Austin beats Dallas/Fort Worth. Dallas/Fort Worth beats Austin. Your call. (Howe: big house, neighborhoods)

[NC to Austin]

We are trying to decide between Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth. What do you like and dislike about one compared to the other? Pros and cons in your mind?

[Metro Matt]

D/FW is a no brainer if you're into big city living. Austin is just a small town in comparison & shows with its lack of diversity, amenities, restaurants, shopping, etc.

[HtownLove]

I am with Matt. Dallas trumps Austin all the way. I didn't find it a great place to live, just a nice place to spend a night or two.

[jr1038]

The notion of Dallas having any sort of "culture" is an absolute riot--and since when does Austin lack diversity? Unlike Dallas, Austin actually has a downtown that is the true center of the city, which is also far more lively than Dallas's. The difference in retail offerings is hardly what the previous poster seemed to insinuate, but of course if that is a major factor for your choice then you'd likely mesh perfectly with the prevailing (north) Dallas mindset. Also, DFW is practically void of any sort of natural beauty which you at least get a small dose of with Hill Country in west Austin.

Bottom line: if you want to live in a conservative, boring, manicured suburb in a cheap yet big house, go with Dallas. If you want to live in a (comparatively) lively and liberal urban setting with a more laid-back culture then Austin is the better choice.

[NC to Austin]

Originally Posted by jr1038

The notion of Dallas having any sort of "culture" is an absolute riot--and since when does Austin lack diversity? Unlike Dallas, Austin actually has a downtown that is the true center of the city, which is also far more lively than Dallas's. The difference in retail offerings is hardly what the previous poster seemed to insinuate, but of course if that is a major factor for your choice then you'd likely mesh perfectly with the prevailing (north) Dallas mindset. Also, DFW is practically void of any sort of natural beauty which you at least get a small dose of with Hill Country in west Austin.

Bottom line: if you want to live in a conservative, boring, manicured suburb in a cheap yet big house, go with Dallas. If you want to live in a (comparatively) lively and liberal urban setting with a more laid-back culture then Austin is the better choice.

And here is our problem. We are fiscal conservatives and really are annoyed by the mindset of many liberals. However, it's not like we are going to socialize much with them. We want an active area with lots of outdoor activities and places to eat. We want biking/hiking trails, good quality grocery stores and some big box options not far away. A big city may be overwhelming as we are used to Raleigh, NC. We sort of want a combination of fiscal conservative thinking and some amenities you often find in some of the liberal areas.

[jr1038]

Originally Posted by NC to Austin

And here is our problem. We are fiscal conservatives and really are annoyed by the mindset of many liberals. However, it's not like we are going to socialize much with them.

The liberal mindset of Austin I mention is only relative to Texas, which is a well-established red state. Coming from the east (NC, I know, but still the east) I doubt you'd be put off too much by the vibe. Austin certainly stands out from the rest of Texas in this regard but politically it's far from being liberal in the sense of, e.g., San Francisco.

Originally Posted by NC to Austin

We want an active area with lots of outdoor activities and places to eat. We want biking/hiking trails, good quality grocery stores and some big box options not far away.

Central Austin would be great for this--you have the Whole Foods flagship downtown and a Central Market nearby, plus other local options, and then HEB for your "big box" store. Contrary to what was said earlier there's a better selection of local restaurants/shops, etc in Austin than Dallas--it's something Austin is well known for, just as Dallas is well-known for enormous shopping malls full of chain stores. Whether it's deserved or not Austin is well-recognized as being "bike friendly" and there are tons of trails even in the heart of the city, so that's yet another area that Austin trumps Dallas.

Originally Posted by NC to Austin

A big city may be overwhelming as we are used to Raleigh, NC. We sort of want a combination of fiscal conservative thinking and some amenities you often find in some of the liberal areas.

The Austin and Raleigh-Durham metros are nearly identical in size (~1.75 mil). I have spent some time in Raleigh and while Austin feels a bit bigger, it obviously doesn't have the nearly incredible sprawl of that makes DFW feel so large. (I emphasize it's the spatial extent of the metro--not the "culture" or "diversity" and certainly not the density--that makes Dallas feel large.)

One thing I'd point out is that both Raleigh and Austin are "tech cities" with relatively well-educated populations. In this regard you might find Austin more welcoming than Dallas; indeed, the liberal feel of Austin in many regards is likely a result of this demographic (excluding the small remaining hippie faction in south Austin).

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by jr1038

The notion of Dallas having any sort of "culture" is an absolute riot--and since when does Austin lack diversity? Unlike Dallas, Austin actually has a downtown that is the true center of the city, which is also far more lively than Dallas's. The difference in retail offerings is hardly what the previous poster seemed to insinuate, but of course if that is a major factor for your choice then you'd likely mesh perfectly with the prevailing (north) Dallas mindset. Also, DFW is practically void of any sort of natural beauty which you at least get a small dose of with Hill Country in west Austin.

Bottom line: if you want to live in a conservative, boring, manicured suburb in a cheap yet big house, go with Dallas. If you want to live in a (comparatively) lively and liberal urban setting with a more laid-back culture then Austin is the better choice.

This post has all the markings of someone who was offended by the previous posts and trying to over compensate.

The bottom line is that they are apples and oranges. Dallas is much larger, but Austin is more charming. Austin is a much prettier city and its outdoor activities are far superior to DFW. Austin and Dallas (proper) are both liberal. Austin has more liberal whites, Dallas has more minorities, so they are liberal for different reasons. Austin is more laid back. For nightlife, Austin has a much better bar scene, Dallas has a much better club scene. Dallas is a much better eating city. Of the cities in question, Fort Worth offers the best culture by a long shot.

DFW (especially the Dallas side) is more diverse than Austin (and by a wide margin). Thats not up for discussion.

I would recomend Austin if you are in your early to mid/late 20's and perfer a more smaller city, better ourdoor activites, and more laid back vibe. If you like large cities with all the ammenities (better food scene, more cultural opprotunities, more diversity, more international, etc.), then you will prefer Dallas and DFW.

[Pontificator]

For outdoorsy pursuits, you would probably enjoy the Austin area more.....though you may be surprised how very green and lush parts of Dallas actually are. That being said, the libs may well drive you nuts, as they try to out-Austin one another in an effort to keep the city Weird (it's an unofficial campaign, lol). On a recent trip to Austin, I saw two earth-mother types with a free-swinging boob and an infant attached, or not, in the grocery store. And then my daughter who lives in Austin walked into a small shop yesterday, and nearly walked into another customer who was......wearing a 5' python around her neck (and was offended when made to place the beast in her car).

Dallas has just as many older neighborhoods that are a departure from big box houses as Austin does. I'm not sure how "big" Raleigh feels, but you may be shocked at the size and busy nature of each of these cities. I lived in Austin over twenty years ago when it was a lovely city....now it gives me a twitch.

I live west of Fort Worth......and absolutely love spending time in Fort Worth. Dallas requires a specific purpose for me to deal with the greater congestion. Fort Worth is lovely, treed, cultured and seems a fit for a variety of folks.

Good luck in your quest!

[JJG]

Keep in mind, it's Dallas/FORT WORTH. Not just Dallas.....


Just keep in mind...

[ImOnFiya]

And here is our problem. We are fiscal conservatives and really are annoyed by the mindset of many liberals. However, it's not like we are going to socialize much with them. We want an active area with lots of outdoor activities and places to eat. We want biking/hiking trails, good quality grocery stores and some big box options not far away. A big city may be overwhelming as we are used to Raleigh, NC. We sort of want a combination of fiscal conservative thinking and some amenities you often find in some of the liberal areas.

If you are annoyed by the mindset of many liberals, then Austin is going to really irritate you. Many Austinites wear their liberalness and Democratic pride on their sleeves and aren't afraid to show it!

Being a fiscal conservative will bring some polite nods from the locals, but don't be surprised if (at side glance), they give you a cross-eyed look. If you come to Austin, I'd suggest you get new people and prospective friends to get to know you as "whole persons", before you drop the 'conservative' bomb on them. LOL !!