Austin vs DC (vs Madison, WI) (Houston: school, university, gated)

[wanderlustorbust]

I'm in the very early planning stages of considering a move to either DC or Austin. I know that these types of threads show up all the time and I really don't want to beat a dead horse, but I'd love some fresh insight on the differences/similarities/awesome points/not so great things about living in these two very different places. I've been living in NYC (Brooklyn) for about ten years and while I love the city, I need a major change of pace. I've spent a few months here and there in Madison and generally loved the vibe there. I've come to think of it as my measuring stick - though I'm not sure that living there would be practical. Just to give you an idea of some of what I'm looking for/what's is important to me: I really enjoyed the size of Madison, though I could certainly stand some for something quite a bit larger. I also really liked the friendly liberal/academic atmosphere, coffee shops, cool bars and restaurants, outdoor spaces to relax, socialize, play. I appreciated how easy it was to feel a part of a community.Madison would be perfect if 1) the winters were not so effing cold and long, and 2) it were more diverse. I've spent a good deal of time in DC and love the culture, spirit and size of the city - cosmopolitan without the sheer size and scale of NYC. My major concerns are that it might be a little too "button downed" for me, that sense of community that I need will be elusive, and the the cost of living will be disappointing (I'm looking for an opportunity to have my money go farther than it does in NY). I don't have any personal experience with Austin but I am drawn to the idea of an affordable, liberal, southern, laid back, outdoorsy spot. I do have lots of questions about the racial/socioeconomic dynamic in and around Austin, job prospects for folks who are not in IT, design, etc. etc. I'd be looking for education/non-profit/community development type work and my boyfriend would be looking for work in the allied health field (physical therapy assistant). Help!?

[feconi]

DC vs. Austin was covered recently in another thread:

//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...gle-29-yr.html

As for Madison--IMO, Austin is very much like Madison with skyscrapers and a lot more sprawl around it. Big university presence, not particularly diverse in the core of the city (although moreso than Madison), lots of local shops/restaurants, very outdoorsy, good nightlife for young people, etc. Austin is definitely a bigger city than Madison but Austin feels much more like Madison than a big city like DC.

If you are looking for something with the size and diversity of DC with a Madison-like vibe, Austin is not your city. Austin only has the "vibe." Be warned--prices are shockingly high in the central part of Austin where you will probably want to live.

As far as the racial/socioeconomic dynamic is concerned, I would say Austin is like just about any other mid-sized US city--segregated and not particularly diverse. FWIW, some people on this board claim that Austin is not friendly to African Americans. The black community in Austin is a much smaller fraction of the population compared to DFW or Houston (and is just generally less diverse).

Can't comment on your job prospects but there will inevitably be a few posters giving you the common sense reminder that it's not a good idea to move without a job lined up.

[eepstein]

Although I didn't live here in the 70's and 80's, i would suspect that Madison is very much how Austin USED to be. Madison is still a livable community that has remained small, and unique. It has beautiful lakes, tons of trees, and very hilly. UW Madison is also a beautiful school.

Originally Posted by feconi

DC vs. Austin was covered recently in another thread:

//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...gle-29-yr.html

As for Madison--IMO, Austin is very much like Madison with skyscrapers and a lot more sprawl around it. Big university presence, not particularly diverse in the core of the city (although moreso than Madison), lots of local shops/restaurants, very outdoorsy, good nightlife for young people, etc. Austin is definitely a bigger city than Madison but Austin feels much more like Madison than a big city like DC.

If you are looking for something with the size and diversity of DC with a Madison-like vibe, Austin is not your city. Austin only has the "vibe." Be warned--prices are shockingly high in the central part of Austin where you will probably want to live.

As far as the racial/socioeconomic dynamic is concerned, I would say Austin is like just about any other mid-sized US city--segregated and not particularly diverse. FWIW, some people on this board claim that Austin is not friendly to African Americans. The black community in Austin is a much smaller fraction of the population compared to DFW or Houston (and is just generally less diverse).

Can't comment on your job prospects but there will inevitably be a few posters giving you the common sense reminder that it's not a good idea to move without a job lined up.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by eepstein

i would suspect that Madison is very much how Austin USED to be. Madison is still a livable community that has remained small, and unique. It has beautiful lakes, tons of trees, and very hilly. UW Madison is also a beautiful school.

I also lack a frame of reference on how Austin used to be, but I lived in Madison for 10 years and have visited Austin a couple of times a year for the last 8 years.

Austin is much, much more urban than Madison. As the post I quoted highlights, there are similarities downtown and on the UT campus, but on the whole it's a very different place than Madison. A highway map comparison will tell you that.

Development-wise, Austin probably has as much in common with Milwaukee or Waukesha as it does with Madison.

I much prefer the oppressively hot summers of Texas to the brutally cold, snowy winters of Wisconsin. Not everyone shares that view.