Even BBC agrees on Texas/Houston being cool (Dallas, Austin: middle-class, 2013)

[ethanw]

BBC News - 10 reasons why so many people are moving to Texas

[jek74]

From the article:

Once employed, it's hugely important that your pay cheque goes as far as possible, says Kotkin.
Continue reading the main story Fastest growing cities in US (%)

• 1: San Marcos, Texas (4.91)
• 2: South Jordan, Utah (4.87)
• 3: Midland, Texas (4.87)
• 4: Cedar Park, Texas 4.67)
• 5: Clarktown, Tenn (4.43)
• 6: Alpharetta, Georgia (4.37)
• 7: Georgetown, Texas (4.21)
• 8: Irvine, California (4,21)
• 9: Buckeye, Arizona (4.14)
• 10: Conroe, Texas (4.01)

US Census Bureau, 2011-12

"New York, LA and the [San Francisco] Bay Area are too expensive for most people to live, but Houston has the highest 'effective' pay cheque in the country."
Kotkin came to this conclusion after looking at the average incomes in the country's 51 largest metro areas, and adjusting them for the cost of living. His results put three Texan areas in the top 10.
Houston is top because of the region's relatively low cost of living, including consumer prices, utilities and transport costs and, most importantly, housing prices, he says.
"The ratio of the median home price to median annual household income in Houston is only 2.9. In San Francisco, it's 6.7. Dalparadise?


"In New York, San Francisco and LA, if you're blue-collar you will be renting forever and struggling to make ends meet. But people in Texas have a better shot at getting some of the things associated with middle-class life."

Then there is this about education:

"You hear about the high drop-out rate but Texas education scores pretty well at national tests for 4th and 8th graders in math, reading and science. The aggregate is about average.
"The perception is that Texas has poor schools but it's not correct. Across the country in general, we don't have schools as good as we would like them to be."
In eighth-grade maths, for instance, Texas scored higher than the national average and outscored the three other big states of California, New York and Florida. On Sunday, an education budget was approved that restored cuts made in 2011.


Uh oh. That's not what people are telling me down here at city-data.

[crono_clone]

Isn't it funny that Austin is the only one considered as "known for having a fun nightlife"? Dallas would probably be very offended by that.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by crono_clone

Isn't it funny that Austin is the only one considered as "known for having a fun nightlife"? Dallas would probably be very offended by that.

Fun won't put bread on the table, unless you... well, you know.

Texas is doing well and my company has been very cautious about hiring, even though we've hired a ton of people the last couple of years. We, or management I should say, know that we have to replace the knowledge and experience that will be leaving the company for retirement in the next 3 to 5 years.

The knowledge transfer started a few years ago and even though age discrimination is illegal, I've noticed that the resumes that come across my desk and the people we've been interviewing/hiring have been young. International as well. You can clearly see which countries are producing the best engineers because they are all taking the jobs... and I can tell you, US citizens are not a majority at all.

[swopoe]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Fun won't put bread on the table, unless you... well, you know.

Texas is doing well and my company has been very cautious about hiring, even though we've hired a ton of people the last couple of years. We, or management I should say, know that we have to replace the knowledge and experience that will be leaving the company for retirement in the next 3 to 5 years.

The knowledge transfer started a few years ago and even though age discrimination is illegal, I've noticed that the resumes that come across my desk and the people we've been interviewing/hiring have been young. International as well. You can clearly see which countries are producing the best engineers because they are all taking the jobs... and I can tell you, US citizens are not a majority at all.

You could say the same thing about the company that employs my husband as well. That is what he has heard/seen too.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

The knowledge transfer started a few years ago and even though age discrimination is illegal, I've noticed that the resumes that come across my desk and the people we've been interviewing/hiring have been young. International as well. You can clearly see which countries are producing the best engineers because they are all taking the jobs... and I can tell you, US citizens are not a majority at all.

Best engineers with original thoughts & critical thinking skills, or 'best' engineers who do a great job of copying & pasting and taking orders lying down?

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by tstone

Best engineers with original thoughts & critical thinking skills, or 'best' engineers who do a great job of copying & pasting and taking orders lying down?

+ 1 right there.

[Cbink]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Fun won't put bread on the table, unless you... well, you know.

Texas is doing well and my company has been very cautious about hiring, even though we've hired a ton of people the last couple of years. We, or management I should say, know that we have to replace the knowledge and experience that will be leaving the company for retirement in the next 3 to 5 years.

The knowledge transfer started a few years ago and even though age discrimination is illegal, I've noticed that the resumes that come across my desk and the people we've been interviewing/hiring have been young. International as well. You can clearly see which countries are producing the best engineers because they are all taking the jobs... and I can tell you, US citizens are not a majority at all.

There's a distinct lack of engineer's in the industry in their late 30's early 40's, which means there's going to be a real lack of senior level engineers with 15 years experience in a few years time when the guys retire that are in those positions now hence why I think you're seeing so many young engineers. I see the same trends coming across my desk. (I'm also seeing guys starting to ask for ridiculous salaries, it's going to start hurting the smaller companies in the next few years).

I completely agree about the quality of engineers. I have real issues finding good engineers and am actually in the process of bringing some across from the UK at the moment. The engineering degrees here just don't cover the same detail as they do in Europe so it take a lot more on-the-job training to bring them up to same level.

[Rip808]

Lets move back to the subject presented by the OP. Great news for Texas, but government leachers please stay out!!

[Redlionjr]

Actually they singled out Austin as being the cool city. Funny they got this from a guy who moved from LA and was born in the Chi and admitted to knowing nothing about Texas and said he loved Austin because it wasn't Texas. As he stated everything outside of Austin in Texas is conservative and big hats and oil rigs and other bs. Too many close minded transplant idiots like this living in the little bubble of Austin.