Austin, TX vs. South Florida for single gay 30 yo male (living, best)
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Hello everyone, new to City-Data and this is my first post! I am a recently single gay 30 yo male currently living in New York City. I have been in New York for the last 10 years and grew up in the DC metro area. Having been in the Northeast my entire life and because of major recent life changes, I am ready for a change of pace and scenery. I have two job offers that I am considering in either Austin, TX or Miami. My salary in both locations would be 100k. Because I am recently out of a relationship I am looking for a fun singles scene, but eventually would like to settle down with someone seriously. I am very active and fit so access to a variety of outdoor activities would be ideal. I enjoy warmer climates so I'm not too concerned with either (DC summers are no walk in the park and neither are New York's when the all the concrete starts baking you!). I already have a car so would not need to factor that into my budget, hopefully just cheaper insurance!
Some pros I have with Miami: Lush tropical environment, international, easy quick flights to NY/DC and closer to family, proximity to Caribbean, on the water with great beaches, cheaper (but not by much) than NYC. Some cons I have: Too much of a party scene, lack of intellectualism, very materialistic, my Spanish speaking skills are no bueno (but improving!).
Some pros for Austin: Booming job/tech scene, great music/food scene, variety of outdoor activities, access to the Texas Hill Country, young and vibrant, more affordable than NYC. Cons: Landlocked, quite a schlep to TX beaches which aren't as nice as Florida's, further and more isolated from the Northeast and family.
I'm really torn between the two, and excited about living in either. Right now I'm slightly leaning towards Austin, but only slightly. I'd love for some input/advice from anyone who has experience with these two cities, especially if you came from NYC!
I think you're a winner either way. Both are gay friendly. I think 100k goes a little further in Austin though. You're right about Austin being an intellectual hub. I think it's one of the ten most literate cities in the US.
Yep. I guess you should consider where in Miami you will be working and which neighborhoods you could live in. South Florida is a behemoth in size and in diversity of neighborhoods, so it would serve you to compare more specifically. The salary should be plenty to live nicely as a single person in both areas.
Miami. It's literally an apples to oranges comparison. I believe Austin would be a culture shock for you coming from a fast paced urban city like NYC. Miami is about as close to a fast paced, urban vibe in the South as you can get. Austin is a giant suburb outside of Downtown. Miami is cosmopolitan and has more people than Austin -- which means more opportunity as a single person. In Texas, Austin would be your 2nd or 3rd choice if you're basing it solely off of a vibrant LGBT scene. Just because a city has a high % of those with a B.A., doesn't mean they're actually intellectual or using it towards something productive. Austin is nothing like DC or Boston.
There's pretentiousness in both cities, but expressed in different ways. Miami does have a more materialistic vibe, but Austin has that wannabe Williamsburg (Brooklyn)/Portland pretentiousness. You have to decide on what you tolerate more.
Miami. It's literally an apples to oranges comparison. I believe Austin would be a culture shock for you coming from a fast paced urban city like NYC. Miami is about as close to a fast paced, urban vibe in the South as you can get. Austin is a giant suburb outside of Downtown. Miami is cosmopolitan and has more people than Austin -- which means more opportunity as a single person. In Texas, Austin would be your 2nd or 3rd choice if you're basing it solely off of a vibrant LGBT scene. Just because a city has a high % of those with a B.A., doesn't mean they're actually intellectual or using it towards something productive. Austin is nothing like DC or Boston.
There's pretentiousness in both cities, but expressed in different ways. Miami does have a more materialistic vibe, but Austin has that wannabe Williamsburg (Brooklyn)/Portland pretentiousness. You have to decide on what you tolerate more.
It's generally better to be around educated folks. Less crime, more enlightenment. As you see here, Austin is 6th, Dallas 54th: https://www.valuepenguin.com/2016/most-educated-cities Yeah, it stings a little. I'll keep pulling up numbers, you continue with the potshots of your alleged "second favorite city in Texas." LMAO. See right through you.
Ever heard of "keep portland weird?" Stolen from Austin. But yes, Austin is the wannabe. Of course, you were the one that thought South by Southwest was named after Southwest Airlines so we can take everything you say about Austin with a grain of salt. Remember, hate in your heart will consume you too. Let Austin be and try not to comment on a city that you clearly have nothing about, Mr. "Austin's most popular festival is named after Southwest Airlines, which is headquartered in Dallas."
Miami. It's literally an apples to oranges comparison. I believe Austin would be a culture shock for you coming from a fast paced urban city like NYC. Miami is about as close to a fast paced, urban vibe in the South as you can get. Austin is a giant suburb outside of Downtown. Miami is cosmopolitan and has more people than Austin -- which means more opportunity as a single person. In Texas, Austin would be your 2nd or 3rd choice if you're basing it solely off of a vibrant LGBT scene. Just because a city has a high % of those with a B.A., doesn't mean they're actually intellectual or using it towards something productive. Austin is nothing like DC or Boston.
There's pretentiousness in both cities, but expressed in different ways. Miami does have a more materialistic vibe, but Austin has that wannabe Williamsburg (Brooklyn)/Portland pretentiousness. You have to decide on what you tolerate more.
And it's funny you mention Boston or DC when comparing it to Austin. Both of those cities are twice the size of Austin. But Austin is right behind them in job market, according to this article: 6. Austin, Texas - 11 best U.S. cities for job seekers - CBS News Stings doesn't it?
Are you saying Austin isn't productive? I think for a city its size, it's been doing very well the last 20 years. I'm sure you're upset this isn't a Miami or Dallas poll.
^^ OP, the 2 above posts are prime examples of Austin-style pretentiousness. It's not the materialism like you find in Miami but rather an inflated sense of civic superiority over every city in the country. Austin is the best of the best and they are obsessed with such arbitrary rankings. You hear about Austin a lot because it's overhyped to death. The list of most educated cities is not surprising -- they're all college towns! What a revelation! It still doesn't tell you the truth about a particular city. Having a B.A. doesn't necessarily mean you're putting it to use or have the ability to think outside of the box. Also, this is Austin vs. Miami, not Austin vs. Dallas.
Traffic is pretty bad in both. Miami makes a little more sense due to the density and geographic barriers. Austin is an example of short-sighted, do-nothing planning. Miami also has a walkscore of 78, while Austin's is half of that at a whopping 39. Just for reference, NYC has a walkscore of 89. Walkscore isn't perfect and doesn't really tell you the "pedestrian friendliness" of a place, but it's a good guide to see how many amenities are within walking distance. Again, Miami will be less of a shock coming from NYC than Austin.
My advice to you is to take a visit to both cities if you have the time to. These 2 cities are nothing alike. I will say though if you're looking for a truly unique city, there's nowhere else like Miami. Austin has turned itself into a brand-name and is quickly losing its uniqueness (if it even exists there anymore).
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Originally Posted by annie_himself
I say Miami because it offers more for your age.
Yeah, more "Daddies" for his age!
I lived in the Miami area; my oldest friend lived in Austin (recently retired to MS) and I visited annually for years. I don't really know how to differentiate them except to say (and I know it's rather nebulous) that Austin has a much more positive energy about it. Definitely a young person's town to me.
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