From Denver to Austin? (Howe: transplants, apartment, for rent)

[mccat]

I am a 20yr old female college student looking for a change. I've lived in Denver for my entire life and I am really hoping to move this semester. I was looking at living in Austin because I've heard so much about it being a great place for younger people. I have a few questions though:

What is the night life like?

What is the cost of living?

Does the heat get to you or do you get used to it?

Would you recommend moving to Austin?

Is it easy to meet people?

I would be moving completely by myself so I am a little nervous. I have about $4000 saved up atm.

[CptnRn]

I moved to Austin from Denver in 1977 to get a Master's Degree and have never regretted it.

Austin has a very active and diverse night life. Denver had nothing to compare with it when I lived there. Almost every weekend on 6th street in Austin is like New Years on Larimer Street in Denver.

What is the cost of living?
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Austin: 95.0 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Denver: 107.9

However, so many people have been moving to Austin that apartment occupancies are at 97%, rent is going up and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

More Austin demographics data here http://www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

Read this http://www.city-data.com/forum/austi...wth-rates.html

The heat and humidity is bad for about 3 months, the rest of the year the weather is great. You will need to buy more shorts. The key to surviving the summers in Austin is watersports. Spend most of your outdoor time at the lakes and swimming holes. I'm so glad I don't have to drive on icy snow packed roads during rush hour traffic anymore like we did in Denver. It rarely snows in Austin, when the roads are icy it is such a rare event that the whole city shuts down.

It seems easy to meet people and make friends to me. Austin is pretty friendly and easy going.

Try to save at least three months worth of living expenses if you can and if possible find a job before you move. Job competition can be tough if you don't have much experience or a degree.

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by mccat

I am a 20yr old female college student looking for a change. I've lived in Denver for my entire life and I am really hoping to move this semester. I was looking at living in Austin because I've heard so much about it being a great place for younger people. I have a few questions though:

Since you have no connections here, DO NOT MOVE without a job or a lot more than $4000 in your bank account, much of that would be used for renting/deposit, etc.

What is the night life like? Good. When you take into consideration all of Denver's going out neighborhoods, which there are many (Austin only has a few), Austin may be a little better if you're seeking live music. If you include Boulder AND Denver, they are about the same with Austin offering more dive-y options and Denver offering higher-class options.

What is the cost of living? Maybe a little less, depends on where you are currently living in Denver and what you are paying. Also depends on where you wish to live in Austin -- the hip places are not as cheap as transplants think they are. Austin is not substantially less, despite what the media likes to spew. Car insurance is more in Austin.

Does the heat get to you or do you get used to it? Depends on you. For most people who are transplants, no. It's 5-6 months of 95-103 degrees with little rain due to the drought. Saying it's "only bad for 3 months" is not accurate. As most will tell you here, including me who loves heat, it's not that it's 101... it's that it's 101 (or maybe 5 degrees less, at best) for what feels like half of the year. If Denver weather is all you are used to I'm going to wager it will bother you.

Would you recommend moving to Austin? Depends on who you are. If you are 20, have a job waiting for you OR a lot more $ in the bank, sure, now's the time to try something new -- why not?


Is it easy to meet people? Depends on who you are. Are you outgoing? People here are fairly friendly.

I lived in Denver for 13 years and went to school there. Moved here almost 2 years ago. I miss the change of seasons and near-perfect weather. I took for granted a lot weather-wise when I complained about cold and snow. Hindsight is 20/20. Either way, I have a family, thus, moving is a serious undertaking whereas when you are 20 and unencumbered it's a different animal altogether. If you come and learn you don't care for it, then you can move on.

[sxrckr]

I agree with others, you should really try to have a job lined up first.

[EzPeterson]

The job stuff is nonsense. If you're looking for the typical 20's college student retail/service job, they are absolutely everywhere. If you have any experience in the restaurant, service or retail industries, you can have a job in a week, easy. Are you going to make 35K? Not likely, more like 28-30, possibly more if you can land the right restaurant gig. Plenty to live on as a broke college student.

In reality, the weather would be a major, major, factor. To the captain's point above - summers are about dang near living on the water. From floating the 'lupe to finding a friend with a boat on Travis or Austin (as a 20 y/o female, that should be no problem), to the water holes, or just hopping A/C to A/C, the heat can be fun. If you don't absolutely love 90+ degree weather, don't do it - there's enough people that kvetch about the heat here already.

There's really no time like your 20's to take a zero safety net adventure. After all, what's the worst that happens?

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

The job stuff is nonsense. If you're looking for the typical 20's college student retail/service job, they are absolutely everywhere. If you have any experience in the restaurant, service or retail industries, you can have a job in a week, easy. Are you going to make 35K? Not likely, more like 28-30, possibly more if you can land the right restaurant gig. Plenty to live on as a broke college student.

I'll agree with this to a certain extent -- I think I saw 20s and assumed post-college versus "I am 20" - my mistake... but that begs the more obvious question, if you are in college, why would you move and interrupt school? Can't a big move wait until you're done?