We had a situation similar to yours. We were close to retirement. We lived in California. We had savings and an expensive home. Having had enough we decided to relocate to eastern Tennessee in 2010. My husband found a job there and worked for three years before he retired. We’ve downsized. The people in the Bible Belt are treasures — as I expect the people in Texas are.
If you can swing it, and can work out the logistics, it might be worth it to leave California behind.
We like Tennessee too! We’ve thought about moving there. My family is in Texas, but my husband would enjoy the outdoor activities of Tennessee more.