want to move back south texas looks likes the best option

Hi I was looking at relocating closer to home. Currently i reside in Northern California but I am from MS. I relocated to the area after Hurricane Katrina, but the time has come for me to start considering a move back. I would like to move closer to home because the travel time is a whole day here from CA and all of my family is there. Dont get me wrong I know that i would be giving up a lot by moving back and i have weighed my options. I started looking at TX, particularly in the Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio areas, and from what i have researched the pay seems to be comparible to the cost of living in the area. I do not want to move back to MS persay because the pay is just not suitable, and do not get me wrong money is not everything but I know what I am worth and I deserve to make a decent living.
My family would like for me to move back to MS but everytime I visit and hear my mom's horror stories about the state facility that she works at I just can not sucumb to that torture, despite the fact that she has been a nurse for over 20 years and only makes 25.00/hr., however she lives comfortably off of that and so could I but I just feel that with that many years in, then you should be making a lot more. I guess she is waiting for retirment, so more power to her.
So my question to anyone out there is what are some good area hospitals in Houston, TX, Dallas, or San Antonio to work for, in terms of nurse pay, best place to raise kids, and lowest for crime