Texas cities and their out-of-state equivalents (Houston, Dallas: real estate, how much, tech jobs)

[MrJester]

What are some out-of-state equivalents to Texas cities?

Austin seems thoroughly Califonia-ized, with its high-tech sector, college hipsters, indie bands, draconian zoning ordinances, expensive real estate, Whole Foods, hilly scenery, and wine country. Austin is the Silicon Valley or Bay Area of Texas.

Houston is unique; I can't think of any out-of-state equivalents. We here in California laugh at how backwards Texas is (without any justification), and I get the feeling that the rest of Texas bashes Houston. No one roots for the Astros or Texans outside of Houston, Houston real estate is the cheapest among the four major Texas metros, Houston is unplanned even by Texas standards (no zoning ordinances), Houston is the most religious and conservative among the four major metros (although Harris County leaned towards Hillary), Houston has the "awful" Florida-levels of humidity and mosquitoes and hurricanes, Houston's economy is the most oil-dependent among major Texas metros, etc. Houston will always be the Texas of Texas.

El Paso would certainly be most akin to Albuquerque or Phoenix (although not as cold as Albuquerque nor as hot as Phoenix). But its desert climate and Southwestern heritage says it all.

[hornraider]

Not an accurate observation at all.... Most native Texans love Houston for what is, not for being like a CA city. Houston is a great city and very well respected as the most diverse and world-class city in Texas. I think everybody rooted for the 'Stros in the WS, even Rangers fans lol. Truth is, Austin is way more similar to Houston than it is to the Bay Area or any city in California. It's the heart of Texas.

I do agree with you about El Paso. Being geographically located in the desert southwest, it has more in common with Phoenix, Tuscon and New Mexico.

[CosmicAries]

Originally Posted by MrJester

What are some out-of-state equivalents to Texas cities?

Austin seems thoroughly Califonia-ized, with its high-tech sector, college hipsters, indie bands, draconian zoning ordinances, expensive real estate, Whole Foods, hilly scenery, and wine country. Austin is the Silicon Valley or Bay Area of Texas.

Houston is unique; I can't think of any out-of-state equivalents. We here in California laugh at how backwards Texas is (without any justification), and I get the feeling that the rest of Texas bashes Houston. No one roots for the Astros or Texans outside of Houston, Houston real estate is the cheapest among the four major Texas metros, Houston is unplanned even by Texas standards (no zoning ordinances), Houston is the most religious and conservative among the four major metros (although Harris County leaned towards Hillary), Houston has the "awful" Florida-levels of humidity and mosquitoes and hurricanes, Houston's economy is the most oil-dependent among major Texas metros, etc. Houston will always be the Texas of Texas.

El Paso would certainly be most akin to Albuquerque or Phoenix (although not as cold as Albuquerque nor as hot as Phoenix). But its desert climate and Southwestern heritage says it all.

I agree about Austin being Californiacated, since majority of the people from out of state that move to Austin is from California.

El Paso has more in common with New Mexico & Arizona than it does with Texas.

The rest of what u stated isn't quite true.

[RoamingTX]

There’s not much remotely accurate about this post. Even the Austin/Bay comparison is miles apart - aside from the tech sector being a piece of the employment picture. Heck - I’d have to double check the source, but I think that Dallas actually has more IT/Tech jobs than Austin - it’s just not as hyped.

And El Paso is far different from Phoenix.

I don’t think you can make an accurate comp for any of the TX cities

[Spade]

Can't agree that Houston is the most conservative out of the four. I actually think that maybe San Antonio. I also can't agree that it's the most religious. That may go to DFW.

[tcualum]

Op, you must have spent more time in the Houston suburbs than you spent in the city itself if you rated that city as the most conservative in Texas. If you are a proud Californian who is currently living there as you claim I wonder how much you really know about the state of Texas. I kind of wondering if this is a sh** stirrin thread you've put up giving the tone of you initial post.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by Spade

Can't agree that Houston is the most conservative out of the four. I actually think that maybe San Antonio. I also can't agree that it's the most religious. That may go to DFW.

I think that San Antonio is probably the most conservative and religious. Maybe the Fort Worth half the the Metroplex beats it out.

My experience with DFW is most people my age (Mid to late 20s) are not religious at all.

[Treasurevalley92]

I do think it is somewhat true that people like to bash Houston though, I've heard it more than a few times from native Dallasites or Austonians. Weather aside, I really like the city though, I think it's interesting and unique.

I also think all of the Big 4 have more in common with eachother than any out of state city. Austin is alot more like Dallas or Houston than San Francisco, and the more it grows away from it's mid sized college town past, the more that becomes true.

[MrJester]

Speaking of Houston, look at the map above. It shows the cultural and economic regions of the US. Houston is very unique--it's the only city in the US that is part of two megaregions--Texas Triangle and Gulf Coast.

And yes, Tarrant County is certainly more conservative than Harris, though not by much. But Dallas County is more liberal than Harris.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by MrJester

What are some out-of-state equivalents to Texas cities?

Austin seems thoroughly Califonia-ized, with its high-tech sector, college hipsters, indie bands, draconian zoning ordinances, expensive real estate, Whole Foods, hilly scenery, and wine country. Austin is the Silicon Valley or Bay Area of Texas.

Houston is unique; I can't think of any out-of-state equivalents. We here in California laugh at how backwards Texas is (without any justification), and I get the feeling that the rest of Texas bashes Houston. No one roots for the Astros or Texans outside of Houston, Houston real estate is the cheapest among the four major Texas metros, Houston is unplanned even by Texas standards (no zoning ordinances), Houston is the most religious and conservative among the four major metros (although Harris County leaned towards Hillary), Houston has the "awful" Florida-levels of humidity and mosquitoes and hurricanes, Houston's economy is the most oil-dependent among major Texas metros, etc. Houston will always be the Texas of Texas.

El Paso would certainly be most akin to Albuquerque or Phoenix (although not as cold as Albuquerque nor as hot as Phoenix). But its desert climate and Southwestern heritage says it all.

Austin is like the Bay Area of Texas, that part is true.

Dallas is more conservative (on the whole) than Houston, for instance there are far more evangelical Christian congregations in Dallas than Houston.

Houston is more diverse. I would compare it to the LA of Texas, sprawled but diverse. Galveston would be the Santa Monica, even has a pier (Pleasure Pier) that is similar to the Santa Monica Pier.

Dallas is like a big OKC. Very sprawled out on the Plains.

El Paso is like Albuquerque.

San Antonio is kind of like New Orleans. Used to be a Spanish colonial power, lots of history but now relegated to inferior status. Substitute Spanish for French and that's what NOLA is.

S. Padre Island is the Destin of Texas.