Considering moving to Austin... from Seattle, need input please (Plano: condo, big house)

[sasha77]

I need to get out of Seattle. This place is paradise in summer, winter here makes me question life. Yes I believe I have a severe case of SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder brought on by a miserable lack of sunshine.

So... I posted another thread, asking about Plano... I got a some interesting responses from some folks. I guess Texans are tired of "liberals" from CA and WA moving in and taking over. The shift is probably going to happen but not from the likes of me moving from up north...

Texas looks VERY appealing to me, due to the heat, sunshine etc.,
My main concern is that it have really good schools and the I be able to afford to live there. I am a single-mom to a 5 year old kid, techie, reasonably well compensated, without an extravagant lifestyle. My priority is good schools and a good peer group for my daughter and a decent social life for me.

How are schools in Austin - how do they compare to say MA schools ? The NAEP says MA scores are topnotch versus WA and TX, which are about the same. Math scores and science education are what worry me.

I am also very interested in finding like-minded Techie women, which seem to be a rarity as I get older. For various reasons they all seem to either move into non-technical jobs or into managing techies. It would be awesome to meet others like me....just throwing it out there... in case..

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by sasha77

I need to get out of Seattle. This place is paradise in summer, winter here makes me question life. Yes I believe I have a severe case of SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder brought on by a miserable lack of sunshine.

So... I posted another thread, asking about Plano... I got a some interesting responses from some folks. I guess Texans are tired of "liberals" from CA and WA moving in and taking over. The shift is probably going to happen but not from the likes of me moving from up north...

Texas looks VERY appealing to me, due to the heat, sunshine etc.,
My main concern is that it have really good schools and the I be able to afford to live there. I am a single-mom to a 5 year old kid, techie, reasonably well compensated, without an extravagant lifestyle. My priority is good schools and a good peer group for my daughter and a decent social life for me.

How are schools in Austin - how do they compare to say MA schools ? The NAEP says MA scores are topnotch versus WA and TX, which are about the same. Math scores and science education are what worry me.

I am also very interested in finding like-minded Techie women, which seem to be a rarity as I get older. For various reasons they all seem to either move into non-technical jobs or into managing techies. It would be awesome to meet others like me....just throwing it out there... in case..

techie women will usually be foreign. You should probably give more details about the types of things you like to do, your budget, housing size etc. Austin has some areas of very concentrated high tech middle class. Often times both spouses work in tech. Housing prices in areas with good schools are as low as 100/sq ft in areas like cedar park to maybe 180/sq ft for the best techie school chain. You would have choices of houses from 1200-about 4500 sq ft.

One high tech school chain is laurel mountain, canyon vista, westwood. Extremely good, but intense schools where a majority of parents are in high tech. Laurel mountain is 50% asian and it decreases as you go to middle and high school.

You can live very well in austin on a typical tech income of 100K. Most tech employers in austin are either downtown or north austin, so north is probably better.

If you do a trulia search, take a look at areas around barrington, dk ranch, oak knoll etc. There are areas with older ranch houses that are 2000 sq ft or less that would be perfect for a smaller family but feed into the great schools.

Also, dont think in terms of school districts, think in terms of the specific school chains.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by sasha77

I need to get out of Seattle. This place is paradise in summer, winter here makes me question life. Yes I believe I have a severe case of SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder brought on by a miserable lack of sunshine.

So... I posted another thread, asking about Plano... I got a some interesting responses from some folks. I guess Texans are tired of "liberals" from CA and WA moving in and taking over. The shift is probably going to happen but not from the likes of me moving from up north...

Texas looks VERY appealing to me, due to the heat, sunshine etc.,
My main concern is that it have really good schools and the I be able to afford to live there. I am a single-mom to a 5 year old kid, techie, reasonably well compensated, without an extravagant lifestyle. My priority is good schools and a good peer group for my daughter and a decent social life for me.

How are schools in Austin - how do they compare to say MA schools ? The NAEP says MA scores are topnotch versus WA and TX, which are about the same. Math scores and science education are what worry me.

I am also very interested in finding like-minded Techie women, which seem to be a rarity as I get older. For various reasons they all seem to either move into non-technical jobs or into managing techies. It would be awesome to meet others like me....just throwing it out there... in case..

A very strong caution about the NAEP ratings. If you look only at the summary data - MA looks like a champion. But you MUST consider demographics. MA public schools as a whole are about 75% White. MA has one of the least diverse K-12 populations in the US. Texas K-12 schools are closer to 50% White, 35% Hispanic, and the rest African American and Asian. It is simply a fact today that White and Asian children do very well in public K-12 schools compared to other groups. Look at the NAEP scores by demographic group and you will see that MA and TX score very similarly.

Since you are a female techie - you know that in general the software and computer fields are male dominated. I have been involved in software since 1981. I also know from first hand experience that females in software can do very well in Austin and do so in technical roles. I think this is most true if you work for companies where technology is the product. Not just "IT" in a bank or other institution. If you are a software developer and write good code, you will be recognized for that and paid accordingly. Lots of females in tech management too - though I think is more likely in larger companies.

[sasha77]

[quote=Austin97;28752341]techie women will usually be foreign. You should probably give more details about the types of things you like to do, your budget, housing size etc.

I guess I would qualify as foreign- pretty well assimilated, however. The kid, however, is biracial. My budget would be around 400k, I don't need a BIG house, a bit modern would be nice, no ranch style houses, I want the kids bedroom to be UPSTAIRS.
However, I would like to be close to something, one thing, either a park or library or something that I don't have to drive to. I like biking, gardening... don't care much for the night life... geeky pursuits like robotics

I am not so concerned with my daughter being the top of the heap as I am about having her develop a sense of hard-work and a sense of self-worth that comes from doing well.

I am currently employed and would like to stay with my current employer, but at the same time I want to know my backup options- software, IT etc.,

thankyou

[sasha77]

Originally Posted by Austin97

techie women will usually be foreign. You should probably give more details about the types of things you like to do, your budget, housing size etc.

I guess I would qualify as foreign- pretty well assimilated, however. The kid, however, is biracial. My budget would be around 400k, I don't need a BIG house, a bit modern would be nice, no ranch style houses, I want the kids bedroom to be UPSTAIRS.
However, I would like to be close to something, one thing, either a park or library or something that I don't have to drive to. I like biking, gardening... don't care much for the night life... geeky pursuits like robotics

I am not so concerned with my daughter being the top of the heap as I am about having her develop a sense of hard-work and a sense of self-worth that comes from doing well.

I am currently employed and would like to stay with my current employer, but at the same time I want to know my backup options- software, IT etc.,

thankyou

[hoffdano]

There are many very bright and successful female "tech" people in Austin. That you might be foreign or your daughter is biracial should not matter here. If you chose to work for the state government, you might see more of a good old boy environment. But not at a "tech" company.

There are many fine public schools in the Austin area. We have abundant sunshine and some serious summer heat. Lots of great food and things to do. Night life is lively but I think you can be entertained easily here with nerdy pursuits too.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by benthere542

Please come to Austin, the more liberals the better!

Unfortunately Texas is a southern state and like all ex confederate states is full of people that are at the bottom of the evolutionary totem pole. Of course Austin is the exception to the rule and we'll welcome you with open arms!

???

Isn't really clear to me that the OP is liberal or conservative.

There are 26 million people in Texas. Thankfully a lot of them cannot be like you.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by sasha77

I guess I would qualify as foreign- pretty well assimilated, however. The kid, however, is biracial. My budget would be around 400k, I don't need a BIG house, a bit modern would be nice, no ranch style houses, I want the kids bedroom to be UPSTAIRS.
However, I would like to be close to something, one thing, either a park or library or something that I don't have to drive to. I like biking, gardening... don't care much for the night life... geeky pursuits like robotics

I am not so concerned with my daughter being the top of the heap as I am about having her develop a sense of hard-work and a sense of self-worth that comes from doing well.

I am currently employed and would like to stay with my current employer, but at the same time I want to know my backup options- software, IT etc.,

thankyou

The areas that Im thinking of are extremely unwalkable. I think my area has a walkability score of 9 (out of 100). To get walkability you will have to be in an older community which will most likely be a lot of ranch style houses (built in the 70's). There will be other styles as well though. You can use google street view to "walk" down the streets to see what they look like. The walkable areas will be closer to spicewood springs rd or 183.

[jb9152]

Originally Posted by benthere542

Please come to Austin, the more liberals the better!

Unfortunately Texas is a southern state and like all ex confederate states is full of people that are at the bottom of the evolutionary totem pole. Of course Austin is the exception to the rule and we'll welcome you with open arms!

There's always at least one obvious troll per thread...

[CptnRn]

//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...s-seattle.htmlSEATTLE .................................................. ............ AUSTIN
SEATTLE .................................................. ............ AUSTIN

SEATTLE .................................................. ............ AUSTIN


Estimated median house or condo value in 2009:
Seattle $452,000
Austin $214,300

Estimated median household income in 2009:
Seattle $60,843
Austin $50,132

Mar. 2012 cost of living index:
Seattle 116.7
Austin 95.0

Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009:
Seattle 10.6%
Austin 18.4%



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