Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Now when I visit it's mostly to around the Museum district, central and similar.... and I don't think it's ugly at all, in fact most of it looks quite nice (but I avoid the eyesore known as I-45.)
Anywhere driving along 45 or 59 has always been an eyesore. Concrete jungle. Everything paved over. Most of the Beltway, all of 610 pretty much was always the same. Dallas has always tried to keep a green belt around, made for a much more beutiful city by comparison. Austin/Round Rock here the same, it just seems to me at least to have less of the ugly concrete jungle look. I've been gone from Houston a few years, though I still go back fairly regular. I can see some changes have been made, but I still stick with "ugly city" as an apt characterization of it in my book.
Also, to Bach's comments, yes Spring ISD is terrible, but most of Klein ISD is still rated very highly apart from Klein Forest - which is the part of the district in Houston proper. Spring ISD is mostly East of 45 though, west of 45, particularly the NW areas are still very nice .
And the Woodlands is as much a part of "Houston" as Sugarland and Katy are. They are the metropolitan area. And with both my work, and three kids actively involved in select sports 10 months of the year, we travelled all over the area and know all the parts of town very intimately.
I lived the vast majority of that time in Spring and the Woodlands, some of the better areas of town. I wasn't exactly living in third ward ... I understand to each his own and we all have different opinions, but I have travelled extensively - been through 47 of 50 states, and multiple other countries around the world. In my opinion, Houston is up there with the ugliest cities around. It does have redeeming qualities with great dining and arts scene. But it is still a city I would never, EVER choose to live in again. I would take less money to live elsewhere rather than more money to live there.
That explains it. You're complaining about living in Houston when you never actually lived in Houston. I would hate Houston too if I spent half my day in traffic. The suburbs are probably the most soulless part of the city and I seriously feel bad that you spent 20+ years there.
Back to the main discussion though. Houston is by far a better city simply because of how established and wealthy it is compared to Austin, but I think Austin is definitely a better place to be young. This city caters way more to the youth and that's why I love it here. Once I'm older its time to go back simply because Houston has more to offer.
There are a lot of variables and as the other poster said, more information on your situation and interests might help. That said, I lived in Houston for more than 25 years; I have spent alot of time traveling central Texas though and recently moved to Austin so I feel fairly well positioned to give some opinions. So, barring some more specifics from you some general thoughts I would have would be:
1. Austin is a far more beautiful city in every sense and way.
2. Austin is far more of a green city. If you are in the city center all kinds of people are out all over biking and walking.
3. If you enjoy outdoor activities Austin is far superior in the range, scope and proximity of things.
4. Traffic in both cities can be horrendous.
5. Job market in both is decent, but seems to be stronger in Austin in my personal experience. It may vary depending on the field you are in though.
6. Dining in Austin is very good, and there are some great, unique spots - HOWEVER, Houston is a top ten dining city in the country and is really exceptional.
7. Houston is very good for the arts, particularly their theater scene which is among the best in the country.
More could be said, but those are some general principles off of my head. I would close just saying this - for me personally, I would never go back to Houston. There is nothing that could make me want to go back there to work and live ever. I left for a reason, and I am imensely happy thusfar here in the Austin area.
Thank you! I've been leaning toward Austin -- just feel guilty choosing the city further away from where my son is (they're by Conroe). Maybe they'll move to Austin? To answer a couple of questions, I've been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years. I can get a transfer but may look to do something different down the road. I really want to have time for a social life and my current job doesn't allow much time for that at all. The zip code for the office in Austin is 78758 -- the zip codes for the offices in Houston are 77058 & 77040. I'm giving myself til the end of the month to decide so I can start working on my transfer, look for apts (could maybe afford @ 800/mo but don't want to jump into too much until I have my financial bearing there), etc.
The job/industry you work in can be a factor, and you'll have to be more specific.
I've also lived in Houston and can compare, though my time there was shorter. To be overly general, Austin is better for outdoor activities (with the exception of fishing and saltwater activities) and Houston has better indoor activities (museums, traditional performing arts, restaurants, shopping etc.)
I've been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years -- looking to change one of these days,though. WAY too many hours every day spent working vs having a social life.
Thank you! I've been leaning toward Austin -- just feel guilty choosing the city further away from where my son is (they're by Conroe). Maybe they'll move to Austin? To answer a couple of questions, I've been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years. I can get a transfer but may look to do something different down the road. I really want to have time for a social life and my current job doesn't allow much time for that at all. The zip code for the office in Austin is 78758 -- the zip codes for the offices in Houston are 77058 & 77040. I'm giving myself til the end of the month to decide so I can start working on my transfer, look for apts (could maybe afford @ 800/mo but don't want to jump into too much until I have my financial bearing there), etc.
I posted this in the other thread, but you are mentioning/asking about the zips here as well so I'll just post the thoughts I had here as well in an abbreviated form (didn't realize you had asked Austin v Houston questions here awhile back):
As a general rule you would say that Houston has superior indoor activities (museums, arts and dining) and Austin has supperior outdoor activities (although there is also amazing dining here). Some specific thoughts on the zip codes you mentioned:
77040 - You are not too far milleage wise from some great areas for homes. However, the catch is that this is right along 290, which ranks as one of worst freeways in the country. It is horribly, horribly packed, and yet construction and popular neighborhoods lie along it and continue to be built up and out, and with no real alternative travel routes to town there is little hope of that lessening. I worked along 290 for a couple of years and it was not pleasant at all, and things are much worse now than they were 10 years or so ago when I was working there.
77058 - This is basically right in Clear Lake. This is one of the better areas of Houston, and also very close to Galveston (though again I personally am one of the crowd who LOVES beaches and hates Galveston). But in and of itself Clear Lake is a very nice area. The only problem for you here really is that this puts you about as far of a commute away from your son as you could be and still be in Houston. In little traffic you are talking an hour and 15 minutes to travel there according to Google, so in any of the bad traffic times you could be talking an hour and a half or more.
78758 - This is a great spot to me for being in Austin. Now in Autin traffic on 35 can be pretty brutal. However, you are far enough north of Austin here to be away from the worst of it, and the bad traffic times do not seem near as long here as they are in Houston. Now this zip as your work location is basically North/NW Austin, but the great thing here is it is very central to many great housing/living areas you could choose from. From here you could live in a number of great areas in Austin, to Pflugerville, Round Rock, or Cedar Park - all of which are lovely spots.
Conclusion - As I think I said earlier, I am biased. I left Houston for Austin for a reason. You have to weigh your options on what is important to you and what you are looking for in a city. I will say that of the Houston zip codes, in my opinion 77058 would be far, far more desireable - however, it is probably twice the commute to your son that the -040 zip would put you. Still, with an average commute of 90 minutes from -058, I personally would just take the 2 1/2 hour trip or so from Austin myself, and half a nicer place to live.
Good luck hunting and deciding, and if you have any more specific questions just fire away ...
Wow - thanks! That's invaluable info I can't get just by visiting. That being said, if I can make it back down there to check things out before the move and have TWO days, what would be your agenda? I would want to narrow the apartment search down so would appreciate your opinion on which are good rental areas in the towns you suggested around Austin (is $700 - $800/mo a decent budget?). Thanks, again!
I've lived in Texas for 12 years and have resided in just about every city in the state. I've lived and worked in both cities (Austin 2009 - 2010 and Houston 2010 - 2012).
1. Differences in the job market?
Austin is more software/game development (Dell, Sony) w/ lot's of start-ups
Houston is more medical, engineering (NASA, LG), energy (ConocoPhillips, GE, Halliburton)
2. Which city is more arts focused? This includes fine arts, music and film.
Austin is the more liberal/left-wing of all the cities in Texas. It has SXSW and Austin City Limits Music Festival each year. It's very eclectic and you'll see a lot of bohemian types. This is the place for you if you like thick black glasses, skinny jeans and smart cars. It's also the more "gay friendly" of all the cities, although Dallas is moving up. This can be attributed to the mass exodus of people from the once profitable land of California.
Houston is more conservative/capitalist and less "weird" compared to Austin. You'll find more engineers, developers, scientist and doctors here instead of the artsy bunch. People dress normal/mainstream and still adhere to the Texas lifestyle (e.g. Big Truck, BBQ, Fishing, Hunting). There is an art scene but it's different than Austin.
3. Which city is better for starting a business?
They're both different. It depends on the type of business. I would say Houston if you're targeting energy (oil/gas), marine/boating or medical. I would say Austin is you're targeting arts/crafts, e-commerce, game/software development, acting or interior design. Although Houston is starting to see an increase in software development companies geared around energy companies (oil and gas).
4. Which city has a more reasonable cost of living, especially home prices?
Austin will have the higher cost of living when compared to Houston. Although it depends on where you live in Houston. The closer to downtown or the water/lakes will result in higher prices for both cities. I would estimate that home prices are very similar. Although with the recent influx of people to Austin it may be higher in Austin.
5. Which city has the better climate?
Austin is more of a dry climate when compared to Houston. Think of Houston as an extension of South Louisiana. The humidity is much higher in Houston. Austin is more of a dry heat with wind. Whereas Houston is hot with high humidity. Also, Austin tends to be more of a fire hazard during the summer months due to the dry heat, wind and lack of water. Both cities get hot as hell but Houston is hot plus the high humidity. One upside to Houston is it does have trees (mostly tall pine) whereas Austin has a scarce few and they're mostly the smaller evergreens. Austin is hilly and Houston is as flat as a pancake. The Gulf of Mexico isn't cold like the Pacific or Atlantic and gets very warm (feels like a bathtub) from May - October. It's great for fishing and boating but not surfing or swimming.
6. Which city has more crime?
Both cities are about equal in terms of crime. In Austin, you'll find higher crime closer to the airport. In Houston, the higher crime is now in isolated parts of NE Downtown, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Bay City and Pasadena. All in all both cities still have some of the lowest crime rates in the nation. Especially given that Houston is one of the largest cities in the country.
7. Which city has more in terms of entertainment and things to do leisure wise?
Again, both are different! In Austin, you'll find more city parks (small parks), protected non-public preserves (Google: Bright Leaf Preserve), biking, shopping (outlet malls), movies, recreational lake activities on Lake Travis (when it has water!). In Houston, you'll find everything in Austin but not as many weird non-public preserves and cyclists/bikers. Houston offers more in terms of beach/marine activities (e.g. fishing, boating, seafood). You also have Galveston which is south of Houston. It offers a lot of cool things as well.
8. Which of the two cities do celebrities go to more often?
Probably Austin since Houston isn't really a Hollywood destination. Again, both cities are different. Houston is geared more around engineering, medical, space and science. Austin is the artsy mecca of Texas.
9. Which city has a diverse population and culture?
I would say they're both fairly similar. In Houston you'll find a good mix of White, Asian (Indian), Hispanic and Black. In Austin you'll find more White, Asian (Indian) and Hispanic. They're both fairly balanced but Houston does have a higher Black population in certain areas of the city.
10. Which city has better school districts?
Depends on where you live in both cities. They both have good schools. The better schools are usually in the higher income neighborhoods. One thing to keep in mind is that Austin schools tend to be a little more liberal/left-wing than some of the others in the state.
11. What are the lifestyle differences?
Houston will have more of a blue-collar atmosphere while Austin is more hipster/bohemian. Also, Houston is a huge city (4th Largest in US) and is very spread out so expect huge highways and lot's of aggressive traffic.
12. Which city has better traffic?
Both have horrible traffic! Austin's situation is due to the population boom and lack of city planning. In Houston, you have massive four lane highways but still lot's of traffic as in any big city. Also, Houston does have more toll roads compared to Austin. Neither have a very good public transportation system. I would give the award to Dallas for the best public transit system (Google: DART).
Expect 30-60 minute commutes for both cities.
My Personal Preference:
I pick Houston, TX!
Why: Houston still feels like Texas and has a lot to offer to both families and single people alike. The job market is stable and you still have access to parks and the water. Dallas is too uppity for my taste and geared more towards nightlife and single people. Austin has gotten just a little too weird for my taste and feels like a town overrun with hipsters. San Antonio is nice but the job market is still stagnant when compared to other cities in Texas.
Texas City Profession Summary:
Austin: Design, Game/Software Development (Sony, Paypal, Dell), Music (SXSW, Austin City Limits), Acting, Start-Ups, Mostly Liberal, Hippster/Bohemian/Urban Dressy Atmosphere Dallas: Legal, Software Development (Intuit, HP), Technology (Intel, Cisco, Texas Instruments, Verizon), Finance (Comerica), Insurance (Cigna), Lot's of Nightlife (Bars and Clubs), Mixed Conservative/Liberal, Uptight/Dressy Atmosphere Houston: Engineering (NASA, LG, Baker Hughes), Energy (ConocoPhillips, GE), Medical (UT, Blue Cross Blue Shield), Mostly Conservative, Mainstream/Laid Back Atmosphere San Antonio: Insurance (USAA), IT (Rackspace), Education (Pearson), Military/Government (Air Force/Marine Bases/Camps), Mostly Conservative, Mainstream/Laid Back Atmosphere
Last edited by smurfman2013; 12-31-2012 at 03:21 PM..
That explains it. You're complaining about living in Houston when you never actually lived in Houston. I would hate Houston too if I spent half my day in traffic. The suburbs are probably the most soulless part of the city and I seriously feel bad that you spent 20+ years there.
I've lived in just about every city major city in Texas with the exception to El Paso (only visited). Just about all of the suburbs consist of tightly packed homes with a small backyard. I think Houston beats Austin because it's greener and has more trees. Also the yards tend to be a little larger in Houston when compared to the Austin/Round Rock area. I lived in a suburb right off 45/Mopac and wasn't a fan of the scenery and commute. The Austin area is turning into this weird faux urban community. It also gets very hot and dry in the summer. Remember the fires that broke out two years back near Barton Creek destroying numerous homes? The grass always turns brown and Lake Travis always dries up due to the lack of rain. I would do Georgetown over Austin but the commute down I-35 into Austin is horrible (over an hour)! The further east you go in the Lone Star State the greener it gets due to the increase in rain. For instance, the Tyler, TX area is a lot greener than Dallas, TX in terms of landscape. I'd do East (Tyler) or Southeast (Houston, Beaumont) over Central or West Texas. I've also found the people to be nicer and more down to earth. In both Austin and Dallas you find these nouveau riche elitist types that I have no desire to live around. I realize you have these types everywhere but I've found them to be more prevalent and accepting in Dallas (Plano, Frisco, Highland Park, Southlake) and Austin (Barton Creek, Westlake, Steiner Ranch). Also Austin and Dallas have had a huge influx of Californians (Google: American Migration Interactive Map). What does this mean? Well if you're a conservative patriot like myself you'll find yourself politically misaligned with your neighbors. Which can create some awkward moments during conversation. There has also been a huge increase in gay and lesbian populations in both Austin and Dallas. I consider these cities divided since the liberal/conservative populations are around 50/50 in my opinion. Also many Texans aren't thrilled about the influx of Californians so don't expect a fruit basket and balloons. A similar situation is happening in Seattle, WA as many leave California.
My Preference on Texas Cities:
#1 Houston
#2 San Antonio
#3 Tyler
Last edited by smurfman2013; 01-01-2013 at 10:55 AM..
78758 - This is a great spot to me for being in Austin. Now in Autin traffic on 35 can be pretty brutal. However, you are far enough north of Austin here to be away from the worst of it, and the bad traffic times do not seem near as long here as they are in Houston. Now this zip as your work location is basically North/NW Austin, but the great thing here is it is very central to many great housing/living areas you could choose from. From here you could live in a number of great areas in Austin, to Pflugerville, Round Rock, or Cedar Park - all of which are lovely spots.
Conclusion - As I think I said earlier, I am biased. I left Houston for Austin for a reason. You have to weigh your options on what is important to you and what you are looking for in a city. I will say that of the Houston zip codes, in my opinion 77058 would be far, far more desireable - however, it is probably twice the commute to your son that the -040 zip would put you. Still, with an average commute of 90 minutes from -058, I personally would just take the 2 1/2 hour trip or so from Austin myself, and half a nicer place to live.
Good luck hunting and deciding, and if you have any more specific questions just fire away ...
78758 is the fifth highest violent crime zip code in Austin. Especially around the Rundberg Lane area. The zip code just East of 78758, along the IH-35 corridor is the second highest violent crime area. //www.city-data.com/blogs/blog3...me-austin.html
There was just an article in the Statesman this week about how APD is targeting that area for a special crime task force this year.
I would not worry to much about working there during the day time, unless you will be working a lot of late evening hours.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
To answer a couple of questions, I've been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years. I can get a transfer but may look to do something different down the road. I really want to have time for a social life and my current job doesn't allow much time for that at all. The zip code for the office in Austin is 78758 -- the zip codes for the offices in Houston are 77058 & 77040. I'm giving myself til the end of the month to decide so I can start working on my transfer, look for apts (could maybe afford @ 800/mo but don't want to jump into too much until I have my financial bearing there), etc.
2012 Review
