Which is best for families? (Dallas, Austin: schools, college, property taxes)

[kye022984]

Okay, so we have been looking in and around Austin for our family move. We were looking at the outskirts of Dallas, but my sister told us she was going to go to school in Austin and I thought how perfect! But, now I just talked to me good friends who also lives in Dallas and she said she loves it there and wouldn't go anywhere else. I need help. Which has more to offer for a family? We have a two year old and an eight month old. Schools? Weather? The cities, dirty or clean? The people, nice or jerks? The sight? Anything and everything that you can offer me that would be awesome thanks.

[love roses]

I like both cities. Austin more than Dallas, but I don't have TONS of experience with it either. I have a sister who lives in Dallas and so I go visit her, and also Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. People are nice in either place. The weather is a little bit cooler in Dallas. Dallas and Austin both have lakes around them. Don't have kids in schools in Dallas, but just do a search. My cousins with kids don't have any bad things to say about what schools their kids are in, but most of them live in areas outside Dallas proper. My sister lives Extremely close to Downtown Dallas, but has no kids. She LOVES the Big D.

[aaauger]

I can't speak to Dallas, but Austin is a decent place to raise a kid. There's plenty of stuff to do inside and out. Call the Chamber of Commerce and see if they have a copy of ParentWise magazine which lists current events. My biggest issue with raising a child in Austin is that the school system isn't stellar - for such a high tech, entrepreneurial city and considering that the high property taxes go primarily to the school system. I worry that my child will be at a disadvantage when nearing college, so we work on academics a lot outside of school.