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I think one big advantage Dallas / Fort Worth may have for younger people is the number of businesses that tend to locate or relocate their headquarters there. Dallas, Austin, cities like that seem to draw Fortune 500 companies and the like that in turn bring young people, who tend to be interested in things like art, culture, music, events that make the city feel more like a "city" - Chicago, for example.
Phoenix has a lot of businesses but is driven at least to some extent as a service economy. That's improving - more solar companies moving here, the banks putting their main southwest branches in Phoenix, lots of start-ups in places like Scottsdale - but it still doesn't have that draw that Dallas does. Phoenix tends to draw snowbirds and retirees, who do shop and eat, but don't necessarily drive a thriving economy.
That said, if I had to live in one or the other, I'd choose Phoenix, mainly because of the location. The scenery in and around Phoenix is stunning, and when you can drive from the desert at 70 degrees to the high mountains with snow at 32 degrees in the space of two hours, that's a big advantage.
Although were not a big company my dad's company does business in AZ offering long distance phone service
It's really more of a Texas and Arizona comparison, both cities are key factors in the images of their states.
Both states tend to be very conservative but in different ways. Arizona lacks interest in providing for children or poorer people. Education, healthcare and public services are dead last on the list of Arizona's priorities.
Texas is more conservative on the moral issues but at least they have pretty good schools.
Both places have high growth rates, cost of housing and tax rates tend to be lower than the national average.
Both states tend to have cowboy images, Texas is more noticeable in this area though. I doubt if any authentic cowboys exist anymore in either place except maybe in a few isolated rural parts. Lots of cowboy wannabes I'm sure, especially in the larger cities like Dallas and Phoenix.
It's really more of a Texas and Arizona comparison, both cities are key factors in the images of their states.
Both states tend to be very conservative but in different ways. Arizona lacks interest in providing for children or poorer people. Education, healthcare and public services are dead last on the list of Arizona's priorities.
Texas is more conservative on the moral issues but at least they have pretty good schools.
Both places have high growth rates, cost of housing and tax rates tend to be lower than the national average.
Both states tend to have cowboy images, Texas is more noticeable in this area though. I doubt if any authentic cowboys exist anymore in either place except maybe in a few isolated rural parts. Lots of cowboy wannabes I'm sure, especially in the larger cities like Dallas and Phoenix.
The only cowboys I see in AZ are at the gay rodeo every year in Phoenix.
Interesting story about when I lived in Phoenix 10 years ago:
The only other Filipino people who lived in my complex were from Plano, TX. They believed that Arizona had way more in common with Texas than Arizona did with California, which I thought was a little weird since Phoenix is only 150 miles from the CA border (and only another 140 miles to the start of the LA metro complex starting in Banning/eastern end of the Inland Empire), while Texas was one state over. If you didn't know any better, the urban layout of Phoenix looks a whole lot like how much of the Inland Empire is laid out. In other words, I personally think its part of 'Greater Southern California' (if such can exist). Tucson feels like the real Southwestern city moreso than Phoenix.
I get the impression that Phoenix isn't very morally conservative, considering how the other 10 year olds were dressed in my class. It's fiscally conservative in the way Orange County, CA is. After all, Tempe is hedonism central and Scottsdale being a huge entrepot of hipsters.
However, I gotta say as a Californian how much I admire Texas right now. The state has been growing in BOTH population and economics, and is another megastate in the making. Considering the reputation of Texas before 2000, it has come a long way from the stereotypes of which its known for. If the California state government wasn't run by student council rejects, a lot of our problems would be alleviated. Congratulations!
Interesting story about when I lived in Phoenix 10 years ago:
The only other Filipino people who lived in my complex were from Plano, TX. They believed that Arizona had way more in common with Texas than Arizona did with California, which I thought was a little weird since Phoenix is only 150 miles from the CA border (and only another 140 miles to the start of the LA metro complex starting in Banning/eastern end of the Inland Empire), while Texas was one state over. If you didn't know any better, the urban layout of Phoenix looks a whole lot like how much of the Inland Empire is laid out. In other words, I personally think its part of 'Greater Southern California' (if such can exist). Tucson feels like the real Southwestern city moreso than Phoenix.
I get the impression that Phoenix isn't very morally conservative, considering how the other 10 year olds were dressed in my class. It's fiscally conservative in the way Orange County, CA is. After all, Tempe is hedonism central and Scottsdale being a huge entrepot of hipsters.
However, I gotta say as a Californian how much I admire Texas right now. The state has been growing in BOTH population and economics, and is another megastate in the making. Considering the reputation of Texas before 2000, it has come a long way from the stereotypes of which its known for. If the California state government wasn't run by student council rejects, a lot of our problems would be alleviated. Congratulations!
I hope one day, I can explore your great state!
As a Californian living in Texas, I have so much love for my home state and adoptive state. I love them in different ways as they are so different. If we could take California's climate and beauty and mix it with Texas' economics and business environment, we would have the perfect state!
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