Houston Texas Vs Atlanta Georgia (Marietta, Dallas: job market, income, live)

[A&H TEAM]

I grew up in Houston and ended up moving with my parents in August of 99 to Atlanta. So it has been 9 years since I have lived in Atlanta. By the way my parents ended up moving back to Houston two years ago, because they hated Atlanta.

Both cities offer different things. Down side to atlanta- Atlanta does have alot of suburbs, I personally never leave my suburb because it is way to dangerous. MARTA is the scariest thing I ever put my kids through. Atlanta airport is nasty and has nasty people who hang around the airport. People in atlanta are not as friendly. The winters can get really cold. The main differences is that the cost of living in Atlanta is much higher. Average home price in a good area is about $245, 000. Utilites are higher and even gas is higher here. Average price for gas in atlanta is $3.73 compared to Houston which is now at $3.30. The job market sucks!! Companies have such a high turn around and people are constantly out of jobs and have to try and find something else, and most of the time requires them to get into a whole new field of work. If your car breaks down, people will honk and cuss you out instead of stopping to help. Very rude, granit I know most of the people in atlanta are not from atlanta. You rarely meet anyone that is from here. GA laws are crazy, I am still trying to understand the way they do things here.

Plus side of atlanta - The suburbs are much nicer, very green with lots of trees and small mountains, lots of recreational things for a family to enjoy. My kids go to great scools, not hardly any crime in the suburbs, people seem to be a little bit nicer, and these are reasons I still live here. Oh yeah, property taxes are cheaper here. Suburbs it is about 1,800 give or take per year.

Down side to Houston - houston to more spread out, alot more freeways, traffic is about the same as atlanta(except in rush hour) , more storms and floods that can hit when you least expect it to. Crime rate has jumped since katrina. Summers are blistering hot. You can't even walk to your mailbox without breaking a sweat. Roads boil, heat haze, and leather seats in a car will just about burn your skin off (or it feels that way). Propery taxes are much higher compared to atlanta (houston ranges from 2, 800 to about 5,400) depending where you live.

Plus side to Houston - There are sooo many more things to do there(beach, kema, moody gardens, nasa, the zoo area has a lot to offer, downtown i heard has a bordwalk now and has cleaned up, mardi gras, rodeo, new braunsvile, san antonio, austin, padre island. They have many more concerts and festivals. Airport is very clean and much nicer. I would never fear for my life or my kids lives there. Costing of living is cheaper overall. Average home sale price is $140, 000. That is 100, 000 dollars cheaper than atlanta. The economy is great. There are more companies there than in atlanta and there is also not that big of a turn around. Most people in Texas love Texas and are much more friendly. If your car breaks down, someone will stop immediately to help you or at least let you use their cell phone. Suburb schools are much better and texans have a deep love for sports. Texas laws are not crazy, they just don't put up with anyones crap. Oh yeah, no state tax.

You can't just visit either and know which will be best, you really do need to live there or know someone who has. Good luck to anyone wanting to move to either of the two cities. I pick Houston!

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

This topic has exhausted me. Go to the General US forum for the thread.

We need more Atlantans posting on that board to counter all of the skewed arguments.

I'm with you...these Houston/Dallas/Atlanta comparison threads are stupid and pointless.
Frankly, all three cities have plenty of positives.

[anadyr21]

Let's put it this way, BOTH of the two cities have had noticeable crime jumps since all of the criminals that were in New Orleans left it when Katrina hit. Both cities are congested, hot and humid in summer, and have traffic from Hell. One city is a bit more ghetto, the other is a bit more espanol. Atlanta is closer to trees and mountain, Houston to water.

Take your pick.

I pick Vancouver. LOL

I'm sorry, that was hilariously accurate.

[Lakewooder]

Houston. At least you are in Texas!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Houston. At least you are in Texas!

Another state with no native hockey. The best you could do is steal my beloved North Stars.

[westboy33]

I pick atlanta because it has a mass transit system to start with, it is very diversed and it is the fastest growing metro in the U.S. Also the city is on fire with alot of companies coming this way and the music industry. The trumph towers will be opening soon and the city has plenty to do, crime is bad, but not to the extent that you describe. Never been to texas, but this is what i think of Atlanta!

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

This topic has exhausted me. Go to the General US forum for the thread.

We need more Atlantans posting on that board to counter all of the skewed arguments.

Thank you, they are both great cities. Enough of this.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by westboy33

I pick atlanta because it has a mass transit system to start with, it is very diversed and it is the fastest growing metro in the U.S. Also the city is on fire with alot of companies coming this way and the music industry. The trumph towers will be opening soon and the city has plenty to do, crime is bad, but not to the extent that you describe. Never been to texas, but this is what i think of Atlanta!

I totally agree that the City of Atlanta would absolutely be the BEST place for you in your whole life! You have GOT to live inside the city limits of course, where all the action is! You'll be a real welcome addition, you're gonna fit right in bud!

Here's some recent info on Atlanta that was sompiled by world traveller's rating cities throughout the USA and globally:
America's Favorite Cities 2008 | Atlanta | Travel + Leisure

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by A&H TEAM

I grew up in Houston and ended up moving with my parents in August of 99 to Atlanta. So it has been 9 years since I have lived in Atlanta. By the way my parents ended up moving back to Houston two years ago, because they hated Atlanta.

Both cities offer different things. Down side to atlanta- Atlanta does have alot of suburbs, I personally never leave my suburb because it is way to dangerous. MARTA is the scariest thing I ever put my kids through. Atlanta airport is nasty and has nasty people who hang around the airport. People in atlanta are not as friendly. The winters can get really cold. The main differences is that the cost of living in Atlanta is much higher. Average home price in a good area is about $245, 000. Utilites are higher and even gas is higher here. Average price for gas in atlanta is $3.73 compared to Houston which is now at $3.30. The job market sucks!! Companies have such a high turn around and people are constantly out of jobs and have to try and find something else, and most of the time requires them to get into a whole new field of work. If your car breaks down, people will honk and cuss you out instead of stopping to help. Very rude, granit I know most of the people in atlanta are not from atlanta. You rarely meet anyone that is from here. GA laws are crazy, I am still trying to understand the way they do things here.

Plus side of atlanta - The suburbs are much nicer, very green with lots of trees and small mountains, lots of recreational things for a family to enjoy. My kids go to great scools, not hardly any crime in the suburbs, people seem to be a little bit nicer, and these are reasons I still live here. Oh yeah, property taxes are cheaper here. Suburbs it is about 1,800 give or take per year.

Down side to Houston - houston to more spread out, alot more freeways, traffic is about the same as atlanta(except in rush hour) , more storms and floods that can hit when you least expect it to. Crime rate has jumped since katrina. Summers are blistering hot. You can't even walk to your mailbox without breaking a sweat. Roads boil, heat haze, and leather seats in a car will just about burn your skin off (or it feels that way). Propery taxes are much higher compared to atlanta (houston ranges from 2, 800 to about 5,400) depending where you live.

Plus side to Houston - There are sooo many more things to do there(beach, kema, moody gardens, nasa, the zoo area has a lot to offer, downtown i heard has a bordwalk now and has cleaned up, mardi gras, rodeo, new braunsvile, san antonio, austin, padre island. They have many more concerts and festivals. Airport is very clean and much nicer. I would never fear for my life or my kids lives there. Costing of living is cheaper overall. Average home sale price is $140, 000. That is 100, 000 dollars cheaper than atlanta. The economy is great. There are more companies there than in atlanta and there is also not that big of a turn around. Most people in Texas love Texas and are much more friendly. If your car breaks down, someone will stop immediately to help you or at least let you use their cell phone. Suburb schools are much better and texans have a deep love for sports. Texas laws are not crazy, they just don't put up with anyones crap. Oh yeah, no state tax.

You can't just visit either and know which will be best, you really do need to live there or know someone who has. Good luck to anyone wanting to move to either of the two cities. I pick Houston!

You're entitled to your personal opinion of the two cities, but I take issue with some of your "factual" assertions. I don't think you can categorically state that Houston is less expensive than Atlanta. There's lots of variables.

For starters, Texas has the highest home insurance premiums in the country. No doubt Hurricane Ike will increase premiums just a few pennies. Not likely! Houston is a sitting duck for hurricanes. In addition Houston insurance policies, and Texas home insurance policies in general, are less comprehensive. In other words, you pay way more for home insurance with less coverage.

Yes, Houston does have attractive housing prices, but I think that's largely due to the seemingly boom and bust nature of the Houston economy. A booming Houston economy can be rather short-lived, and can be easily replaced by almost depression-like downturns. You conveniently fail to mention this fact. You present one specific time frame of the Houston economy which in no way accurately reflects Houston's long history of boom and bust economic cycles.

I suppose the super rich may be better off in Houston. An annual income of 25 million a year would not be subject to state income taxes. However, I think people of modest means may find the cost of living to be higher in Houston. Property taxes, home insurance, and the expenses incurred while escaping hurricanes may take a bigger chunk out of the paycheck. Atlantans do not have to pack their bags and leave their homes in fear of hurricanes.

I've only been in Houston once and I disliked the town. I'll never be back. However, I love Dallas and Austin.

You paint a pretty broad brush as to native Georgians being an almost extinct species in Atlanta. Sure, many transplants do call Atlanta home but so do native Georgians.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by vilehelm

I have lived in both cities (albeit Houston was a short stint).

I liked Houston very much, or at least I liked a lot of the people I met there, but I don't know if I would rate it ahead of Atlanta. The weird thing about Houston is many people who have not been there don't realize how F'n big it is. For a city of that size to be so under the radar is strange and I always felt like the energy money that runs that city likes it that way. It dwarfs Atlanta.

The one thing that Houston beats Atlanta in hands down (and this will sound strange) is Art. Houston has world class art, not necessarily and audience who appreciates it but they have it. Menil Collection, Twombly Museum, Rothko Chapel, Museum of Fine Arts and the Contemporary Museum. I realize that is not a thing that people move from city to city for but I would love to have that here in Atlanta.

Layout wise, Atlanta is like a mini Houston. I feel that Atlanta in the last ten years has finally started recovering from white flight and is starting to fill the city up with condos and regentrified neighborhoods. It creates some tension but the demographic mix of the city is looking a little more balanced these days. I'm not sure if that switch has taken place in Houston yet.

Houston floods a lot, every major rain storm you see people sinking their cars in underpasses. They put depth markers on them and everything and folks still drive them in. :\

All in all I would have to say Atlanta, it has the same fractured quality that Houston has, but the small neighborhoods and parks are nicer. The burbs of the cities are pretty much like burbs anywhere. If you live in the burbs just go with where you make more money.

"Dwarfs Atlanta"?
"A Mini Houston"?

Aren't both about the same size, metro-area wise? Furthermore, isn't Houston's city limits much larger in area? It's the equivalent of places all the way up to parts of Marietta being considered "Atlanta". Thus, Houston's higher population isn't all that to brag about.