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Ok I have narrowed down the state I want to relocate to -- that is Texas. I need more information before I can choose an area/city.
I believe I have it narrowed down to either Fort Worth or Corpus Christi. If there are other Texas areas I should consider, please let me know.
FW Pros: Better weather, more to do, better airport (more flights/cheaper flights), more job opportunities
FW Cons: It may be too big of a city for me - traffic and getting around, not near the beach, higher cost of living than CC
CC Pros: Cheaper cost of living, a smaller/quieter city (easier to get around), near the beach
CC Cons: Not a very good airport (less flight availability), worse weather
Did I miss anything? What other things should I know about each area?
About me: I am in my mid-forties, a single empty nester, and an introvert. I don't need a lot of social stimulation so I'm thinking a quieter city would match my personality. I'm pretty much a homebody. I have low key hobbies - reading, gardening, movies, eating out, some sightseeing, relaxing, some hiking, - I don't like high-energy/highly social stuff. Definitely a city girl, not a country girl though. I would need to buy a small house (2 or 3 bedrooms) for under $300K.I am not worried about finding a job (I will look for remote jobs as well as local jobs). I have a Bachelor's degree in Business and over 20 years of experience in the finance/accounting field.
Ok I have narrowed down the state I want to relocate to -- that is Texas. I need more information before I can choose an area/city.
I believe I have it narrowed down to either Fort Worth or Corpus Christi. If there are other Texas areas I should consider, please let me know.
FW Pros: Better weather, more to do, better airport (more flights/cheaper flights), more job opportunities
FW Cons: It may be too big of a city for me - traffic and getting around, not near the beach, higher cost of living than CC
CC Pros: Cheaper cost of living, a smaller/quieter city (easier to get around), near the beach
CC Cons: Not a very good airport (less flight availability), worse weather
Did I miss anything? What other things should I know about each area?
About me: I am in my mid-forties, a single empty nester, and an introvert. I don't need a lot of social stimulation so I'm thinking a quieter city would match my personality. I'm pretty much a homebody. I have low key hobbies - reading, gardening, movies, eating out, some sightseeing, relaxing, some hiking, - I don't like high-energy/highly social stuff. Definitely a city girl, not a country girl though. I would need to buy a small house (2 or 3 bedrooms) for under $300K.I am not worried about finding a job (I will look for remote jobs as well as local jobs). I have a Bachelor's degree in Business and over 20 years of experience in the finance/accounting field.
They are two very different cities. Ft Worth being part of one of the largest metro areas in the country and CC barely being a top 10 metro in the state. I will say, both cities are horrible for hiking unless you don't care if it is a natural hike or a city trail. I think CC would get a slight edge here because of the bayfront.
CC is much quieter and much smaller, but does offer most of the big city amenities you are looking for. Some other pros include:
It is cheap
You can get anywhere in 20 minutes, (even during rush hour)
Nice warm winter weather
Decent beaches
Great Mexican food
You could find a nice home in a good neighborhood for under 200k here, maybe even under 150k. Winters are nice. Summers are not as hot as FW, but it is much more humid and prone to hurricanes. The airport is terrible with high flight prices and only Houston and Dallas as destinations on 3 carriers. The city is also run down in many areas and has a very slow growth rate, which can be a pro or con depending on what you want. One of the things I noticed the most when I grew up there, is that CC feels isolated compared to the big four metros in TX, even though it is only 2 hours from SA and 3 hours from Houston and Austin.
FW is going to have everything CC has and much more, minus the beaches. Summers are hotter and dryer than in CC. FW isn't prone to hurricanes, but does lie in tornado alley. As you already know, it is more expensive and the traffic does get bad during the morning and evening rush hours.
Objectively, 100% of people would choose Ft. Worth. However, everyone is looking for different lifestyles and has different wants and needs. With your desire for a slower pace of life with most of the city amenities need, it makes it a much harder choice. If you do find a job remotely, your money will go quite a bit further in CC. I can't really make a recommendation for you. But I do recommend you spend 2-3 days in each to get a feel for each of the cities and see which feels more like home to you.
I would definitely make sure you find a remote job before considering Corpus Cristi. There just aren’t many opportunities there. That’s a big reason why it’s so cheap. It’s also culturally very Tejano. Aside from Tex-Mex and Mexican food there aren’t a lot of good restaurant choices. Fresh seafood is available but the restaurants I’ve tried there are kinda meh. I feel like it’s a good place to retire in especially if you’re on Mustang Island. However, day to day I think it would get kinda boring unless you have some familial connection to the city. For Gulf Coast living I’d actually probably choose Galveston over Corpus. Although I’m not crazy about living in either. I think both are better places to visit than live full time.
Fort Worth is probably more your speed and I think it offers better options for you. It’s far more diverse than Corpus Cristi and not as monocultural. It doesn’t feel like a big city. It actually feels way smaller than what it is. It’s very suburban in layout and very residential. Far less commerce in Fort Worth than in Dallas and a lot of people choose it because of that. It’s also more affordable. I can’t really recommend certain areas in Fort Worth because that definitely depends on where you find a job.
I don't know what you mean by this, please elaborate if you care to.
Also just taking your comment on the surface without knowing the meaning - I say if it keeps costs low, and crowds away then it could be the low-key place I would love.
Lived in Corpus for 20+ years. It has it's strengths, but a lot of weaknesses as well. Not the worst place to live. Did I mention it was humid?
Great, so what are the strengths and weaknesses in your opinion?
I don't feel like I am asking a lot of a new city, just that the people, weather, location, and cost of living are decent. The rest doesn't really matter much to me.
They are two very different cities. Ft Worth being part of one of the largest metro areas in the country and CC barely being a top 10 metro in the state. I will say, both cities are horrible for hiking unless you don't care if it is a natural hike or a city trail. I think CC would get a slight edge here because of the bayfront.
CC is much quieter and much smaller, but does offer most of the big city amenities you are looking for. Some other pros include:
It is cheap
You can get anywhere in 20 minutes, (even during rush hour)
Nice warm winter weather
Decent beaches
Great Mexican food
You could find a nice home in a good neighborhood for under 200k here, maybe even under 150k. Winters are nice. Summers are not as hot as FW, but it is much more humid and prone to hurricanes. The airport is terrible with high flight prices and only Houston and Dallas as destinations on 3 carriers. The city is also run down in many areas and has a very slow growth rate, which can be a pro or con depending on what you want. One of the things I noticed the most when I grew up there, is that CC feels isolated compared to the big four metros in TX, even though it is only 2 hours from SA and 3 hours from Houston and Austin.
FW is going to have everything CC has and much more, minus the beaches. Summers are hotter and dryer than in CC. FW isn't prone to hurricanes, but does lie in tornado alley. As you already know, it is more expensive and the traffic does get bad during the morning and evening rush hours.
Objectively, 100% of people would choose Ft. Worth. However, everyone is looking for different lifestyles and has different wants and needs. With your desire for a slower pace of life with most of the city amenities need, it makes it a much harder choice. If you do find a job remotely, your money will go quite a bit further in CC. I can't really make a recommendation for you. But I do recommend you spend 2-3 days in each to get a feel for each of the cities and see which feels more like home to you.
Thank you for this. I know most people would probably choose Fort Worth, but actually, I am leaning more towards Corpus Christi. Like I said I like low-key and CC sounds more laid back than FW. I heard it was like "island time". I like that! I also like that it is cheaper to live. I am a budget-minded person who loves to save money wherever I can.
I will visit both places before I decided but like I said, I am leaning toward CC. I picture taking solitary walks on the beach and taking in the beach sights and sounds (maybe with a metal detector for something to do) without having to worry about the hustle and bustle of traffic and other activities.
I would definitely make sure you find a remote job before considering Corpus Cristi. There just aren’t many opportunities there. That’s a big reason why it’s so cheap. It’s also culturally very Tejano. Aside from Tex-Mex and Mexican food there aren’t a lot of good restaurant choices. Fresh seafood is available but the restaurants I’ve tried there are kinda meh. I feel like it’s a good place to retire in especially if you’re on Mustang Island. However, day to day I think it would get kinda boring unless you have some familial connection to the city. For Gulf Coast living I’d actually probably choose Galveston over Corpus. Although I’m not crazy about living in either. I think both are better places to visit than live full time.
Fort Worth is probably more your speed and I think it offers better options for you. It’s far more diverse than Corpus Cristi and not as monocultural. It doesn’t feel like a big city. It actually feels way smaller than what it is. It’s very suburban in layout and very residential. Far less commerce in Fort Worth than in Dallas and a lot of people choose it because of that. It’s also more affordable. I can’t really recommend certain areas in Fort Worth because that definitely depends on where you find a job.
Yes, employment ultimately will be the final decision maker. I will spend time in both places, but wherever I can find work I will have to land (of course with a remote job, that won't matter). Other than that, as stated in a previous reply - I am actually leaning more towards CC. The slower pace, cheaper costs, and ocean relaxation opportunities just seem to draw me.
What about San Antonio? It’s a FW size area and a reasonable drive from Corpus or even Austin if you want to go there.
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