17 Reasons Why Houston Is The Best City In America Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-houston-is-the-best-ci (Dallas: real estate, job openings)
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At this point in our time, what isn't exotic anymore or a surprise in any major city? And under that logic, eliminating Asians out of San Fran, its just a White and Hispanic city.
Even our Latino populations are becoming widely diverse. A pretty huge Central American presence, with a booming South American one in recent years, and a growing PR and DR one too.
I think a lot of people overlook how diverse the American presence is too. Our black population is filled with Louisiana and Creole influences.
Its makes for a pretty diverse group of people living in one city.
Yes people forget about the influx of New Orleans natives that chose to stay in Houston and continue moving to Houston and adding their own culture in the pot of gumbo that is Houston.
I hardly meet anyone from New Orleans anymore. Lafayette and Baton Rouge is a different story, I'm always running into Cajuns. I remember reading something that we have the second largest number of LSU alum living in this city, after New Orleans. You see as much LSU and Saints decals as Texans in Katy.
I'm pretty sure there is no city like that in the country were you have a equal brake down in race.
Oakland, California comes close.
From the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year figures (2007-2011):
White, Not Hispanic: 26.5%
Black, Not Hispanic: 27.7%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 15.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 25.0%
Two or more races: 3.4%
So does Sacramento, which was named the "Most Diverse City in America" by TIME magazine in 2002. These numbers are from 2007-2011, though.
White, Not Hispanic: 35.1%
Black, Not Hispanic: 13.5%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 18.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 26.0%
Two or more races: 4.3%
Also, for what it's worth, racial / ethnic diversity is only one component of diversity. What about diversity in religion, for example? Let me explain what I mean - if you ever visit Salt Lake City, you'll see just by walking down the street and spending a few days there that it's pretty ethnically diverse - there's sizable populations of black, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Probably even a few Native Americans too since it's a western state.
But a lot of people are Mormon. SLC itself is the least Mormon part of the state, but a lot of those groups live outside of the city where it's a lot more LDS. So Utah itself has a pretty decent amount of ethnic diversity, but it's still a state and a culture dominated by Mormons.
Texas, generally, is the same way - evangelicals dominate, even if other religious groups exist (and I'm sure they do, especially in Houston). So to me, ethnic diversity is just one component of it. If one religious group dominates local politics and culture, the way that evangelicals do everywhere from Texas all the way up to Virginia, then screw it, the diversity numbers don't mean anything to me. Ethnic diversity is great, but what a city also needs is diversity in thought and belief.
Montrose is nice, but seriously - Houston needs to be a much more walkable, bikable, transit-friendly city. It can't just be a handful of places around the city. You can't build a city with millions of people living in it and design it so that everybody drives a car everywhere, all of the time. If you don't believe me, ask L.A. See how that's working out for them. Ask them why they've finally decided to give in and build a rail transit system in the last 20 to 25 years after spending decades trying to build the post-WWII American dream of auto-centric, low-density development. It failed, and all they ended up with was a massive city with horrible air pollution and constant traffic snarls, with few viable alternative means of transportation for residents.
Nowhere else in the world do people try to build cities the size of Houston or LA where the primary means of transportation is a privately owned automobile. Only in the U.S. do we do that. There's a reason for it - because you can't. Personal vehicles take up too much space, and in any major city, space is at a premium. Yes, even in a spread out city like Houston.
Places like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta have been on their way to becoming the next Los Angeles for years now, and should really try harder to not be that.
From the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year figures (2007-2011):
White, Not Hispanic: 26.5%
Black, Not Hispanic: 27.7%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 15.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 25.0%
Two or more races: 3.4%
So does Sacramento, which was named the "Most Diverse City in America" by TIME magazine in 2002. These numbers are from 2007-2011, though.
White, Not Hispanic: 35.1%
Black, Not Hispanic: 13.5%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 18.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 26.0%
Two or more races: 4.3%
Also, for what it's worth, racial / ethnic diversity is only one component of diversity. What about diversity in religion, for example? Let me explain what I mean - if you ever visit Salt Lake City, you'll see just by walking down the street and spending a few days there that it's pretty ethnically diverse - there's sizable populations of black, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Probably even a few Native Americans too since it's a western state.
But a lot of people are Mormon. SLC itself is the least Mormon part of the state, but a lot of those groups live outside of the city where it's a lot more LDS. So Utah itself has a pretty decent amount of ethnic diversity, but it's still a state and a culture dominated by Mormons.
Texas, generally, is the same way - evangelicals dominate, even if other religious groups exist (and I'm sure they do, especially in Houston). So to me, ethnic diversity is just one component of it. If one religious group dominates local politics and culture, the way that evangelicals do everywhere from Texas all the way up to Virginia, then screw it, the diversity numbers don't mean anything to me. Ethnic diversity is great, but what a city also needs is diversity in thought and belief.
Montrose is nice, but seriously - Houston needs to be a much more walkable, bikable, transit-friendly city. It can't just be a handful of places around the city. You can't build a city with millions of people living in it and design it so that everybody drives a car everywhere, all of the time. If you don't believe me, ask L.A. See how that's working out for them. Ask them why they've finally decided to give in and build a rail transit system in the last 20 to 25 years after spending decades trying to build the post-WWII American dream of auto-centric, low-density development. It failed, and all they ended up with was a massive city with horrible air pollution and constant traffic snarls, with few viable alternative means of transportation for residents.
Nowhere else in the world do people try to build cities the size of Houston or LA where the primary means of transportation is a privately owned automobile. Only in the U.S. do we do that. There's a reason for it - because you can't. Personal vehicles take up too much space, and in any major city, space is at a premium. Yes, even in a spread out city like Houston.
Places like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta have been on their way to becoming the next Los Angeles for years now, and should really try harder to not be that.
Blah, Blah, Blah, the experts tend to think Houston is the most diverse, if its not diverse enough for you or people drive too much for you move somewhere else.
I hardly meet anyone from New Orleans anymore. Lafayette and Baton Rouge is a different story, I'm always running into Cajuns. I remember reading something that we have the second largest number of LSU alum living in this city, after New Orleans. You see as much LSU and Saints decals as Texans in Katy.
Well I run into New Orleans natives everyday. Considering the fact 3 of my friends in Houston are from New Orleans and ppl from New Orleans always mistake me as being a native because I have dreds. Now maybe because im speaking from a black perspective since I was told by a white N.O. Native that most of the white population moved back to the city and alot of blacks didn't return back. Don't shoot the messenger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331
Oakland, California comes close.
From the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year figures (2007-2011):
White, Not Hispanic: 26.5%
Black, Not Hispanic: 27.7%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 15.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 25.0%
Two or more races: 3.4%
So does Sacramento, which was named the "Most Diverse City in America" by TIME magazine in 2002. These numbers are from 2007-2011, though.
White, Not Hispanic: 35.1%
Black, Not Hispanic: 13.5%
Asian, Not Hispanic: 18.9%
Hispanics (of any race): 26.0%
Two or more races: 4.3%
Also, for what it's worth, racial / ethnic diversity is only one component of diversity. What about diversity in religion, for example? Let me explain what I mean - if you ever visit Salt Lake City, you'll see just by walking down the street and spending a few days there that it's pretty ethnically diverse - there's sizable populations of black, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Probably even a few Native Americans too since it's a western state.
But a lot of people are Mormon. SLC itself is the least Mormon part of the state, but a lot of those groups live outside of the city where it's a lot more LDS. So Utah itself has a pretty decent amount of ethnic diversity, but it's still a state and a culture dominated by Mormons.
Texas, generally, is the same way - evangelicals dominate, even if other religious groups exist (and I'm sure they do, especially in Houston). So to me, ethnic diversity is just one component of it. If one religious group dominates local politics and culture, the way that evangelicals do everywhere from Texas all the way up to Virginia, then screw it, the diversity numbers don't mean anything to me. Ethnic diversity is great, but what a city also needs is diversity in thought and belief.
Montrose is nice, but seriously - Houston needs to be a much more walkable, bikable, transit-friendly city. It can't just be a handful of places around the city. You can't build a city with millions of people living in it and design it so that everybody drives a car everywhere, all of the time. If you don't believe me, ask L.A. See how that's working out for them. Ask them why they've finally decided to give in and build a rail transit system in the last 20 to 25 years after spending decades trying to build the post-WWII American dream of auto-centric, low-density development. It failed, and all they ended up with was a massive city with horrible air pollution and constant traffic snarls, with few viable alternative means of transportation for residents.
Nowhere else in the world do people try to build cities the size of Houston or LA where the primary means of transportation is a privately owned automobile. Only in the U.S. do we do that. There's a reason for it - because you can't. Personal vehicles take up too much space, and in any major city, space is at a premium. Yes, even in a spread out city like Houston.
Places like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta have been on their way to becoming the next Los Angeles for years now, and should really try harder to not be that.
Are we comparing Salt lake city to Houston now?? You already lost your argument. Lmao@sizeable black population, SLC has a 2.6 black population. That's about 3,000 plus black ppl in a metro thats about 1 mill plus people. The city I come from in East Texas has a metro population of 200,000 with a black population of around 20%. Over the national rate. That's sizeable. I know everything isn't black and white. But SLC white population sits at 71% and hispanics are 22% every other race is below national average and nowhere near close.
As far as diversity goes why are so many of you lumping Hispanics into one large homogeneous group? I work with many Hispanics every day. All very different people with distinct cultures. Kinda rude to think that way don't you think? Paraguay, Guatemala, Columbia, Honduras & even Mexico imagine that. All have different ways and a common language that varies a lot from place to place.
Diversity of thought has a lot to do with success. Houston has that.
@ Wink. Get on a plane already.
I live in the Burbs, I absolutely love it. I got trees. I got square feet and a low cost of living that has no comparison to anywhere I have lived before.
Love this town.
The economy alone makes Houston great.
It's not everyones cup o tea. Find a city that has what you want and go if you don't find Houston to your expectations.
The traffic is rather bad but I don't know of any of the largest American cities that don't share this problem. We are so big now that there is always traffic somewhere.
Here we go again. Jobs alone don't make a city great. Museums and parks are the only amenities for citizens that are listed... But museums don't affect day to day quality of life. Listing acreage of parks is just stupid because it's about quality not quantity--- and location, and nature of the parks. I don't really consider a paved walkway through a lawn to be a park, or a paved walkway along a drainage canal. I do photography as a side job, and Houston is the one city I've lived in where it's difficult to find a nice park to do outdoor photo shoots.
And the housing thing? Look at prices of housing in nice urban neighborhoods and compare them to other cities. Who gives a hoot about cheap tract housing in treeless suburbs? Quality of life matters, and disregard for that in favor of JORBS AND SQUARE FEETZ is exactly what is wrong with Houston culture.
If you think Houston is one of the city where it's difficult to find a nice park to do outdoor photo shoots, then you are not a good photographer. First of all, a good photographer will look at an overall mediocre scene and find an excellent angle to make it look fantastic in the final picture. I am also a photographer. I just moved to Houston from LA. At first, I had the same impression like you about Houston. But as I drive through the different neighborhood, masterplanned communities, or simple just a residential street, I saw many scenarios that will look great in pictures. The nature scenes in Houston has more natural, wild look than Los Angeles where everything is manicured. That's what I like in my pictures.
Houston is a filthy city with God-awful pollution, traffic, crime, scenery, aesthetics, air quality, surface streets (potholes, cracks), soil (shifting foundations), humidity, beaches, proximity to other major cities, property taxes, sales taxes, etc. The list goes on an on. All of those things make for a horrific quality of life, IMO.
Just because a city has tons of a jobs and a low cost of living does NOT mean that it is a good place to live. I'm tired of trying to justify that on this forum. I mean, everyone I've ever met from Texas who wasn't from Houston has told me that no one wants to live in Houston, and that's the reason why the city has so many job openings and such a low cost of living.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
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and a low cost of living that has no comparison to anywhere I have lived before. 
