Florida or Houston??? Please help (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: best city, crime, credit)

[Stephanie9]

Hi everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!!! I am 24 years old and was born and raised in Long Island, New York. I have a Bachelors degree and am also a certified Holistic Health and Wellness Counselor. I have recently decided to go back to school and get my Masters Degree in Acupunture and Chinese Medicine. I am having a really hard time decideing between moving to the Fort Laurterdale/Miami area or Houston. I will be taking out loans to go back to school so money is defintily a huge factor. Also I am moving alone with my two dogs one is an American Bulldog(very Big), and the other is a pug so thats also a concern for me in Miami I herd they are very strict with breads resembling Pitbulls. I really appreciate a diverse integrated city considering that I am from New York and that is what I am used to. I also want to feel as safe as possible where ever I live considering I am making the move alone. If anyone has any advice for me at all I would be very gratefull. I have spent alot of time in Miami but have never been to Houston. Thank you soooo much, and I hope somone can help!!!

Please excuse my horrible spelling and grammer!!!

[adam.g.harpool]

Originally Posted by Stephanie9

Hi everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!!! I am 24 years old and was born and raised in Long Island, New York. I have a Bachelors degree and am also a certified Holistic Health and Wellness Counselor. I have recently decided to go back to school and get my Masters Degree in Acupunture and Chinese Medicine. I am having a really hard time decideing between moving to the Fort Laurterdale/Miami area or Houston. I will be taking out loans to go back to school so money is defintily a huge factor. Also I am moving alone with my two dogs one is an American Bulldog(very Big), and the other is a pug so thats also a concern for me in Miami I herd they are very strict with breads resembling Pitbulls. I really appreciate a diverse integrated city considering that I am from New York and that is what I am used to. I also want to feel as safe as possible where ever I live considering I am making the move alone. If anyone has any advice for me at all I would be very gratefull. I have spent alot of time in Miami but have never been to Houston. Thank you soooo much, and I hope somone can help!!!

Please excuse my horrible spelling and grammer!!!

I've lived in both (South Florida and Houston, that is.) So here's my perspective.

As far as the breed restrictions, Miami-Dade County (I believe) bans pit bulls. Can't remember hearing about anything similar when I was in Houston.

As far as diversity, you can't go wrong with either. Both are minority-majority areas. Houston is probably the most diverse city in Texas, and in my experience it was reasonably integrated. Some of the suburbs (particularly the northern ones) less so, but the city itself is remarkably diverse. Miami-Dade is incredibly diverse - in no other county in the country has a majority of the population born outside of the US - but it is, in my opinion, a bit less integrated than Houston. Blacks tend to be in the northern and northeastern parts of the county, Hispanics in the south and southwest, whites in a few wealthy enclaves like Pinecrest and Coral Gables. Broward County is less diverse than either Miami or Houston, but it is still minority-majority, and you would be fine with the area as well on those terms.

Hands down, Houston will offer you the better cost of living. Not even close. If you go by the ACCRA index, Houston is one of the few major metros below the national cost of living average, while South Florida is significantly above.

Houston was much less involved with the subprime credit mess/housing boom, and consequently that area's economy is doing much better than Miami-Fort Lauderdale at the moment. In fact, I believe that Houston is one of the few places in the country where the economy is still expanding. Something to consider. South Florida will of course pull out of the current rut, but given the disastrous state of the housing market here, it may be awhile.

Crime is roughly the same in both areas. Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed. In South Florida, Broward is much safer than Miami-Dade, but Dade County does have plenty of safer areas. The city of Houston has certain seedy areas - easily avoided - but overall offers a wide variety of safe neighborhoods. Coming from NYC, I don't think either of these will be a shock to you in terms of crime.

On the basis of what you're looking for, I don't think that you could go wrong either way. I actually like both of those areas. Good luck in your choice!

[Nikki9947]

If you are looking for somewhere "long-term" once school is finished, I would say Houston provides better opportunities for what you may be looking for. It has a gigantic medical center near downtown which offers plenty of job opportunities in the health and science field and it is still VERY affordable city compared to the salaries. (I also have never heard of them having the pitbull ban).
If you still find it interesting, I would only suggest Miami as a more temporary place as it may be a lot harder to find a job in that field (paying what you are truely worth and without being slightly bilingual) once you finish. You can always come with the mentality of being here for the experience and if you find that you love it then it will probably work for you and you should definitely stay.
Crime is about the same in both places however I feel a lot more uncomforable in Miami (probably because it's a lot smaller). However the look of south Florida as a whole is beautiful. Both cities are very diverse to me and both have a strong Latin population however Miami is more segregated. In Houston, you can find communities where one neighbor is black, white, and then the person across the street is asian. Finding happiness in both cities to me depend on what you are looking for in the long term.
Good Luck to you too!!

[compelled to reply]

I'm just going to have to say that I agree with everything with both posts, but if money is a factor, it's Houston or bust.

[Stephanie9]

Thank you all soooooo much for taking the time to help me out. I am still not 100% sure, but I do think I am leaning more towards Fort Lauderdale, only becaue I think it might me easier for my to ajust to the kind of people ther opposed to the wonderfull people of Housto. I am pretty Libral about most things, and being from Long Island I am used to have a beach close, and I do feel that is something I would miss! I really am very gratefull for everyones help, and I hope everyone has a Happy, Healthy Holiday!!!

[CleanCutHippie]

I am also from Long Island and lived in both places!

I personally disliked Houston a great deal. It was a city that lacked any charm or charachter. Plus no beach within 45 minutes and the beaches in Texas are ugly. The traffic in Houston is the worst I have ever seen and occurs at any hour during the day. The nightlife in Houston is awful. The most happening bar in the area looks like Mulchaheys on a Monday night...lol

The positives to Houston are great weather, great ppl and very affordable! Its also very diverse as above posters stated.

So. Florida has milder winters and feels much more tropical. The nightlife blows Houston away. The traffic is not as bad as Houston but not a whole lot better either. I personally like Florida better.

[imagardener]

I have family in both Houston and SE Florida and agree with everything the previous posters have said.
Houston does get colder and lacks a beach (my brother goes to Destin FL every July4th) Galveston is blown down by Hurricane Ike. He's been in Houston 10 years and will probably never move back to Florida. Great job opportunities, good money and not tourism/building dependent like all of Florida.

I think traffic is equally bad in Houston/Miami but bad in different ways.

Texas in NOT liberal. Miami is way liberal.
Houston doesn't have as many cultural offerings as Miami but really how many do you go to?

Bottom line: Houston for career and money, Miami for fun and weather.

[Stephanie9]

Wow, just when I think I've made up mind, I change it again! lol Those were some really good points. Although, carrer and money is important, and am now self employeed and will be where ever I move to. I am 24 and single so nightlife is definitly a huge thing for me. I also do have som family in Florida so thats something I am taking into consideration also. The only thing that draws me to Houston is that it's a big city. Being from N.Y. I am used to having a Big city (or the best city) only 30 mins. away, so that is somthing that concerns me a little. However Mulchaheys on a Monday night, concerns me alot more!!! I was also wondering, I know this is kinda a weird question, but are all the guys there the "redneck" type, because that something I could never get used to. The metros on LI are not so great either, but tight jeans, and George W loving pioeple arent my thing??? lol Thank you all again...

[imagardener]

Originally Posted by Stephanie9

I know this is kinda a weird question, but are all the guys there the "redneck" type, because that something I could never get used to. The metros on LI are not so great either, but tight jeans, and George W loving pioeple arent my thing??? lol Thank you all again...

Well I'll say this (hope I'm not slammed) but you'll meet more straight guys in Houston than Ft. Lauderdale/Miami.

[adam.g.harpool]

Originally Posted by Stephanie9

Wow, just when I think I've made up mind, I change it again! lol Those were some really good points. Although, carrer and money is important, and am now self employeed and will be where ever I move to. I am 24 and single so nightlife is definitly a huge thing for me. I also do have som family in Florida so thats something I am taking into consideration also. The only thing that draws me to Houston is that it's a big city. Being from N.Y. I am used to having a Big city (or the best city) only 30 mins. away, so that is somthing that concerns me a little. However Mulchaheys on a Monday night, concerns me alot more!!! I was also wondering, I know this is kinda a weird question, but are all the guys there the "redneck" type, because that something I could never get used to. The metros on LI are not so great either, but tight jeans, and George W loving pioeple arent my thing??? lol Thank you all again...

Houston - ESPECIALLY within the city limits - is more liberal/progressive overall than the state of Texas, by a wide margin. Harris County (the county where Houston is located) narrowly voted for Obama this year. However, it is still a more conservative area than most big cities. If you are aligned with liberal New York values, Texas will be a shock, to say the least. I even found Texas's so-called "liberal stronghold" of Austin to be a bit more conservative than a typical East Coast city, but that's just me. It seemed that people there were scared to death of using the word "liberal", always preferring to brand themselves as "moderate."

Personally, when I had the choice between South Florida and Houston (along with other metro areas), the liberalism and progressive culture of South Florida was one of the region's strongest favorable attributes to me. In most of Broward County, you will not feel out of place culturally and politically. Absolute statements are usually invalid, and it is certainly not the case that "all of the guys" in greater Houston are cowboy-hat wearing rednecks with "W" bumper stickers. But that type of culture is prevalent in Houston (particularly in the suburbs!), while it is rather marginal here. Just for an example, in 2004 Broward County voted 64% Kerry, while Harris County, TX voted 54.6% Bush.

I personally find South Florida nightlife to be much better than that of Houston. I'm gay, though, so I'm certain that influences my view on many of the lifestyle and cultural issues relating to the region. And as far as the "big city" worry, I don't think it's a major problem. The metro areas of Houston and South Florida are virtually identical in size. Houston has 2 million+ people because it is massive in land area. The density in Houston (which, IMO, is the true qualifier for what counts as "urban") is far, far lower than here in South Florida, and our cities tend to be far smaller in terms of land area. If you take off the Everglades, South Florida is one of the densest regions in the country. So I don't think you would find South Florida to feel any less like a "big city" than Houston, particularly between Fort Lauderdale and Miami.