Houston vs. Vegas vs. Atlanta: Please help Houston!!! (Cleveland, Howe: houses, find a job)

[KylaY12345]

Hello Houston. I currently live in Cleveland, OH and am looking to get out ASAP. I am sick and tired of Cleveland and worst of all there is no place to find work. My husband was a cable technician and I worked as an administrative assistant most of my life. I am currently exploring three cities for different reasons. Oh by the way I am married with two girls ages 9 and 5.

I think Vegas is beautiful but I hear the schools are very awful. Plus locals complain there is no work. However I went to Vegas and found a job temporary very fast.

Atlanta is atlanta. My family is there and although I am not a fan of the traffic my family is there. I also here that it is very hard to find a job here also and that in most places not all the schools are horrible.

Then there is Houston. I don't have any family here but I have heard good things about Houston especially job wise.

Please HELP Houston with non-bias opinions. I would really appreciate as I am looking to move within the next month.

[Wonderful Jellal]

Originally Posted by KylaY12345

Hello Houston. I currently live in Cleveland, OH and am looking to get out ASAP. I am sick and tired of Cleveland and worst of all there is no place to find work. My husband was a cable technician and I worked as an administrative assistant most of my life. I am currently exploring three cities for different reasons. Oh by the way I am married with two girls ages 9 and 5.

I think Vegas is beautiful but I hear the schools are very awful. Plus locals complain there is no work. However I went to Vegas and found a job temporary very fast.

Atlanta is atlanta. My family is there and although I am not a fan of the traffic my family is there. I also here that it is very hard to find a job here also and that in most places not all the schools are horrible.

Then there is Houston. I don't have any family here but I have heard good things about Houston especially job wise.

Please HELP Houston with non-bias opinions. I would really appreciate as I am looking to move within the next month.

If you compare Atlanta and Houston, Houston is better for jobs because the unemployment rate is lower in this city, and this city creates jobs since the end of 2009.
Atlanta is a great city, but for the moment Houston is better professionnally speaking.

[Texascrude]

I'm from out west and would cross Vegas off your list pretty quickly. Terrible economy, the weather is just as bad as Houston's, and there is no culture to speak of. And although there are great communities and families there,I wouldn't raise my kids there in a million years.

I've never lived in Atlanta, but have been there on several occasions. I like the city and it sounds like you have a connection there with your family -- I can't put a value on that for you, that's something you'll have to do yourself. Personally, I love my family a great deal but only considered what was best for my wife and children when choosing where to live.

Houston is what it is. It's a giant sprawling city with a huge diverse population. It's the 4th largest city in the country and has all the problems of any city that size -- traffic, pollution, crime, etc. It also has crappy weather 5 months out of the year. If you can get beyond that, it's a wonderful place to live. Very diverse, great museums (the children's museum is especially wonderful -- your kids could spend a week there and not get bored), good zoo, lots of culture, great local cuisine (tex mex, bbq, steaks), easy access to the beach, affordable housing (especially if your'e willing to put up with a commute, or just don't have to go downtown -- my wife and I just bought a 3300 sq ft. house 18 miles from downtown for just over 200k), and good schools in the suburbs.

I've never found a city outside of Bumpkinville USA with nicer people. They tend to be more conservative than your average Joe (a plus for me, perhaps a con for you), but in a city this size you'll find people from all walks of life. Economy is much better than most places, but getting a good job will still require some decent effort on your part.

Few cons: zoning is non-existent, so be careful where you live. You could live in a beautiful house one block away from a a run down slum, which is next to a truck delivery ramp. Property tax is high, although it's offset by a lack of state income tax -- just be aware of that when you're looking at houses you can afford. The Astros suck. That's really about it (aside from the typical big city problems, which actually aren't nearly as bad as those problems in similar sized cities).

[SouthernBoy205]

Choose Houston. It has a lot of opportunities and a low cost of living.