We are looking too, planning our move next year. I just want heat, guns, and zero state income tax. Texas has lost the cities to Cali, so that is a no. We are thinking Arizona. I would love to live on the Gulf coast, but the crime rates are through the roof. I still think we should colonize Cuba. But I love heat. Washington State is looking like a serious contender as well. Utah and Idaho are too chilly for us after such a long long winter. Keep us posted on what you find.
A friend is investigating Belize next week...
I don’t live there anymore, but Reno NV has low taxes, the summers are warm, but not sweltering. The winters are somewhat chilly in the morning, but the low humidity seems to have a good effect on old joints. Real Estate is dirt cheap now. I also like Eastern Washington around Spokane. It is several degrees cooler than Reno, no state income tax, property taxes about average.
I know what you are saying about crime rates, but you should try to research based on locality and not the whole state. For example, NV ranks seventh highest in violent crime for the 59 states. If you take out Clark County the rest of the state would rank down near the bottom. Fortunately, there are three hundred miles of desert between Vegas and the rest of the state.
There's plenty of red country left outside the big cities in Texas. More than you can possibly imagine.