Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If some things about Austin appeal to you, you may also want to consider Fort Worth, TX. It really fits all your criteria, plus it's just an awesome city in general.
But honestly, Austin has a really vibrant film scene, and so does San Antonio to a lesser extent - and San Antonio is only one hour from Austin and basically between Austin and SA it's really just one big metro area.
Can you tell I love me some Texas cities? LOL
All of these cities would meet your criteria, offer lots of high end retail jobs (better than average retail income), they have really intense art scenes offering a wide range of expression, prices, venues, etc. - plus they're just great cities.
Honestly any of them would work for affordability, LGBT scene, and the arts. However, out of all of them I think for "film" Chicago would be your best bet. Something to consider however that you didn't broach was whether or not living in a place with a stable economy matters to you. Chicago, out of all them, due to it's size probably has more job opportunities, HOWEVER, from what I've read Minneapolis and Austin are thriving right now with their job economy. They are both good places to find a job. Better than Chicago at least. That's something to consider. I think Minneapolis is more affordable than Chicago too, which means you would probably be able to get by with less in Minneapolis and have a stronger job economy. Chicago probably has more of a film, arts and LGBT scene--again because of it's size. Minneapolis is a different type of city--but arguably all three of the cities you've listed are different. Austin is more laidback than Chicago and obviously doesn't have the same big city vibe. It's the warmest place of all three. I don't think any of them can really be compared apples to apples for that reason.... Chicago is a bigger league city compared to Austin and Minneapolis. However, as I mentioned in the beginning of my post, all of the city's can give you the things you want. It more or less boils down to those other things that you aren't talking about, such as: does weather matter? Does job economy matter? Do you want to live in a beautiful place with a lot of greenery and outdoor activities? How much are you willing to pay for a 1 bedroom(and for that matter what is considered affordable to you)? Do you value diversity? Do you like the idea of living in a big city with a ton to do and a good nightlife? Are you looking for a smaller city, with enough things to do that you aren't bored but not necessarily a lot to do? I could go on and on but I'm sure you get my point. Depending on how you answer the questions makes a difference. I love Chicago as a city(grew up there), but it's not for everyone. I could not live in Minneapolis because there isn't as much ethnic diversity as I'd like, and there isn't as much to do as there is in Chicago. I could not live in Austin because it's too d*** hot, and isn't as affordable as other southern cities that have a much lower COL. I could do Chicago, because it's ethnically diverse, there's a lot to do, and compared to other big league cities(NYC, LA, Boston) it's very affordable. But everyone is different... As others mentioned, if those 4 things are all your looking for, there are other cities that could fit the bill... The question is, why have you narrowed it down to those three cities?
Well, I've narrowed it down to those cities because I feel those cities offer all the things I'm looking for to varying degrees. Honestly, Chicago barely made the cut because of its rent costs. Yes, compared to major cities like, NYC or Boston it's affordable, but it's more expensive than Philly and I was barely scraping by when I lived there. Ethnic diversity matters, but usually cities with strong ethnic diversity and and strong film industry are more expensive to live. Weather I can cope with, be it one extreme or the other. Economic growth is important and thank you for mentioning it. If Chicago's economy is not so hot right now, that's definitely something for me to consider. Access to nature is great, but I imagine would require a trek in any of these cities, unless we're talking about parks. Is that fair to assume?
Last edited by Jameson999; 07-27-2016 at 08:11 PM..
If some things about Austin appeal to you, you may also want to consider Fort Worth, TX. It really fits all your criteria, plus it's just an awesome city in general.
Fort Worth has virtually no LGBT scene to speak of. I think you meant to say Dallas. With the exception of film, Dallas has a pretty vibrant arts scene. Outside of film and music, Austin's art scene is very overrated.
I know nothing about LGBT communities, but the order I would go with with film being one of the things you're looking for would be: Chicago/Minneapolis/Austin. If film wasn't on your list, I'd put Minneapolis first. Good luck!
Fort Worth has virtually no LGBT scene to speak of. I think you meant to say Dallas. With the exception of film, Dallas has a pretty vibrant arts scene. Outside of film and music, Austin's art scene is very overrated.
No, I didn't mean to say Dallas - I meant to say Fort Worth. And I stand by everything I said about Fort Worth.
I appreciate everyone's responses! A little more research has suggested the cost of living between Austin and Chicago isn't all that different, given that in Chicago one doesn't need a car on a day to day basis. Minneapolis appears to be the most affordable, but has the weakest film scene. If anyone has any other comments on why they like of these cities, they are welcome!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
