Programmers Left Their Heart In...Houston?

California may be the tech industry's center of gravity, but a new analysis suggests there's a far better state for those making their living as programmers: Texas.Four of the top 10 cities for apps programmers' salaries are in California but when you factor in cost of living to come up with an adjusted salary -- a far more meaningful figure -- no other state comes close to Texas. The Lone Star state has all of the top five cities on this measure, and six of the top 10. Houston is No. 1. That's a remarkable showing.

Even more telling, San Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, and San Jose -- all in the top 10 for gross salary -- are in the bottom 10 for adjusted salary.

This is just one blogger's finding, using 2005 Department of Labor salary data and, apparently, this cost of living calculator.

Is Texas indeed the best place for a programmer to ply his or her trade? Are there an adequate number of programming jobs in Texas to make this analysis hold up? Is California's cost of living putting it at a disadvantage in the hunt for talent? Weigh in below.

I'd also love your thoughts on this item asserting that companies are pushing their overworked employees to work less. Yes, there are plenty of examples of companies that think their people will perform better if they are able to maintain some work-life balance. Are those companies the rule, or the exception?