Is Dallas a better place to live than Austin? (Houston: home, tech jobs)

[mobert]

My family and I are considering relocating to Texas in the next year or so if my company continues layoffs and my job is cut. We are considering Dallas and Austin because there seem to be a lot of software development jobs there - according to Indeed.com. I have done some research myself already about both areas but I wanted to get some input from locals about why they think one city is a better place to live than the other.

Now I know the definition of "better" depends on who you are. Some people might say Austin is better because it is a bit warmer. Some might say Dallas is better because it is a little cooler - just a hypothetical example.

So just tell my why YOU think one is better than the other. Give me all the dirt you can. Be honest and don't hold back anything.

Thanks very much

[turnbun]

Austin and Dallas are very different. I like both. Austin is more outdoorsy and laid back. Dallas is more "big city," a little more materialistic. If I had my choice of where to move when we moved from Houston, I would have moved back to Austin. However, I'm very happy here in Dallas. I have so many wonderful friends here, and my kids go to fantastic schools. I find happiness has less to do with where you live and more to do with the people you associate with. Both cities have great people.
Look for jobs in both cities and go where the job is. If you get offers in both cities, visit both, then make your decision.

[artsyguy]

Dallas is better because you have outdoorsyness, culture, sports galore, professional people, theme parks galore, great retail and eating, and a moderate political climate. Dallas has White Rock Lake , Cedar Hill State Park, and Zoos. Denton has the big music and art scene because of the popular music university that is located there.

The only thing outdoorsy in Austin are the abundance of cyclists, cycling trails, and a few lush hills. Other than that it has absolutely nothing. More people come across as really unprofessional or poorly trained there too.

Originally Posted by turnbun

Austin and Dallas are very different. I like both. Austin is more outdoorsy and laid back. Dallas is more "big city," a little more materialistic. If I had my choice of where to move when we moved from Houston, I would have moved back to Austin. However, I'm very happy here in Dallas. I have so many wonderful friends here, and my kids go to fantastic schools. I find happiness has less to do with where you live and more to do with the people you associate with. Both cities have great people.
Look for jobs in both cities and go where the job is. If you get offers in both cities, visit both, then make your decision.

[turnbun]

Hmmm....Lake Austin, Lake Travis, Town Lake, Zilker Park, Barton Springs, Austin City Limits Music Fest, HUNDREDS of hiking trails, etc, etc, etc. Austin is a mecca of outdoor activity. Don't get me wrong, I love Dallas, but when it comes to outdoor activity and overall beauty, Austin wins, hands down.

[artsyguy]

Dallas has music festivals with big name and local bands. It isn't unique to Austin.

Last time I heard you couldn't even swim at Barton Springs.

But like I said the lush hills in Austin are beautiful, however, that doesn't mean somebody should live there unless their job is there and they are getting a home in the hill country areas, which is understandable.

Originally Posted by turnbun

Hmmm....Lake Austin, Lake Travis, Town Lake, Zilker Park, Barton Springs, Austin City Limits Music Fest, HUNDREDS of hiking trails, etc, etc, etc. Austin is a mecca of outdoor activity. Don't get me wrong, I love Dallas, but when it comes to outdoor activity and overall beauty, Austin wins, hands down.

[FarNorthDallas]

Go wherever you can get a job. I have lived in both and didn't really notice a weather difference. Austin, to me, is more interesting and has more character. Dallas is bigger and has more big city things, like direct flights out to most places. Both have bad traffic and good suburban schools. If I absolutely had to choose, I would probably go with Austin.

[John Shaft]

Originally Posted by turnbun

Hmmm....Lake Austin, Lake Travis, Town Lake, Zilker Park, Barton Springs, Austin City Limits Music Fest, HUNDREDS of hiking trails, etc, etc, etc. Austin is a mecca of outdoor activity. Don't get me wrong, I love Dallas, but when it comes to outdoor activity and overall beauty, Austin wins, hands down.

What this poster said.

From a job perspective, the D/FW area is far larger than the Austin area, so statistically speaking, there should be more job opportunities there. There's a pretty good tech presence, too.

[mobert]

I really appreciate all the input and perspectives from everybody. We visited Dallas for few days last year and hope to make a trip to Austin in a few months. Being a California native for 43 years and now residing in Florida which has no topographical diversity, I have to admit that being able to see hills again is a big deal, not sure why that is, but for those of you in the same boat, you'll know what I mean. I'm hearing mostly a lot of good stuff about both places so it won't be an easy decision. I think once we actually set foot in Austin though it will become clear.

One poster asked what was wrong with Florida and to that I would answer "it is nothing like the home I left in California" ....... but seriously it's OK, but the tech job opportunities in the Orlando area are extremely small for a greater metro area of more than 1.5 million. The city in CA where I came from of 45,000 almost had more tech jobs.

Thanks again to all and keep it comin' if you have more thoughts

[jtrichel]

I have lived in both, I would say this...

If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would move to Austin...if I didnt need to worry about earning a good living, I would rather be there... Central Texas is God's country in my book...

Having said that, I find Austin pretty impractical from a professional/living standpoint...the airport is not nearly as convenient as DFW, there are less corporate headquarters, traffic is worse, etc. Dallas is a far "easier" place to earn and live...not to mention that Austin housing is more expensive...

[artsyguy]

How can you stand the unfriendly self absorbed Type A personalities in Austin? They are horrible there.

I'm guessing you live in a scary part of Dallas. South side? North East?

Originally Posted by jtrichel

I have lived in both, I would say this...

If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would move to Austin...if I didnt need to worry about earning a good living, I would rather be there... Central Texas is God's country in my book...

Having said that, I find Austin pretty impractical from a professional/living standpoint...the airport is not nearly as convenient as DFW, there are less corporate headquarters, traffic is worse, etc. Dallas is a far "easier" place to earn and live...not to mention that Austin housing is more expensive...