Denton vs. San Antonio -- Relocation (Dallas, Austin: new home, preschool, universities)

[paulamom]

Hi.
My husband is being considered for jobs in both San Antonio and Denton. I'm looking for comparisons/contrasts between the cities to help us decide if one is a better fit for us in the event that we have to make a choice to reject one offer and hope for the other.

Here is some info on us: mid-30s, preschool child, used to live in Austin and loved it (now live in Jersey and are not so fond of it).

Things we would like access too: safe community to raise our daughter, parks where we can take our dogs and play, good schools & libraries, access to organic/natural foods, free things to do like festivals and outdoor concerts, a place where we can put down roots and really dig in for a long time.

I realize that of course San Antonio's size means that they probably have pockets of everything we want, but there is something about a smaller town that is infinitely appealing.

Thanks in advance for your insight!

[mysterymachinebl]

If you find the smaller town atmosphere appealing, then Denton may be more for you than San Antonio. Just remember that Dallas is right at your doorstep for all of the big city activities.

[artsyguy]

Dallas is almost a one hour drive away from Denton.

Denton has some good parts but overall I found it too be too strange for me.

San Antonio is not that big and it has everything.

[paulamom]

I have read this "strange" comment before regarding Denton. What exactly are people finding strange? With a handle like "artsyguy" I would think that strange could be a good thing. At least maybe an artsy, not-the-norm, lots of musicians and free thought kind of cool vibe going on.... but people just keep saying strange like they don't even know exactly what is making them feel freaked out by Denton.

Could someone please elaborate?

[artsyguy]

It is not free thought there. Everybody thinks the same and is passive aggressive, anti-social and rude. It's just not a good place to be if you ask me. The older folks in their 50s and 60s are pretty nice....but other than that it is uncomfortably strange there.....like you are in a horror movie and the people are just off beat, backward, hiding stuff, and bad....ya know...nobody can put their finger on the exact problem, except to say that the culture in Denton is bad and strange, the churches are like cults but they are like that in other parts of North Texas too.......the city ITSELF offers good shopping, libraries, and a water park....but it also has very heavy traffic, bad scenery in most areas, and is a heck of a frustrating drive into Dallas ....

Originally Posted by paulamom

I have read this "strange" comment before regarding Denton. What exactly are people finding strange? With a handle like "artsyguy" I would think that strange could be a good thing. At least maybe an artsy, not-the-norm, lots of musicians and free thought kind of cool vibe going on.... but people just keep saying strange like they don't even know exactly what is making them feel freaked out by Denton.

Could someone please elaborate?

[loves2read]

Denton is older rural town that has growing university with some students that are into being weird
they also have lot of perpetual students who never seem to graduate but are always taking classes...
Denton is growing and traffic is the pits to me--I don't really like it but never really spend much time there...
prefer SA but don't live there either
don't know about the parks situation in Denton
there is growing number of nicer chain restaurants but Denton has some parts that are just old and tired--and not particularly picturesque...but it is possible to get some land -- acre or more--outside town and build house fairly reasonable--there are couple of lakes not too far --
but Denton is pretty flat..not lot of terraine change...

[artsyguy]

loves2read is putting it nicely. It stinks when you are trapped in the college environment and everybody is freakin strange, uncultured, and backward.

Originally Posted by loves2read

Denton is older rural town that has growing university with some students that are into being weird
they also have lot of perpetual students who never seem to graduate but are always taking classes...
Denton is growing and traffic is the pits to me--I don't really like it but never really spend much time there...
prefer SA but don't live there either
don't know about the parks situation in Denton
there is growing number of nicer chain restaurants but Denton has some parts that are just old and tired--and not particularly picturesque...but it is possible to get some land -- acre or more--outside town and build house fairly reasonable--there are couple of lakes not too far --
but Denton is pretty flat..not lot of terraine change...

[sonshinelife]

San Antonio is more of a tourist environment. Denton is more of a University town. Denton is becoming more and more the place to live due to cost of living and new homes and schools popping up yearly. Small town feel like many have mentioned. San Antonio is just plain fun. I have friend that grew up there and say they would never live there. Just visit because it is so tourist like these days.

[EJ4512]

Originally Posted by sonshinelife

San Antonio is more of a tourist environment. Denton is more of a University town. Denton is becoming more and more the place to live due to cost of living and new homes and schools popping up yearly. Small town feel like many have mentioned. San Antonio is just plain fun. I have friend that grew up there and say they would never live there. Just visit because it is so tourist like these days.

I have lived in both Denton (School) and San Antonio (Born and now back living). San Antonio does NOT feel touristy if you live there, it only does if your being a tourist like anywhere else would. Denton was fun, but it is small, and though you you are in the DFW, as someone else mentioned it is about an hour away to Dallas. San Antonio will have more convienences and things to do proximity wise but with the hustle and bustle of a big city. If you liked Austin though San Antonio is bigger but sort of in the same population range. If you want small town, with the things you mentioned, maybe Boerne (NW) or Schertz (NE) just outside of San Antonio will do. Closer than a Denton to Dallas for the things your looking for.

Dont get me wrong I like the DFW, but if I was to move back I would only move into Dallas (like in the city limits). I dont do small towns or suburbs, Im a city guy.

[aceplace]

It should be mentioned. Denton is not a small town. It is a large city of about 100,000 people and is within the suburban growth ring of metro Dallas.

The freeway between Denton and downtown Dallas is entirely settled, with no open country.

The true countryside outside of Denton is picturesque, with thick natural forest cover. The forest is called the Cross Timbers. It was so impassable that it acted as a defensive barrier, protecting the Caddo indians to the east from the Comanches and Kiowas to the west.

Denton also has a couple of huge lakes, with parks and campsites on its shores. Not too far away is a third lake, Texoma, that is so large it resembles an inland sea more than a lake. The Texoma lakeshore is very picturesque, with scenic views from high bluffs and a rocky shoreline... more reminiscent of a New England landscape. Texoma has some excellent resorts and beaches and a couple of state parks with campsites.

Denton is a major university center, with the sort of cultural amenities you'd expect in a college town. Its major universities are UNT (Univ North Texas) and TWU (Texas Womens University). Between the two of them, you're looking at about 40,000 students. UNT's major claim to fame are the various jazz bands. They frequently play concerts in Murchison Hall.

Living in Denton, you'd be fairly close to the shopping and entertainment areas of the northern Dallas suburbs, which contain virtually everything. Effectively, living in Denton is close to living in north Dallas. You will almost never have to drive to Dallas' downtown to experience life in a major city.