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Has anyone lived in both? Pros and cons for families? Which has milder summers? I've done the data comparisons, I'm more looking for impressions of lifestyle and feel of the areas? TIA!
Well I did live in Dallas for a year, but to the south (Duncanville area) - so am not too familiar with the North Dallas Suburbs beyond occasional shopping and restaurant trips. I can tell you however that summers are milder in Charlotte. 100 degree days are almost unheard of here.
Like Dallas, the public schools are considered superior in the southern part of the county as well as parts of Union County. We have countywide systems here - can be a disadvantage. Quality varies drastically among schools even in the same system, so it's important to plan carefully where you live. You will pay to live in an area with better schools. Mecklenburg county also has some excellent magnet schools for which you can gain entry via lottery.
Beyond schools, there are lots of sports leagues for kids. Many participate in YMCA programs. There are parks but not as big as White Rock Lake. Freedom Park would be the equivalent.
The best thing about Charlotte when compared to Dallas is the proximity of the mountains and the beach - both are easy weekend trips. Dallas, while being a big cosmopolitan city, is just so far from anywhere. And also, Charlotte has bigger and more beautiful trees.
I have lived in both. We lived in Southlake for 3 years and have spent a total of 7 in CLT. Here are my opinions:
In Dallas, I felt like we had so much to do on a daily/weekly basis. Here in Charlotte...not so much too do. However, here you can easily access great places by car, so it is ideal for vacations/weekend trips. When we were in Dallas, it was so much easier to make friends when we were there. Here..for 7 years and I barely know anyone. My neighbors in my cul-de-sac seem to rarely come outside and I feel like I live in a ghost town. In Texas, families lived in their yards and it felt so easy to know your neighbors. Maybe I just keep picking the wrong neighborhoods here! In Texas, I loved that most kids played outside tons and people were FROM Texas so they weren't always going someplace else whenever a school break came around. We went to public school in Texas. Our system was in Southlake (Carroll ISD) and it WAS EXCELLENT. Here we attend private...but Carroll feels like you attend private...it is so well run.
You will also feel such a difference in the economy there...it is hot...hot...hot in North Dallas. Also, I so miss the food! We had so many great local restaurants in the area...not so many here.
SO, it sounds like I am saying Dallas is it. However, on the downside it seemed to always be too hot or too cold, you really do have to live in a bubble, you cannot really do any car trips because it is so far from anything...we grew up on the East Coast and craved the beach and felt landlocked often.
Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
It all really depends on your budget and where you work and commute tolerance. One thing Charlotte and Dallas have in common is that they are very suburban cities - Charlotte even more so than Dallas. You can live in the city of Charlotte and feel as if you are in the burbs. The "city-type" neighborhoods in Charlotte are few - many are highly desirable since there are so few (think Oaklawn).
I've lived in both. Both have a suburban feel & are spread out. Charlotte was boring at times, but so is Dallas once you've taken advantage of what the city has to offer. Neither city will overly excite or bore you to pieces. Charlotte has a slight advantage due to it's climate, ideal geographic location and it's landscape.
I have lived in both. We lived in Southlake for 3 years and have spent a total of 7 in CLT. Here are my opinions:
In Dallas, I felt like we had so much to do on a daily/weekly basis. Here in Charlotte...not so much too do. However, here you can easily access great places by car, so it is ideal for vacations/weekend trips. When we were in Dallas, it was so much easier to make friends when we were there. Here..for 7 years and I barely know anyone. My neighbors in my cul-de-sac seem to rarely come outside and I feel like I live in a ghost town. In Texas, families lived in their yards and it felt so easy to know your neighbors. Maybe I just keep picking the wrong neighborhoods here! In Texas, I loved that most kids played outside tons and people were FROM Texas so they weren't always going someplace else whenever a school break came around. We went to public school in Texas. Our system was in Southlake (Carroll ISD) and it WAS EXCELLENT. Here we attend private...but Carroll feels like you attend private...it is so well run.
You will also feel such a difference in the economy there...it is hot...hot...hot in North Dallas. Also, I so miss the food! We had so many great local restaurants in the area...not so many here.
SO, it sounds like I am saying Dallas is it. However, on the downside it seemed to always be too hot or too cold, you really do have to live in a bubble, you cannot really do any car trips because it is so far from anything...we grew up on the East Coast and craved the beach and felt landlocked often.
Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
I don't think there is anywhere in Charlotte that can compare to the Southlake area or Carroll ISD. That area makes Marvin look like a trailer park.
Yrgm- wow. I didn't know that about Southlake. It's a bit higher priced, but not nearly as expensive as Marvin. I was thinking a bit further north like Flower Mound? Frisco looks affordable with good schools, but it seems so flat and brown.
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