R.S.
Seems like Gamma G really covered the areas well...
I am going to tell you being a Texan born and bred...and my husband was born up east and was transplanted in his teens, neither of us could see moving anyplace else (except with in the Texas boarders).
The state really is like its own country as you have different climates depending on where in the state you live.
Now if they don't change your husbands salary any...the cost of living will blow you away it is so low. We have friends who moved from Chicago, sold their itty bitty town house and bought a two story mini-mansion (six bedrooms four and a half baths). For the same amount of money.
In the whole real estate thing our house lost value but never below what we paid for it...so no upside down thing for us or any one else we know well enough to share.
Texas is a BIG sports state...you can't throw a rock on Saturday mornings without hitting a soccer game in progress, there are so many leagues for kids and adults. Football...ha, every school from middle school up has a football team...and most serious football kids/parents start playing in Pop Warner leagues at the age of four.
We do not have state income tax. So there is one thing you don't have to worry about... Uh, you pay property taxes on your house, but they usually include that in escrow so it is part of your mortgage payment. Cars and taxes....I don't really know...
Visit the schools they vary area by area...
Message me if you have any other questions...I am in San Antonio so I am not close to either Midland or Fairfield, but I have a girlfriend from the Midland area and tons of friends who have moved from the Dallas/Ft.Worth area to San Antonio...I could ask some of them.
Good luck on your adventure!!