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.
Thats funny because I am considering a move to Texas with my new wife. We are tired of the winter here, and the low paying jobs. Good luck to you. I have about 18 months left in Buffalo before the big move south.
Good luck but I hope you fully understand that Texas is full of low paying jobs as well. The main difference is that there are plenty of openings in Texas so its much easier to get a job there but that doesn't necessarily mean its going to pay more. My wife & I both make more here than we did in Austin (and after bills have a lot more left over).
Good luck but I hope you fully understand that Texas is full of low paying jobs as well. The main difference is that there are plenty of openings in Texas so its much easier to get a job there but that doesn't necessarily mean its going to pay more. My wife & I both make more here than we did in Austin (and after bills have a lot more left over).
I couldn't have said it better myself. We moved to Buffalo from Dallas in October. My husband found a job almost immediately after we got here, paying more than he was making in Texas. While there are more jobs in Texas, you have to realize there are more people fighting for those positions than there are here.
While there are more jobs in Texas, you have to realize there are more people fighting for those positions than there are here.
Exactly. One of the reasons we moved was because when my wife graduated she couldn't find a full time position in her field because 3 other schools in Austin & San Antonio offered the same major. She'd get per diem offers or part time jobs with the promise of full time if/when someone quit or retired. It was terrible, she was a licensed radiologist but had to keep her part time job at Sears. After a year without her prospects getting better we decided to move & she was able to get a full time job in NY that paid all of our relocation + gave her a nice sign on bonus. I'm sure that if you work in the right field the grass will be much greener in Texas but its not a guarantee that everyone is going to find a better job & make more money.
I've been meaning to do some research, but I want to make a solid choice. She's not going to grad school (so she will probably work full time and I will work part). I'm looking to get my Master's of Public Administration, but I don't know the quality of the different schools in the region (admission won't be an issue unless it's Ivy league caliber.)
DFW has more people in the 'burbs than in the urban areas of Dallas and Fort Worth... I dunno if that's what you meant or not.
Damn about the smoking bans. Do you know how cheap and where the closest reservation is? If it's a trek, then I might consider buying by the carton to save money in the long run and more gas.
As for the house, I don't know the area that well at all... I like old houses (we lack those in DFW), would prefer a basement if that is common in the area (not so much here.)
Yes, traffic here is horrible. My commute to college is around 45 minutes to an hour during rush hour. Pain in the rear end. Not to mention EXPENSIVE tolls.
The city? I assume the housing would be lower as well. What are the areas to avoid (ie, the ghetto.)
Do you know the names of the licensed cigar bars?
The summers are awful Have to turn the AC on Max, open the doors and wait five minutes before getting in the car. That being said, as long as it doesn't get into the negatives, I should be fine. Last year it got into the teens here and it wasn't as bad as I thought.
I can't speak for DFW but there are smoking bans in all Austin bars & restaurants (along with many other places in Texas).
[/b]
I honestly don't mind paying higher taxes if it means better schools. I was fortunate enough to go to a very good high school in an excellent school district in the DFW area (was ranked in top 200 high schools), but most of the schools here I wouldn't dare send my future children to. Seems like schools in WNY won't be much of an issue in the future.
What are some things to do there in the winter? I feel like a dufus, but we don't have real winters over here...
Is it just me or is there an increasing trend of DFW residents moving to the Buffalo area? Sure, we all say it's because of family but I'm sure the scorching hot summers had some influence too
Yes, that's something I'm most definitely looking forward to escaping haha. I have my friends and family here, but I think it's time for me to move on and start a new chapter in my life.
If anyone else has moved from DFW (or just been there), what are the similarities and differences between the two areas? (specifically the Collin County area in DFW, where I was born, raised and currently live)
I'm sure my answer will change in 6 months from now seeing as I just moved to Buffalo from Dallas in Oct. '11. Personally, I don't see many similarities at all with exception to the smoking bans. Buffalo doesn't have giant apartment complexes like Dallas. The complexes here are a lot smaller. In Buffalo you'll see multi-family homes which is not very common in DFW. You might have one giant house converted into 2-5 (possibly more, I'm not sure) units- Each family would have their own unit.
Also- there is a lot of side street parking here. I don't understand it considering the amount of snow and snow plowing going on here. In Dallas, most apartments and the majority of neighborhood homes have a driveway or parking garage. Here, people have driveways but I've seen a lot more street parking. And it's a pain in the butt to have to alternate from one side of the street to the other (but I think that may only be during the winter/plow season- not sure).
And the homes here are all older. They don't make them like they do in Texas. That's actually one of the things I've fallen in love with here. There is so much charm that you don't see in Dallas. Everything is bigger in Texas. You don't necessarily notice it, until you move out of the state. And prepare yourself do do laundry in the basement. Some places here have same level laundry but most of the places I’ve seen have basement laundry. And here- kitchen/laundry hookups are mostly gas vs. electric.
There are a lot of bars. I mean a lot. And you will NOT find authentic Mexican food here. It just doesn’t exist here. But you will find some of the best pizza and wings you’ve ever had. Did you know in Buffalo you can have chicken fingers on a sub? It’s amazing! The Italian food here is also better than anything in Dallas.
Do cities determine smoking bans there or is it statewide? I know here in DFW, the city I attend college in allows smoking bars, but the city I live in doesn't. Also, coming from DFW, you know how... interesting the liquor laws here are. Can you buy liquor in the grocery store, on Sundays, ect in Buffalo?I don't mind older homes, prefer them actually. Established neighborhoods are pretty, as opposed to the newer developments here where everything looks the same and the trees are young and haven't grown. Basements are cool. I'll miss Mexican food... but I suppose the Italian can make up for it.
We're looking into the Southtowns for Apartments / Townhomes to rent. The most we'd want to spend is $1000 a month, but we could probably got a bit higher if necessary.
For $1000 you could rent a nice house, townhouse or duplex. The cost of housing here is considerably lower than in Dallas. But again, you’re going to be getting something a lot older and not as nice as something your could rent in Dallas.( Sorry, no offense to anyone)
Renting a house for $1000? I didn't think it would be that lower. I should probably reduce that number, so I can have more cash in my pocket and still live somewhere decent
I did a cost of living check and it says the COL is lower in Buffalo, but does that take taxes and such into account?
I don’t know about property tax but everyone I’ve talked to says it’s high. It’s lower in some towns but overall I hear its more than what you would pay in Collin County. Still, it’s cheaper here to rent. I was paying 8.25% sales tax in Dallas. Here, it’s 8.75% and I just noticed there’s a 2nd tax on my receipts for 4.75%. They also charge a bottle deposit.
I don’t know what those COL calculators take into consideration but it sounds like bologna. Groceries are way more expensive here. Gas is more expensive. You can go to the reservations and get it cheaper. At the res, you’ll probably pay just a little more than you would in TX.
How much is gas there compared to the reservations?
I'm a smoker and I understand that the taxes on cigarettes are extremely high in New York State. On average, how much is a pack of cigarettes? Does the state have a smoking ban for bars / restaurants?
And yeah, cigarettes are outrageous! 10-12 a pack in town. I was smoking Marlboro Menthol or Newports from the Res. I was still spending more that I would in Texas so I started smoking Signal Menthol's. IMO Seneca’s are just nasty.
Dang! I smoke Marlboro Reds... not sure if I'd be willing to give those up. At the reservation, do they still cost more than they do at Texas?
How quickly will I adapt to the winters here? Coming from North Texas, we usually get a few inches of snow during the winter, but obviously Buffalo is a whole 'nother story.
Think about how hot the summers are in Texas. Think about how you can’t wait for the temps to start dropping and how you cannot stand another day of 100+ temps. You want to go outside and enjoy the sun but it’s just too hot to do it again. Now reverse it. You’ll be sick of temperatures under 30. You want to get our of the house but do you really want to deal with the snow another day?
I think it’s an even trade off. I was sick of the scorching summers there and I’m sure I will be sick of the frigid winters here. Actually, we’ve had a pretty mild winter so far. It hasn’t been bad at all. I’m just crossing my fingers it’ll sort of skip us this year. lol I hear the summers here are beautiful so I'm looking forward to that.
That sounds about right. Sounds like summers are quite enjoyable there!
In the long run, how much does a decent house in a middle class area generally cost?
I have no idea as I just moved here and am currently renting. A lot of houses here are sided. You won’t see as much brick as you do in TX. This house looks like it came right out of TX- maybe b/c of the brick? Anyway, its just shy of $295,000. Sure you could probably find something cheaper, but this reminded me of TX..
Just thought of another similarity- the tolls. We have tolls here but they are different than TX. You stop at one booth and receive a ticket. You'll stop at another booth (depending on your exit) and pay your toll. The distance you travel will determine the amount you owe. They're a lot cheaper than tolls in TX.
You know how we have a TollTag in DFW? is there an equivalent for Buffalo or is it all cash?
Well first I would say you should not do a cost of living comparison between Buffalo and DFW, but rather a comparison with the community you plan on living in. So if your plan is to live in the Southtowns compare Hamburg, Orchard Park, Elma, etc. I think you will find that Buffalo has a low COL because of the price of housing, which is skewed down due to the fact that there is a massive supply of homes in the bad neighborhoods of Buffalo. There are over 10,000 abandoned homes, and the city itself offers to sell many of them for $1...
Some COL calculators may include taxes, others do not. I find the taxes outrageous, and that is a large contributor to the lower home values, and thus "affordable" homes in this area. The asset you purchase is offset by an ever growing liability, property taxes. You may be able to find a decent home in Tonawanda for $100k, but that comes with a $4k tax bill. A 200k home may well run 6-7k in taxes in the burbs. So as you might imagine, homes are not quite as affordable as their price may indicate.
Cigarettes are indeed $10 per pack. Albany uses the fact that they are unhealthy as a false pretense to do what they do best, stick it to the taxpayer. Sure cigarettes are bad and I'd like for everyone to quit but it's not the government's business. Lots of behaviors can be dangerous, overeating, under-eating, not exercising, exercising too much, not sleeping enough, etc. Is it the government's place to eliminate or discourage all things that have the potential for harm? I certainly wouldn't put it past NY to try. Not because they care of course, but think of all the tax and/or fee revenue they could generate. It's probably only a matter of time before you'll have to buy an "Obesity License" to exceed a certain BMI. In typical NYS fashion you will likely have to pay a "user fee" on top of it
I don't know what your political leanings are but be sure to be either apathetic to politics or a liberal if you plan to move here. If you're a conservative or libertarian this region's politics are down right unbearable.
Know that the public employee unions control the politicians at all levels of government, and have been very successful in enriching their members. Get used to hearing about how regular union workers work crazy overtime their last 3 years in service, or happen to become "disabled" before retiring in order to score six figure pensions (six figure pensions that are NOT taxed by the state) and healthcare until the day they die. Likely though, they won't simply retire, but rather will get transferred to a different branch or level of government so that they can earn a similar salary while collecting their pension on top of that. Get used to politicians expressing outrage at such clear abuses of the system and then . . . well, NEVER doing anything.
Know that you do not have a right to your labor, but rather that every New Yorker - including many illegal aliens - has the right to live off the proceeds of your labor never having to actually work themselves.
Know that nothing new gets built in WNY. It seems all proposals are subject to multi-year environmental impact studies and a multitude of lawsuits before ultimately being abandoned. Of course, some things will get built from time to time - usually with heavy taxpayer subsidies to campaign contributors or political insiders.
Of course if you are a liberal, New York is the socialist Utopia you've always dreamed of! In that case, you can enjoy some of the positives of the region:
Low traffic enables you to get to most any location in a short, stress free drive
Summers are absolutely perfect, in my opinion
The people are good - friendly and down to earth for the most part
There is some fantastic bar food
There are a good amount of sporting / cultural events for a city of this size
Some wonderful architecture and history
As far as the winters, I've never known anything else but I would say that it helps to have some winter activities to get you through to spring. I would look into skiing, ice-fishing, snowmobiling, etc. Allegheny State Park shuts down half their park during the winter and keeps the snow covered roadways and trails well groomed exclusively for use by snowmobilers. It can be a lot of fun.
I'm politically independent. I vote for person, not ideology or part, so I dunno how I'd fit in...
You say illegals? Is there a problem there with illegal immigrants? I've seen firsthand how they drain the county hospitals and school districts of resources. Not something I'd want to deal with again...
Here is a comparison of two relevant communities that have a similar reputation in their areas: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
I'm impressed. Frisco is the city directly to the West of where I live.
I compared the city I live to Hamburg and I got this.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
I take it "Transportation" is gas and car insurance? Seems like that's the only cost that will go up for me.
just don't talk about barbecue or guns or wear a stupid cowboy hat and you'll do just fine.
Barbecue: Not so much
Guns: Perhaps
Cowboy Hat: Wouldn't get caught dead wearing one
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.
Not to mention EXPENSIVE tolls. 
Have to turn the AC on Max, open the doors and wait five minutes before getting in the car. That being said, as long as it doesn't get into the negatives, I should be fine. Last year it got into the teens here and it wasn't as bad as I thought.
and better deals 
Sure, we all say it's because of family but I'm sure the scorching hot summers had some influence too 
I'll miss Mexican food... but I suppose the Italian can make up for it. 
