Young businessman looking for life in Texas (Dallas, Austin: apartments, lofts)

[StlStudent]

I'm a young accounting graduate considering moving to Dallas or Austin. I need some opinions on which city I should choose. I feel comfortable in my ability to find a job in either city, I'm more concerned about finding the lifestyle I'd like. My major concerns are location and social life.

Where are the good neighborhoods in Austin which will allow me to live/work/play in an area where I can depend mostly on public transportation? (ie; bus and rail system? I'd like to rarely use a car)

I'd like to live downtown rather than in a suburb. Where are the best locations of safe apartments or lofts near shopping and entertainment?

Here is an opportunity for a biased opinion: Why should I choose Austin over Dallas?

[Jennibc]

In this economy, I'd find the job first. I don't meant to be a killjoy (or buzzkill if that's what they call it nowadays) but even though Austin in faring better than many parts of the country, you will still be competing with people that have recently been laid off here.

Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, public transportation aint great here and I cannot imagine living without a car. I've only ever lived in the suburbs here so people living downtown will have to weigh in. But consider that you are just as likely to work outside of the downtown core as you are to be working downtown so if you move downtown, you will still need a car to commute.

Austin over Dallas? I've never lived there but from the few times I've visited Dallas it seems that Austin has more outdoor amenities. Additionally, it also prettier here IMO. People regularly complain that people there are more materialistic but having never lived there I cannot confirm that. It also seems to have more tornadic activity.

[love roses]

My sister and Brother in law live very near downtown Dallas (one of the Central neighborhoods). He rides his bike to work. My sister usually drives, but from time to time has taken PT to work. I've been on business trips there as well and find the public transportation a lot better in Dallas than in Austin, just because there are more options.

[AustinTexan]

Don't count your chickens before they hatch, I am a CPA and I have a lot of former employees who are accountants who can't find work and haven't been able to find work in months! A recent graduate with just an accounting degree and not much experience is not going to get you too far in Austin, to be honest. Austin is home to one of the most educated places in the country and UT Austin has one of the best Accounting Schools so unless you graduated from the Wharton School of Business, your accounting degree isn't going to be the "golden ticket" you think it is. I'm just being honest and having lived in Austin nearly all my life and having been in Accouting for over 12 years, you may be in for a rude awakening. That being said, your best bet from what I'm seeing is to look in Dallas first. Dallas seems to have a lot of Accounting openings, a lot more than Austin, hands down. Don't be naive though, get a job before you move anywhere!!! There are a lot of people on here that have moved to Austin thinking that finding a good job was going to be easy and they have learned the hard way. If you're dumb enough to think that way, you'll probably end up flipping burgers at Jack in the Box.

[centralaustinite]

What AustinTexan said!


I think you'd do better in Dallas, easier to find a job, more big city amenities and I'm told that the public transportation system is better.

[mimimomx3]

I could not live in Dallas.

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I could not live in Dallas.

That's because you've been spoiled by Austin.

For those coming from other parts of the country like Ohio, Michigan, California, Wisconsin, etc, Dallas would be a paradise.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

That's because you've been spoiled by Austin.

For those coming from other parts of the country like Ohio, Michigan, California, Wisconsin, etc, Dallas would be a paradise.

Maybe so! The shopping opportunities are certainly better, as are arts and restaurants, but the people just kind of turn me off. I'm sure there are nice people, though, so I shouldn't generalize. I have a friend from Austin who just moved to Oak Cliff (it's in the midst of a big urban renewal) and she loves it.