Texas was the 28th state to join the union on December 29, 1845. Austin is the state capital and Houston is its largest city. Texas is bordered by the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated population of Texas is 31,290,831 (July 2024 est.); it ranks as the 2nd most populous state.
Official Texas State Facts and Symbols
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of the official state symbols:
Nickname: The Lone Star State
Bird: Mockingbird
Mammal: Texas Longhorn
Fish: Guadalupe Bass
Flower: Bluebonnet
Plant: Prickly Pear Cactus
Tree: Pecan Tree
Song: “Texas, Our Texas”
Motto: Friendship
Fun Facts about Texas
Texas is the only state to have the flags of six different nations fly over it: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and the United States. This is often referred to as the “Six Flags of Texas”. Throughout its history, various nations have held sovereignty over the territory that is now Texas.
Texas has more counties (254) than any other state in the U.S.
King Ranch in Houston is bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island. It is home of 35,000 cattle and over 200 Quarter Horses.
The soft drink Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas in 1885 by a pharmacist named Charles Alderton (there is no period after “Dr” in the name).
Texas is known for “Tex-Mex” food, a combination of Texan and Mexican cuisine.
Texas is the only state with its own separate power grid.
Texas is a major producer of oil and natural gas.
Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World.
Famous people born in Texas include actors Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Steve Martin, Woody Harrelson, and Eva Longoria, among many others. Musicians Willie Nelson and Buddy Holly were also born there. Former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson were born in Texas; George H.W. Bush moved to Texas after graduating from Yale, and George W. Bush grew up in Texas.
NCP Panel Members in Texas
Let’s learn about your fellow panel members in Texas! Here’s how our Texas panel members answered some of our state highlight survey questions.
How long have you been a panel member?
35% of survey respondents have been panel members for 15 years or more
15% have been panel members for less than a year
How long have you lived in your current state?
45% of respondents have lived in Texas for over 15 years and 35% their entire life/born there.
Is the area you live rural, suburban, or urban?
23% live in rural areas
56% live in suburban areas
21% live in urban areas
Do you have children?
70% of respondents have children
Of those, 23% have children living in their home
Shopping Habits of NCP Panel Members in Texas
We asked panel members questions about how, when, and where they shop, along with some other questions about their shopping habits.
Here’s what our panel members in Texas had to say about their shopping habits:
When asked how they do most of their shopping:
63% of respondents said they do a combo of online and in-store shopping
32% said they shop in-store only
5% said they shop online only
72% of respondents tend to shop at the same stores vs. 31% who said they shop at a variety of stores.
70% of respondents said they mostly stick to a list when shopping, but sometimes make impulse purchases.
66% of respondents said they shop alone, with another 21% shopping with a spouse or partner.
When it comes to choosing where to shop, 52% of the Texas panel members who responded said they primarily shop at grocery stores and 34% at mass merchandise retailers.
Price, convenience, and location were the top factors that influence where they decide to shop. Most of our Texas panel members said they shop once a week for groceries and do most of their shopping on Fridays (Wednesdays and Saturdays were tied for 2nd).
About 77% of survey respondents look for ways to save money while shopping, with digital coupons and joining a store’s loyalty program and paper coupons being the most popular options. They also use the store sales flyer to plan their list, shop at multiple stores, and subscribe to store emails.
Convenience while shopping
Here’s what Texas panel members had to say about different aspects of shopping:
51% never order groceries online to pick up at the store while 40% sometimes do
64% never order groceries online to be delivered, while 28% sometimes do
When asked if weather influenced their choice between online and in-person shopping:
35% of respondents said weather doesn’t impact their decision
33% saying they prefer in-person shopping regardless of the weather
When asked about self-checkout:
22% of respondents said they always use self-checkout
44% indicated they frequently use it
27% of respondents said they rarely use it
7% said they never use it
Interests of NCP panel members in Texas
When asked about the outdoors, 37% said they occasionally participate in outdoor recreational activities. The most popular outdoor activities were hiking/walking (78%), swimming, cycling, and running/jogging. Other activities that were very popular that panel members wrote in were gardening and fishing.
When asked which sports or events they follow, the top responses were football, baseball and basketball.
We also asked what “type” of place or tourist attraction would they recommend to people visiting their state/hometown. The most popular responses were restaurants/culinary places and local markets, historical and cultural museums, cultural events and local festivals, and natural parks and reserves.
When we asked what “specific” place or tourist attraction they would recommend in their state/hometown, here are some of their top recommendations:
The Alamo
San Antonio Riverwalk
Space Center Houston
Galveston
Big Bend National Park
Austin
South Padre Island
We hope you learned something new about Texas! How do your shopping habits compare to panel members in Texas?
Stay tuned for the next state spotlight on…Utah!
Join NCP!
If you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the JOIN NCP section of the blog for more information!
Regards,
Taylor
More from NCP:
Click here for all the Spotlight on States blogs.
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