Do you like living in the DFW area? (Houston, Dallas: apartment, neighborhoods)

[BSL63087]

Summer is hot everywhere. Denver can get up to 100, Salt Lake City up to 100, Minneapolis can get into the upper 90s. The difference is Dallas is hot most of the summer while these places can have temps in the 80s sometimes 70s. I'll take my 95-100 degree days in the summer where I can still get out and do things and then when January comes when everyone else is scraping ice off their windshields and freezing to death just to drive to work or wherever the people in Dallas will be enjoying the warmer weather. It does get cold but often times warms up into the 60s, 70s and even 80s. It's like the exact opposite. What do you want more, pretty nice summers with cold nights where you need to wear pants and a light jacket, meaning you're going to need a jacket handy all year round and then freezing cold winters with some days that might warm up somewhat or would you rather have summers in the 90s and rare occasions into 100s (places like Dallas into the 100s is about the same thing as cold places into the teens or below--not that often) but typically pretty pleasant at night where you can walk outside without having to bundle up first just to drive somewhere for 5 minutes and then pretty nice winters with some cold days and some warm days?

I'll take the hot summers with generally nice weather the rest of the year. Some people would rather have nice summers with ok weather in spring and fall and cold in winter. In my research a place like Denver is pretty much cold at night for the most part year-round. I've seen the low be in the 40s in June there. I'd rather have 95 with a low of 79 in July than a high of 25 and a low of 14 in January.

[aceplace]

At one time, Europe was nearly uninhabitable, and what civilization it had was brutish and primitive... a sort of Medieval Dogpatch, hillbilly peasants barely scraping enough out of the land to keep from starving most of the time.

Then, the chimney was invented, and Europe blossomed. It now had a way to manage cold winters.

Air Conditioning in the 1950's was a similar technical innovation that had enormous social consequences. Now, the lands that were backward and dormant became fast-growing and glittery and the place to be. Once summer heat was managed, the lack of brutal winters became a real advantage in luring the Northern population out of their Rustbelt cities. Also, it freed the local population from the lethargy and torpor imposed by hot and humid summers. Indoor air at a constant year-round temperature of 72 degrees created a revolution in human consciousness. Mild, sunny winters freed entire populations from the effects of a gloomy and depressing cold weather season, a malady we call SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Today, Sunbelt cities such as Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, San Jose, Los Angeles, Miami, and others are the leading edge of America. Industries move there, followed by their chief executives. Banks favor these places in allocating investment capital. The Sunbelt cities created almost all the major scientific and technical innovations after the 1940's, from rockets into outer space, to nuclear power, to aircraft reservation systems, to microcomputers.

Dallas is the largest Sunbelt metro after Los Angeles. And size really, really matters. It makes a difference because bringing people together in one place creates synergy and innovation.

Dallas is sizable, and can support activities that other smaller metros don't have the population to bring about. For example, the Dallas suburb of Denton is hosting a film festival this week called "The Thin Line". It features about 50 documentary films from local and regional filmmakers that explore the point in a documentary when reality is supplanted by invention and drama... the line between truth-telling and storytelling.

[mckinneydeb]

I grew up near Symsonia Kentucky which is the far Western corner. The humidity up there is nothing like it is here. Sandwiched between the Mississippi and the two huge lakes (KY & Barkley) I remember temps in the 90's with matching humidity. While the past few years I have noticed DFW area does seem to having increasing humidity levels, I still think it is tolerable most of the time. I have grown to tolerate the heat much better than when we moved here 23yrs ago.

I have been to Louisville several times as well as Lexington but agree the sprawl of DFW is considerably more "impressive" than either of those areas. We moved here for my husband's job and now I can't imagine living anywhere else. Lots of entertainment venues, thousands of restaurants, and you can find just about anything you need/desire here without having to look very hard. Of course you've got to contend with traffic flow problems (worse than in KY) here. With our aging parents, we've been looking at homes in KY and I have to say that while you can certainly find a "nice" home for $60K, the cost of homes similiar to what we see here are not that far off from KY and I don't think the price of groceries, utilities and such are tremendously cheaper. I do miss the hills, BBQ pulled pork and camping on KY Lake. What do I not like about KY? The snail's speed with which everything (especially driving) seems to happen. Going for a visit and driving through Paducah/Mayfield/Benton puts my patience to test.


We have been very happy here.

[SepiaZelda]

Originally Posted by aceplace

At one time, Europe was nearly uninhabitable, and what civilization it had was brutish and primitive... a sort of Medieval Dogpatch, hillbilly peasants barely scraping enough out of the land to keep from starving most of the time.

Then, the chimney was invented, and Europe blossomed. It now had a way to manage cold winters.

Air Conditioning in the 1950's was a similar technical innovation that had enormous social consequences. Now, the lands that were backward and dormant became fast-growing and glittery and the place to be. Once summer heat was managed, the lack of brutal winters became a real advantage in luring the Northern population out of their Rustbelt cities. Also, it freed the local population from the lethargy and torpor imposed by hot and humid summers. Indoor air at a constant year-round temperature of 72 degrees created a revolution in human consciousness. Mild, sunny winters freed entire populations from the effects of a gloomy and depressing cold weather season, a malady we call SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Today, Sunbelt cities such as Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, San Jose, Los Angeles, Miami, and others are the leading edge of America. Industries move there, followed by their chief executives. Banks favor these places in allocating investment capital. The Sunbelt cities created almost all the major scientific and technical innovations after the 1940's, from rockets into outer space, to nuclear power, to aircraft reservation systems, to microcomputers.

Dallas is the largest Sunbelt metro after Los Angeles. And size really, really matters. It makes a difference because bringing people together in one place creates synergy and innovation.

Dallas is sizable, and can support activities that other smaller metros don't have the population to bring about. For example, the Dallas suburb of Denton is hosting a film festival this week called "The Thin Line". It features about 50 documentary films from local and regional filmmakers that explore the point in a documentary when reality is supplanted by invention and drama... the line between truth-telling and storytelling.

EXCELLENT post, Aceplace. I hate that you can't rate people positively over and over.

[CallMeLaura]

Originally Posted by gokctx

First of all I was talking about state parks in Texas, and I am not full of it. You can verify my claim from the following web-site The Austin Chronicle: News: Will Lege Rescue Starving State Parks?. According to that report, Texas ranks 2nd to last.

Many a Dallas summer has 30-50 days over 100 degrees, which I qualify as hot. Sure there are some cold blooded folks who don't mind the heat, but if you are averse to it Dallas is like hell. Also, folks moving here don't realize the air quality is terrible with ozone alert days, allergens, and pollution. IF you are immune to such things more power to you. If not, Dallas is not a nice place to be. When my relatives come to visit, within a few days all of the allergens, pollution, and ozone really take their toll.

And yes, Spring and fall are non-existent. If you have ever lived in another part of the country you will know what I am talking about. Dallas population growth is primarily due to jobs, cheap housing, and availability of land. Other than that, it is a pretty unattractive place to live based on my definition of a good quality of life which apparently is different than yours.

There are other parks besides state funded parks. And you didn't address my question of what the parks are missing in your estimation.

What do you consider spring and fall? I *have* lived in other parts of the country and I think you're patently wrong.

What IS your definition of a good quality of life?

[gokctx]

Originally Posted by CallMeLaura

There are other parks besides state funded parks. And you didn't address my question of what the parks are missing in your estimation.

Yes there are city parks in Dallas, I did not intend to state otherwise. My primary point is that there are very few high quality state parks (or national parks) near Dallas (i.e. day trip) that are well maintained or of exceptional beauty and diversity. Nothing that might compare to Colorado Springs for example or parts of California where you have huge national forest and very scenic areas close by.

Originally Posted by CallMeLaura

What do you consider spring and fall? I *have* lived in other parts of the country and I think you're patently wrong.

Last I heard Dallas is not an area where tourist flock to see the fall colors. The time period when we have Fall or Spring like weather is very short compared to elsewhere. There is no clear transition from summer, to fall, to winter.

Originally Posted by CallMeLaura

What IS your definition of a good quality of life?

-- Good air quality
-- Temperate weather (especially summer)
-- Beautiful mountains and/or coast nearby
-- Prefer my summers to be green as opposed to brown
-- Lack of urban sprawl
-- City with character (chain restaurants, mega-churches, mega-stores are the rule here. There are not a lot of mom and pop establishments compared to other cities)
-- Sense of community (especially lacking in the transient Northern regions of Dallas)
-- Well established public transit (DART is a step in the right direction but is not comparable to a Boston, DC, or NY)
-- Low traffic congestion
-- Environmental friendly attitude
-- City where citizens are healthy/lead healthy lifestyle (Dallas along with Houston and a couple other Texas cities graced the top 10 list for overweight/unhealthy people)
-- More of a progressive as opposed to fundamentalist mindset.

For folks who are seeking a big city with night life, shows, and events with lots of companies, hot summers and mild winters who don't care about anything I listed above, then Dallas is a good city for you. Come on down here and join the herd.

[CTR36]

I love, love living here!! Granted I now live in McKinney, but have lived in the Dallas area for 20 years! I love the diversity, love the food everywhere
love the schools in McKinney and Dallas (some of them are better than others) love the people (friendly, helpful) and everwhere I go I feel welcome. I love the fact that I could go to college here and get good jobs right after and my children all plan on attending UTD as well

Lots of things to do both free and with paid admission.
I LOVE Dallas! Hate the traffic though. That's why I work in Princeton.

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by gokctx

-- Temperate weather (especially summer)
-- Beautiful mountains and/or coast nearby
-- Prefer my summers to be green as opposed to brown
-- Lack of urban sprawl

If you thought Dallas had these before you moved here - shame on you. And technically, many of the grasses turn YELLOW (dormant), not brown (dead) during the peak heat in summer. It's called heat induced dormancy. Incidentally, we didn't have that at all this summer.

Originally Posted by gokctx

-- City with character (chain restaurants, mega-churches, mega-stores are the rule here. There are not a lot of mom and pop establishments compared to other cities)
-- Sense of community (especially lacking in the transient Northern regions of Dallas)

Uh, get out of the burbs and you have plenty of both of these. I've already named quite a few in previous posts. Have you gotten out to any of them?

Originally Posted by gokctx

-- Well established public transit (DART is a step in the right direction but is not comparable to a Boston, DC, or NY)
-- Low traffic congestion

It's like you WANT to contradict yourself. You want mature transit like Boston, DC and NY, but you DON'T want their traffic congestion (each of those cities have far worse congestion than Dallas). Cities build public transit to help reduce congestion. Congestion does have to come first. In my opinion, Dallas is quite ahead of the curve and quickly moving forward.

Originally Posted by gokctx

-- Environmental friendly attitude

While Dallas isn't nearly as progressive on this as California, TX does have the most wind power generation in the country - even beating out California. This is a good start. We have pretty good solar potential as well which will be tapped more and more as power prices go up and solar panel pricing comes down.

Originally Posted by gokctx

-- City where citizens are healthy/lead healthy lifestyle (Dallas along with Houston and a couple other Texas cities graced the top 10 list for overweight/unhealthy people)

Who cares if others are healthy. What do you do for your health? Are you over weight? I'm not - and there are plenty of people that aren't. I enjoy cycling. There is no shortage of other folks that enjoy cycling - as is evident on Saturday morning rides - groups of 20-30 people almost every Saturday all over the metro.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by gokctx

A lot of people move here based on the allure of a big house and cheap prices without fully understanding what Dallas is really like. I am not saying people move here expecting to have mountains or coastline, but if you like the outdoors, you do expect some quality parks. Texas ranks 49th out of 50 states on funding parks and given the size of Texas that is pathetic.

Yes summer is supposed to be hot, but in Dallas summer is hell and most folks remain cooped in their air conditioned homes. Fall and Spring are virtually non-existent so if you enjoy Fall with the changing of the colors, forget that. Basically, Dallas is what it is, a big sprawling metroplex with lots of shopping and relatively cheap housing.

We have some great parks in the metroplex. I don't do Dallas that much but the parks in the mid cities are great. I do know that Dallas has very beautiful areas. Very green, hilly, and lots of trees. The city is actually quite beautiful.

[CallMeLaura]

Originally Posted by gokctx

Yes there are city parks in Dallas, I did not intend to state otherwise. My primary point is that there are very few high quality state parks (or national parks) near Dallas (i.e. day trip) that are well maintained or of exceptional beauty and diversity. Nothing that might compare to Colorado Springs for example or parts of California where you have huge national forest and very scenic areas close by.

Ok, you do realize where Texas is located right? Not near one of those two major mountain ranges. You can't expect Colorado Springs vistas in Dallas. You might have a beef about maintenance, but not the landscape.

Originally Posted by gokctx

Last I heard Dallas is not an area where tourist flock to see the fall colors. The time period when we have Fall or Spring like weather is very short compared to elsewhere. There is no clear transition from summer, to fall, to winter.

No, they don't. But if you'll read my earlier post, that stuff lasts a whole week. That one week can not be your sole reason for not liking the weather. Hell, you can live up there and still miss it, like I did. And then what? Whole year down the tube?

I don't get where you say we don't have fall or spring like weather. If you mean not over 100, then how about late April, May, early June, late September, and early October? If you mean cold at night, then how about late October, November, early December, late February, March, and early April? There's not a point where you say 'time to hibernate for the winter', no, but is that as important as being able to do things outside for about 7 months of the year?

You're more than welcome to not like it, but then I'm free to think you're nuts for expecting some of that stuff.