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thanks, kathryn. i've only heard good things about austin.
i liked the weather when i visited last month. didn't like the sprawl, or traffic.
anyone not from texas, aka transplants like texas, seattle, or portland?? esp anyone from the midwest? i got frostbite yesterday. i hate chicago.
Well, you're welcome. And I am a transplant to Texas by the way. Basically from the East Coast (VA, MD, NC, GA). Texas took some getting used to -I'm not going to lie. But I have grown to absolutely adore this state.
I'd say Portland, but I consider all three of the cities pretty overrated. I don't really care too much for Seattle (I LOVE Vancouver BC though) and I haven't been to Austin but on Street View and from what I've heard about it it doesn't seem very special, plus it's extremely hot in the summer.
For me I think I would choose Austin, even though I have never been there. I have been to the Pacific Northwest before, Eugene Oregon to be exact, and I couldn't stand it! It's cold, rainy, and dark/gloomy 90% of the time except for the summer. I found its very depressing, I had to take vitamin D because the lack of sun affected my mood. I imagine Seattle to be just as bad or even worse.
However this is just my opinion, some people love that region (like my brother). I will say though that Texas does have a better economy and a better cost of living, it also has lower taxes. So that is something to consider.
If you like cloudy weather for 7 months straight. Seattle and Portland is your pick
If you can deal with 90 degree weather and high humidity for 5 months. Austin is your pick.
Another pro to Austin is that it's not as isolated as the PNW cities are. So if you get bored. Dallas and Houston are only a 2 hour drive away. New Orleans is 7 hours away. And it's a two hour plane ride to everywhere in the US.
The closest major city to Seattle/Portland is Vancouver BC, and its a 2 hour flight to the Californian cities.
It is so obvious that most of you have never set foot in Seattle. It's awesome. The weather is wonderful for the most part; brisk but never cold, but never too hot. Past two days of winter have been sunny and gorgeous. Spring is lovely with all plants in bloom. Summer is spectacular; arguably the best summer weather in the country.
Portland is slower-paced and smaller than Seattle, but that presents a number of positives such as less traffic congestion if that bothers you too much.
Austin's level of urbanity is a joke in comparison to Seattle. Seattle is far denser with urban nodes throughout the city, generally follows a grid, and has a heavily-used expansive public transportation system; Austin is a sprawling suburb of culdesacs with a couple (literally) streets downtown with pedestrian activity. Natural beauty in Austin is also a complete joke compared to PNW.
So if you want to live in a city, Seattle is the primary choice of the three. If you want a suburb with generally hotter humid weather, Austin is your place.
For me I think I would choose Austin, even though I have never been there. I have been to the Pacific Northwest before, Eugene Oregon to be exact, and I couldn't stand it! It's cold, rainy, and dark/gloomy 90% of the time except for the summer. I found its very depressing, I had to take vitamin D because the lack of sun affected my mood. I imagine Seattle to be just as bad or even worse.
However this is just my opinion, some people love that region (like my brother). I will say though that Texas does have a better economy and a better cost of living, it also has lower taxes. So that is something to consider.
I love the Pacific Northwest but the lack of an economy as well as the way the weather makes me sick is a huge downside. I also think it's by far the "coldest" place that is pretty much snowless, in the lower elevations at least of course the higher areas of the PNW can be very snowy.
If you like cloudy weather for 7 months straight. Seattle and Portland is your pick
If you can deal with 90 degree weather and high humidity for 5 months. Austin is your pick.
Another pro to Austin is that it's not as isolated as the PNW cities are. So if you get bored. Dallas and Houston are only a 2 hour drive away. New Orleans is 7 hours away. And it's a two hour plane ride to everywhere in the US.
The closest major city to Seattle/Portland is Vancouver BC, and its a 2 hour flight to the Californian cities.
Well, actually, the closest major city to Seattle/Portland are the other. They're not one city, you know.
And I just don't get the "close major city" requirement. If I'm going to take some time off, and get away from the city I live in ... going to another "major city" isn't always at the top of the list of places to go. Not to another city similar to the one I live in. I just want to go somewhere different. And in my case, it's to the mountains, to the beach, the desert, or somewhere similarly scenic and relaxing.
Sure, Seattle and Portland are a longer flight from most places. That's the more restrictive thing. And it's compounded by the time differences. Flying to the east coast, not only takes hours, but you loose an extra three hours just making the flight. So it takes a day getting there. Of course, you get it back when you return. But still ... it's not optimal.
That said, for me, it's just not a consideration enough to live in the heat and mountainless horizons of Austin.
Austin if HOT HUMID weather in a over-rated state is your priority.
Fixed for truth
Austin is extremely over-rated. Not sure how it became such a unicorn in terms of cities but so many people find out the hard way. And before some Texan jumps my case for dissing his state, I lived in Texas for 17 years, mostly Dallas, and Austin briefly.
Portland and Seattle do not have extreme temperatures like Austin does. Portland and Seattle have mild climates, much much much prettier landscapes, more to do outdoors wise, better food, better mass transit, etc
If the cost of acquiring real estate is a priority, pick Austin.
Portland transit sucks. But then again, I doubt Seattle and Austin are any better.
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