relocating to Texas or Colorado? (Houston, Dallas: teaching jobs, school districts, college)

[mrplease]

I'm a single male looking to relocate to either Texas or Colorado from Cincinnati. but not sure which. I've been to Colorado and love the Springs. Never been to Texas but the teacher pay(I'm a teacher) is much more than Colorado. If Colorado...Denver or the Springs?? If Texas...Houston or Austin?? Please advise!!

[chris_ut]

You should come for a visit. Only you can make that decision.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by mrplease

I'm a single male looking to relocate to either Texas or Colorado from Cincinnati. but not sure which. I've been to Colorado and love the Springs. Never been to Texas but the teacher pay(I'm a teacher) is much more than Colorado. If Colorado...Denver or the Springs?? If Texas...Houston or Austin?? Please advise!!

That's kind of like saying, "I can't decide between an apple and a pistachio nut". Kind of depends: do you like apples or pistachios, or both?

Texas and Colorado are very dissimilar. In almost every way. You'd have to decide which one you like. Small examples: it's blazing hot here in the summer, which lasts 8-9 months in Houston. It's freezing cold in Colorado, with a lot of snow. There are some big mountains in Colorado; Texas has mountains, too, but they are remote, desolate, and sparsely populated---a day's drive for most Texans to get there, and then only campsites when you do get there. The Texas Hill Country (Austin) is NOT the same as the Rockies. Houston is flat as a pancake. Dallas is on rolling prarie. San Antonio and Austin are in the Hill Country, and fairly arid.

Denver is a big city. So is San Antonio; Austin is trying to be. Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston are much, much BIGGER cities, with big freeways, big traffic, big everything.

Houston has the cheapest cost of living, followed by San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth, then Austin at the highest end.

Texas has no state income tax but very high property taxes.

Texas has beaches (though they're not as nice as Florida's). Colorado has mountains in the west.

You're going to have to visit. It could be love, hate, or "meh" at first sight on any of these places.

[Houston321]

Denver is better for pulling chics

[texasdiver]

What do you teach?

Your chances of finding a teaching job anyplace in Colorado that you'd want to live (Springs, Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins) is probably 50 times lower than your chance of finding a teaching job in Texas. Colorado attracts out-of-state teachers by the thousands and even the traditionally most in-demand teachers like HS physics have a tough time finding work.

Your chances of finding teaching jobs in Texas are considerably higher depending on what you teach and where you live. But you'll still most likely need to complete your Texas certification before applying to jobs Even then, Texas teaching jobs are not a given with today's economy, especially in the more desirable locations.

Of the major cities in Texas my own rough guess is that jobs will be easiest to find in the greater Houston area followed by Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and finally Austin. And when I say "area" I'm really talking about the greater metro areas out to 1 hour or so from the central cities.

If I were single, I'd not want to live anywhere in Texas but those 4 metro areas. I teach in the Waco area at a good school with the best facilities and highest pay of any school in the area. Yet we have a hard time keeping young single teachers due to the lack of social life. They either (1) get married and settle in for the long haul, or (2) eventually move to younger hipper areas....usually the DFW metro area because it's the closest and easiest place to find teaching jobs.

Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins are great places to live. Just don't plan on finding teaching jobs.

[nk123]

I lived in Denver, Colorado for 12 years. Nice place to live, clean and people are friendly too. For teacher job, there are many school districts are cutting their budget big time. They are talking about cut 300 teacher job, 4 days school. So, it is not good idea to look for teacher job here.

[Float]

For what it's worth...

We live 35 miles west of downtown Houston. Our school district's long term plans include building 21 new schools (elementary, jr high, and high schools) in the next ten years. They've built 24 schools over the last 10 years. The district just north of us is growing even faster.

I'm not a teacher, but it sure seems like there is a demand out here for them. The majority of folks moving this way seem to have school age kids.

Even our church said they are struggling to keep up with all the preschool kids moving in (classroom space).

[RCH99]

Originally Posted by Houston321

Denver is better for pulling chics

Houston is better for pulling Pork

[dejai85]

I would say Austin. I'm from Texas, born and raised an hour outside Houston. I went to college in Austin and lived there for a total of 15 years. Austin is much better than Houston, in my opinion. It is just a prettier place and probably overall safer. Pflugerville and Round Rock school districts are better than Austin ISD. As for Texas teacher pay, I am also a teacher. Dallas area school districts pay better than Houston or Austin. New teachers start at about 45k in this area. I'm in Richardson ISD and it is an awesome school district. Plano ISD, Mckinney and Allen are also great districts. I don't care too much for the Dallas area though.

I am actually getting ready to relocate to Colorado...not sure if I'll teach or return to child welfare field.

[MaybeMovingtoDallas]

Originally Posted by dejai85

I would say Austin. I'm from Texas, born and raised an hour outside Houston. I went to college in Austin and lived there for a total of 15 years. Austin is much better than Houston, in my opinion. It is just a prettier place and probably overall safer. Pflugerville and Round Rock school districts are better than Austin ISD. As for Texas teacher pay, I am also a teacher. Dallas area school districts pay better than Houston or Austin. New teachers start at about 45k in this area. I'm in Richardson ISD and it is an awesome school district. Plano ISD, Mckinney and Allen are also great districts. I don't care too much for the Dallas area though.

I am actually getting ready to relocate to Colorado...not sure if I'll teach or return to child welfare field.

Your a teacher in Richardson? Do you know if they are jiring any teachers around that and the Dallas area?