Austin vs. San Antonio? (Houston, Paris: hotels, public schools, subdivision)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Austin will never be a world class city. Are you serious?? Austin still doesn't even provide many BASIC SERVICES to it's residents. Austin not only can't compare to the larger cities in any way shape or form, but in many circumstances, can't even compare to similar size cities in this country.
I agree with your opinions completely. But I really do think that the "Austin high" is quickly running out of steam. With the horrible traffic congestion, sky high costs of living (central austin), and completely disfunctional city government, Austin doesn't have a whole lot of "growth" left. I do believe the cheap faceless suburbs will continue to grow, but Austin proper will eventually stagnate.
As for Austinites putting down places like Dallas and Houston. There can only be one reason why. Pure and extreme Jealously! Dallas and Houston both could literally mop the floor with little Austin on their WORST days. People in Austin are so arrogant, they refuse to believe that, even when the facts state otherwise.
Just realize that Austin will never change. Even when all of the high tech jobs start moving to Dallas (because of Austin's awful quality of life in 20 years), they will still be proud. They will hang their longhorn flag from the back of their gas guzzling pickup/SUV while throwing their butts out the window. It's the Austin way!
I have been to Dallas and been to Houston and prefer Austin anyday!
Well, I lived in both. In an ideal world with high speed rail or whatever, I would live in Austin and go to work in San Antonio for the higher teacher salaries, but that's not going to ever happen I guess.
Wow... this thread is awful with some of these quotes.
Austin vs San Antonio
I like both cities a lot.
I love San Antonio.
I don't find San Antonio worthless at all (like some previous poster said).
But then again, I am part Hispanic, but I know a lot of non-Hispanics that love it too.
I also love Austin too... what can I say?
Austin kicks ass.
Surrounding Areas
I also love the whole area (Hill Country, Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, Gruene, etc.), and I enjoy Matagorda Island and Padre Island, and places like Rockport and Corpus. Heck I even enjoy visiting friends in Laredo. I enjoy visiting family in El Paso, too.
Country vs Hippie Culture/Texan Friendliness
And this thing about Texans being only somewhat friendly? That's so strange, because they are some of the most friendly people I've ever met.
It reminds me of the time when I was still in school, spending a summer in Texarkana, going to a country music festival with my girlfriend, meeting these redneck/cowboys and their girlfriends and all going back to their trailer home in the woods and smoking pot and drinking whiskey listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Texas practically invented redneck hippies, no? I have countless examples of Texas friendliness all over the state.
My opinion about the OP
I think the OP needs to try a little harder in SA.
Rednecks/Cowboys
What's wrong with rednecks? or cowboys?
I (still) wear cowboy boots and speak several languages fluently, and have a Master's degree and work in the Finance field, and traveled all over the place... am I a redneck cowboy too? I love country music (and jazz too).
How about diversifying your friend base a little to include those who may be different from you? You MIGHT (just might) learn something useful.
Church/Religion/Spirituality
What's wrong with going to church? Nothing!
I was raised Catholic and left the church and even was anti-church for a while, a little older now I am quite happy hangin with my church-going friends. Why not EXPAND the types of people you hang with? Do they all have to be secular-based? Spirituality can be a positive.
Fat/Obese People
What's wrong with accepting people who may be fat? I'm a fitness freak myself (with the body to show), but my "fat" friends and I exercise together. They appreciate it very much. My parents could lose about 20-40 pounds, but I love them anyways!
Oh, I get it... if they are fat and strangers, then it's not good. But family members, it's OK?
Ain't that something. I grew up in Texarkana. When was the last time you were there?
I think I remember you posting something about SA having a MUCH better art community compared to Austin and I got a great laugh out of that one!
I got a great laugh out of it too to think that Austin could compare to San Antonio's art scence. The only thing that I can say is that Austin has a more modern downtown skyline than SA .
I got a great laugh out of it too to think that Austin could compare to San Antonio's art scence. The only thing that I can say is that Austin has a more modern downtown skyline than SA .
Austin is a great city no doubt but San Antonio has a stronger art scene. There are three arts districts. Austin doesn't have a designated Art district.
Austin is a great city no doubt but San Antonio has a stronger art scene. There are three arts districts. Austin doesn't have a designated Art district.
I can't comment on the strength of San Antonio's art scene, but I will say this--having a "designated Art district" does not equate to a strong arts scene. In other words, so what?
To throw out an example, Oklahoma City has a "designated Art district" but I can say from personal experience that its arts scene is not on par with Austin's.
Bexar county ranked 78th in Texas vs. Travis county at 7th. In the health behaviors category Bexar ranked 74th to Travis county's 4th.
We could instead rely on your assessment of these things. But I think not.
Did you even look at the data? Obesity rate in Bexar is 26% vs Travis at 22% and not much of a difference. Bexar had a higher percentage access to healthy foods 44% to Travis 34%. Uninsured adults are both at 25%
Travis did better in the rankings because it doesn't have the population the bigger counties have. Dallas county ranked 70th overall and had a higher obesity rate than Bexar. Crime statistics and air quality also effect the overall ranking and Travis was much lower than the three much more populated counties. Add another 700,000 to 1,000,000 million people to Travis and see how it ranks then. It doesn't have the big city problems other than it's roadway system.
Another factor that help rank Travis higher was College grads compared to Bexar and Dallas counties 23% level of attainment. However bexar has a higher percentage of High School and 2 year degree completion rate than Travis. You would expect Travis county to have a much lower proverty rate than Bexar 23% vs Travis 18% considering it having more than 15% more college grads than that of Dallas and Bexar. Size does matter! The bigger Austin and Travis gets expect less of a utopia.
Last edited by SweethomeSanAntonio; 12-30-2010 at 02:24 PM..
Austin is a great city no doubt but San Antonio has a stronger art scene. There are three arts districts. Austin doesn't have a designated Art district.
What are the three designated art districts? Have you ever been to the East Austin Studio Tour... check it out and then compare it to what SA has to offer... no comparison.
Did you even look at the data? Obesity rate in Bexar is 26% vs Travis at 22% and not much of a difference. Bexar had a higher percentage access to healthy foods 44% to Travis 34%. Uninsured adults are both at 25%
Travis did better in the rankings because it doesn't have the population the bigger counties have. Dallas county ranked 70th overall and had a higher obesity rate than Bexar. Crime statistics and air quality also effect the overall ranking and Travis was much lower than the three much more populated counties. Add another 700,000 to 1,000,000 million people to Travis and see how it ranks then. It doesn't have the big city problems other than it's roadway system.
Another factor that help rank Travis higher was College grads compared to Bexar and Dallas counties 23% level of attainment. However bexar has a higher percentage of High School and 2 year degree completion rate than Travis. You would expect Travis county to have a much lower proverty rate than Bexar 23% vs Travis 18% considering it having more than 15% more college grads than that of Dallas and Bexar. Size does matter! The bigger Austin and Travis gets expect less of a utopia.
You are SOOOO selective in the data you look at. Of course I looked at the data. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. Obesity is one of many factors that resulted in Bexar's overall very low score (78th in health outcome factors).
I do not suggest Austin is utopia.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Dallas and Houston both could literally mop the floor with little Austin on their WORST days. People in Austin are so arrogant, they refuse to believe that, even when the facts state otherwise. 
