Dallas over Austin! (Houston, McKinney, Grapevine: transplants, apartment, rent)

[Shilr]

People who chose Dallas over Austin to move: What were some of the reasons? Is it worth it? Thanks!

[MckinneyOwnr]

Austin is a fun place. I lived there for 5.5 years, from 1996 to 2001, when I was in college. Had a lot of good times there. 6th street was great, riding my motorcycle around Bee Caves/2222 was a blast, etc.

Then I got a job. Got older. Didn't feel like going out to 6th every week. Didn't like fighting traffic everywhere I went. Didn't like the housing situation (back then, there weren't too many areas for single family homes, and the ones that were, were VERY expensive.) Or you lived in an apt, and you had to deal with college kids being kids.

So, moved to downtown Dallas and bought a condo. MUCH better situation for someone out of college IMO. Was very close to McKinney Ave and bars, traffic was much better, and adults lived around me and weren't puking their guts out every weekend.

Now that I'm married with kids, I can't imagine wanting to live in Austin. I like to visit for a weekend every now and then, but that's about it.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Shilr

People who chose Dallas over Austin to move: What were some of the reasons? Is it worth it? Thanks!

I was born and raised in Dallas but spent many years living abroad. I also lived in Austin in the 1990s and rang in 2000 there. So it's been a while since I've lived there.

I chose to live in DFW over Austin when I returned to the US for purely pragmatic reasons. It was easier to base a job search where I had family to stay with while I got settled, and I didn't want to endure the culture shock of moving back to the US by myself.

Also, at the time Austin had a markedly higher cost of living, a less diversified job market with lower pay, and terrible traffic. It's also hotter in summer (I always thought so, anyway) and I had less of a network there.

Those are my reasons. YMMV.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

I prefer Dallas because its a much bigger city and more ethnically diverse. Austin is too small for my taste.

[hornraider]

I've lived in Austin for over 15 years, and now Dallas for 1 year, so maybe I can give you a fresh perspective: I think either one is great, it just depends on what you are looking for and a matter of preference. I chose Dallas a year ago mostly because of a job offer in the industrial engineering sector that would double my income in Austin - A no-brainer decision. That increase in income, combined with a lower COL and my wife's income has allowed us to keep our house in Austin for the time being, and rent an apartment in Dallas. So, we are in Austin almost every weekend for the past year.

Financially, it helps my wife and I because we were down to 1 car, barely making ends meet, and living south of Austin city limits means no public transportation. We needed 2 cars for both of us to work.
In Dallas, my wife takes the car to work (north) and I ride the DART (DT). I don't even want a car for work.

Being from California originally, I see more similarities between Austin and Dallas than differences. Full of friendly native Texans and transplants from both coasts. Same Tex-mex and BBQ (although Austin's bbq is the champ). Austin is built on recreation and scenery blending into its city and infrastructure. The University is infused in the architecture and streets making it very unique and lively. Its always had a Bohemian feel to it IMO.
Dallas is more urban and the downtown has more of an inner-city feel to it, there are really nice parks and districts, and they reflect that urban design. I love the Austin skyline, but standing in DT Dallas, you have to almost strain looking up to the tops of its tall skyskrapers. I had lunch a few days ago at Renaissance Tower and realized that by 2 pm, the sun is gone due to the wall to wall high rises.

The weather is almost the same, especially if you are from a different climate, they are only 200 miles apart after all. But if you must split hairs; Dallas does get a little more ice and ocassional snow. They are very close (less than 5 degress) in temperature ALL the time, unless a front blows in or out. Austin is a few %'s more humid but gets slightly less rain. Going back and forth in the summer, I couldn't figure out why it felt hotter in Austin and I seemed to sweat faster, until I realized that there was rarely any wind. So I looked it up, and confirmed that Dallas is windier all year than Austin. That is why the "real feel" temp is always higher there. But like I said, the difference in climate is nothing to write home about.
Another thing that surprises me, is how things that I thought were ONLY in Austin...Are also in Dallas, like: Alamo Drafthouse, El Pollo Regio, Freebirds, Torchy's Tacos , Fiesta Grocery store. No HEB though..

I even found this.... Truck Yard

The hill country is cool, and Lake Travis (what's left of it) is fun. But there are some good lakes and recreational areas in DFW too. The Vineyards Campground and Cabins on Grapevine Lake

[Annikan]

This just totally, 100% depends on jobs and what field you work in. My husband works in Finance, and Austin isn't even really on his radar as far as places he can move. He's basically got to work in either NYC, London, Hong Kong, or secondary cities would be Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte (B of A headquarters and not Deutsch bank is opening a huge hub there).

On the other hand, I'm a teacher and could work pretty much anywhere in the U.S.

I think the surrounds of Austin are prettier, but most people can't really move to pretty places without a job. Dallas is a larger city and has more major companies. Austin obviously has a great university that provides jobs. One of my best girl friends lives in Austin and works for the State Government--she has to live in Austin for her job.

[jdallas]

For me, it came down to more career opportunities in Dallas and the airports providing for convenient weekend escapes.

[aznkobee]

For the superficial me, Dallas just look newer, cleaner, spiffier, more advanced compared to Houston and Austin in general. Maybe it was because I was driving along the DNT when checking out Dallas.

[Aggielina]

I moved from Austin in 2005. I worked for the state and was single, living in an apartment. I wanted to buy a home so badly, but there was no way I could afford it on my salary and the practically nonexistent annual raises I got without moving somewhere that would give me a horrific commute. Plus the dating scene wasn't that great in Austin once you aged out of the college crowd. I didn't see a future for me there. Now, in Dallas, I have a home, a husband, and a reasonable commute. Yeah, Austin is pretty, but only if you live on the West side, which costs big bucks.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by hornraider

Another thing that surprises me, is how things that I thought were ONLY in Austin...Are also in Dallas, like: Alamo Drafthouse, El Pollo Regio, Freebirds, Torchy's Tacos , Fiesta Grocery store. No HEB though..

El Pollo Regio started in Dallas and Fiesta started in Houston ironically enough.