walk to a bistro
Take a walk around the lake

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04_man_skirt
by John Carleton/Moment/gettyimages
If you saw a man walking down a busy street in a pink mini-skirt, what would you think?
Why do these people think others want to see that?
Nice skirt
What play is showing?
Nice legs!

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05_book_store
CommerceandCultureAgency/DigitalVision/gettyimages
If you want to pick a new book to read, how will you go about selecting one?
Ask my buddy and borrow one
Go to the big bookstore
Get on my mobile device and download one
Go to an independent bookstore and talk to the employees

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06_concert
Jena Ardell/Moment/gettyimages
What was the last live music show that you experienced?
A small country concert at a BBQ joint
Some mariachis playing in the park
A big country concert in an auditorium
A small singer-songwriter show at a bar

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07_mockingvbird
Wei Hao Ho/Moment/gettyimages
What is the state bird of Texas?
Mockingbird
Meadowlark
Cardinal
Blue Jay

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08_fishing
LOUISE BEAUMONT/Moment/gettyimages
If you have a hankering for a nature outing, what do you have in mind?
A fishing trip on a river
A rugged hike in the mountains
A walk through a neighborhood
A ramble along a creek

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09_politics
Dimitri Otis/DigitalVision/gettyimages
How would you describe your politics at a mixed dinner party?
Conservative Christian
Workers' rights
Republican, for economic reasons
As far left as I can get without going to Canada

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10_texas_winter
fstop123/E+/gettyimages
What should the weather be like in the winter, when all is right in the world?
About 70 degrees and humid
Cold at night and warm during the day
A chance of ice every now and then
Snowy and cold

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11_family dinner
Hinterhaus Productions/DigitalVision/gettyimages
What does family dinner look like on a typical weeknight?
We gather at the dinner table, pray, eat and talk.
We eat together while watching something.
Everyone gets their own food because we’re all busy.
Maybe we’ll go eat ramen.

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12_local swimming pool
gilaxia/E+/gettyimages
How do you feel about the prospect of partial nudity at the local swimming pool?
No sir, that’s not wholesome.
Hmm, I’ve never heard of that.
To each their own
I’m there.

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13_Countrymusic
Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision/gettyimages
What separates Texas country from Nashville country?
More fiddles and acoustics, lyric-driven
One is played in Texas.
The bigger artists are from Nashville.
Willie

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14_country_dancing
kali9/E+/gettyimages
What does a night out on the town entail?
Chicken-fried steak and dancing at the music hall
Go to dinner and maybe a movie
Fine dining followed by a play
BBQ and live music

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15_restaurant
Hinterhaus Productions/DigitalVision/gettyimages
What are your expectations for a nice restaurant?
Red and white checkered table cloth
Hot salsa
White linens, fine wine, Michelin star
Eclectic fare

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16_Mexican food
Elizabeth Beard/Moment/gettyimages
How can you tell authentic Mexican food?
If they have queso
If they make their own tortillas
If they have good guacamole
If they have migas tacos

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17_oil derricks
Diana Haronis/Moment/gettyimages
How do you feel when you see a spattering of oil derricks along the side of a highway?
A swell of pride
I’m not sure what they are.
Keep up the good work.
Tear it all down.

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18_bbq
Jeff R Clow/Moment/gettyimages
What is the defining factor of any self-respecting BBQ establishment?
Brisket
Whether they have green chile as a topping
Pulled pork
Brisket tacos

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19_neighbors
GabrielPevide/E+/gettyimages
How do you prefer to interact with your neighbors?
I prefer to know all about them and help each other with whatever we need.
I enjoy small talk and seeing people outside.
Smile and wave
Block parties

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20_horses
Thomas Northcut/DigitalVision/gettyimages
What is the primary purpose of horses?
Rounding up cattle
Riding through the desert
Watching at the track
Being pretty in movies

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21_family hike
Tom Merton/OJO Images/gettyimages
If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity, what might you have in mind?
Family fishing trip at the river
Music in the park
The science museum
A family hike

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22_jeans
LaylaBird/E+/gettyimages
What is your favorite brand of jeans?
Wranglers
Levis
Joes
Thrift store

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23_Hot_outside
kali9/E+/gettyimages
What is the hottest summer temperature you can endure and still be moderately happy?
108
115
100
95

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24_speak spanish
JulNichols/E+/gettyimages
What are you able to say in Spanish?
Hola, cómo estás?
I can hold a philosophical conversation.
Donde está el baño?
Not really anything

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25_shooting
The Ali Mir/Moment/gettyimages
What is your comfort level with guns?
I own several and shoot my own meat.
I have one gun, and I shoot it at the range.
I’m OK with other people having them.
The idea of them makes me nervous.

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26_truck_bed
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd/DigitalVision/gettyimages
In your opinion, how big a truck do you need if you don’t use the bed regularly?
Big as a house
Small and nimble
Double cab
Don’t need a truck at all

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27_salsa
by Elena Veselova/Moment/gettyimages
What does medium salsa mean to you?
A slight tingle on the tongue
It should set your mouth pleasantly on fire.
It may be too hot.
No heat at all

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28_highway desert
Cheryl Bronson/Moment/gettyimages
If you are driving down a long stretch of highway across the desert, how do you feel about the landscape?
I think about all the oil under the ground.
I cast my soul out into the raw beauty.
I think it’s a development opportunity.
I think it’s strange and beautiful.

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29_visit family
Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision/gettyimages
How far is too far to drive to see family?
12 hours
9 hours
6 hours
3 hours

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30_the Alamo
YinYang/E+/gettyimages
What happened at the Alamo?
Hundreds of patriots sacrificed their lives for freedom.
The Mexican army fought for their land.
Something about Texas history
Hmmm, I don’t know, but I think we’re supposed to remember it.

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