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Houston sounds like a good fit. She will get great experience as a cancer scientist, especially at M. D. Anderson which is tops in the country. Depending on your housing budget, there are some very good public schools within Houston (but the prices on the housing in those areas may surprise you with how high it is)... West University Place is a very nice area. Or you could look in Sugar Land which is the nicest outer suburb that still has reasonable access to the Texas Medical Center in my opinion. It has some areas with older historic homes if you're not into the cookie-cutter thing.
What part of Sugar Land? I think my wife prefers to live closer in to the Med Center, but housing is much more expensive there (but public schools are good). It's a balancing act!
Hmm. Honestly, hadn't thought about it that way - interesting point. I still think I'd prefer heat over equal-and-opposite cold, but very interesting.
Are there parts of Houston where flooding is less likely, due to higher elevations?
If you have never been in excessive heat and humidity that lasts for months on end, I suggest you take it into consideration. Picture your most oppressive summer day in NYC. Now, think about that persisting for 5+ months (day and night) and you've got Houston. In my view, it is not a trade off for mild winters. In typical years, the hot weather tends to break around mid-October. Unfortunately, shortly after that DST also ends, so while the weather improves, you have less daylight to enjoy it as it's dark when you get home from work.
In terms of flooding, we lived outside the flood plain where we were not required by our lender to carry flood insurance. Nevertheless, we filed two flood damage claims - one for flooding resulting from a tropical storm in 2001 and another for flooding resulting from a hurricane in 2008. Wherever you live, it will be a good idea to carry a flood policy because if a storm "trains" in your area, it can be subject to flooding risk (Training (meteorology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
I am not saying this to discourage you from Houston. It has many great features and I would pick it over Omaha in heartbeat. I prefer a big city with lots of options for entertainment. I am just giving you my experience with some of the downsides. Lots of "Yankees" envision warm weather as a paradise until they actually spend their first summer in it. If weather is really a factor in your decision, here is a comparisons of temps and precip in the two cities: Climate Comparison for Houston, TX and Omaha, NE
Good luck with your decision!
Last edited by Pine to Vine; 03-26-2012 at 04:56 PM..
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryves
What part of Sugar Land? I think my wife prefers to live closer in to the Med Center, but housing is much more expensive there (but public schools are good). It's a balancing act!
West University Place and Bellaire are very nice areas near the Med Center with good schools from what I know. But yes, very high prices to go along with that. Going further out, there is a lot of "bad" before you get to the good again, which is Sugar Land. Sugar Land isn't very large, and there aren't any bad parts of it. Both West University Place and Sugar Land have been on those "best cities" lists.
As far as the weather, I lived in Austin before this, where temperatures are even hotter in the summer, so I'm not too bothered by it. There are periodic severe rainstorms, especially in the tropical season, and parts of town can flood (mostly in the streets in areas near bayous/creeks.) Including around the Medical Center. But I've been in the Houston area for 10+ years in three different homes and never flooded... most of that is from not living in a flood zone, and a little good fortune.
Lots of "Yankees" envision warm weather as a paradise until they actually spend their first summer in it.
Oh my. I think I've lived in NYC long enough to be seen as a Yankee. Dammit. I was born and raised in KY, so am no Yankee, just a transplanted Southerner (who really wants to go back to my native habitat, i.e. back south). (Is that convincing??? )
Also, on the weather, I've spent long summers down in south Florida, so while not Houston, do understand some of what I'm getting into climate-wise.
I honestly think that the economic opportunities are so much farther ahead of Omaha (and frankly, New York, at this point, with its COL), that it outweighs the climate concerns - not to downplay it, though.
Plus, while NYC has tremendous culture and chances to soak it in, my experience is that there are two types in NYC - (1) those with enough time, but not enough money to enjoy all that NYC has to offer and (2) those with enough money, but not enough time. I know that Houston has a ton to offer on the culture front (Museum District, Theatre District, etc.), and my hope is that I'll have both the money and more time to enjoy (Omaha has some of those things, but not on the same level).
My gf is from Cincinnati. We live in suburban Houston. She tells me over and over the Houston humidity is MUCH easier to tolerate than a midwest winter. It still gets pretty dang hot, though.
Oh my. I think I've lived in NYC long enough to be seen as a Yankee. Dammit. I was born and raised in KY, so am no Yankee, just a transplanted Southerner (who really wants to go back to my native habitat, i.e. back south). (Is that convincing??? )
Also, on the weather, I've spent long summers down in south Florida, so while not Houston, do understand some of what I'm getting into climate-wise.
I honestly think that the economic opportunities are so much farther ahead of Omaha (and frankly, New York, at this point, with its COL), that it outweighs the climate concerns - not to downplay it, though.
Plus, while NYC has tremendous culture and chances to soak it in, my experience is that there are two types in NYC - (1) those with enough time, but not enough money to enjoy all that NYC has to offer and (2) those with enough money, but not enough time. I know that Houston has a ton to offer on the culture front (Museum District, Theatre District, etc.), and my hope is that I'll have both the money and more time to enjoy (Omaha has some of those things, but not on the same level).
It seems you've got your mind wrapped around the weather, so I think you will be very happy in Hsotuon. I certainly enjoyed my years there.
As for not being a "yankee," don't be so sure. Some Houstonians I know consider folks from Dallas to be from "way up north."
i've lived in new york and omaha before and believe me when i say this. Omaha winter's are hell
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