Jacksonville or Dallas for Professional Single Mom (live, best, better)
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I've found related threads useful, but a bit outdated.
I'm weighing two job offers -- I expect both to become official within the next week or 2. One is located in JACKSONVILLE, the other in DALLAS. Comp package in Dallas likely to be more attractive, but I have a middle school child and really need an environment that's suitable for us.
I'm most interested in:
Excellent college prep schools or similarly-oriented public school system, with strong athletic and orchestra(string and piano) programs. The universe saw fit to make me the mother of an avid (more like rabid) hockey forward, so an opportunity for that sport is vey important, as are opportunities for golf, tennis, and his other love, sailing.
It's vital that we have a community open and welcoming to a single parent family...I'm a bit of a square peg in my current location given that 99% are smug country club going married couples. I haven't yet ventured back into a dating scene but I'm ready to do so. Social opportunities are important, as my family is in Colorado and we'd be leaving well-established social lives behind!
I'm a decently-paid mid-level professional at this point, so thankfully many communities will be within my reach. Having said that, I don't spend money just because I can. My savings have taken a hit in recent years and the more value I can get for my dollar, the better.
Relatives have contributed to the tuition toward our current private school, and that assistance would likely continue so private schools can be considered.
Unless a brown-water beach, 25-cent beer night and .38 Special music are disproportionate levers for you, I cannot think of a single valid reason anyone in your shoes would chose Jacksonville over Dallas.
Jacksonville will be a bit cheaper, but probably only in correlation to the lower comp package so it's a push.
There are some excellent college prep schools in the public school system but the best one (Stanton) has no string or piano programs. The School for the Arts (Douglas Anderson), however, is a fairly strong school academically as well. That said, these are all magnet programs and the school system as a whole in Jacksonville's primary county is quite weak. Not to mention that those schools have little to no athletic legacy to speak of. Dallas has several top public schools in the country and likely is better overall...including orchestral and athletic programs. If private schools are an option then you can find some great options in Jax. Probably slightly cheaper than Dallas, too.
Hockey isn't very popular in the city amongst fans or youth participation. There is currently no minor league hockey team even. I'd imagine it's much more prevalent in Dallas.
Golf, tennis and sailing should all tilt heavily in Jacksonville's favor. The PGA headquarters and ATP Tour's North American headquarters are both located here, as is the World Golf Hall of Fame. Jacksonville has the second most golf courses in the country behind Myrtle Beach, and with the enormous St Johns River, Intracoastal Waterway, and Atlantic Ocean among the many bodies of water, sailing along with golf and tennis are year-round activities.
The social considerations should favor Dallas, being a much larger metro area.
Overall I think judging strictly by your list of criteria Dallas would be the safer bet. The only thing Jax has over Dallas is the COL and the particular sports that you mentioned. Good luck!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J_Treehorn
Unless a brown-water beach, 25-cent beer night and .38 Special music are disproportionate levers for you, I cannot think of a single valid reason anyone in your shoes would chose Jacksonville over Dallas.
Oh, please.
I was just visiting friends a couple of weekends ago in Ponte Vedra Beach and the water was anything but brown. Although I voted Dallas, Jacksonville has much more to offer than most realize.
Unless a brown-water beach, 25-cent beer night and .38 Special music are disproportionate levers for you, I cannot think of a single valid reason anyone in your shoes would chose Jacksonville over Dallas.
I never experienced Jacksonville water to be brown. I think Dallas is better for her though.
Oh, please.
I was just visiting friends a couple of weekends ago in Ponte Vedra Beach and the water was anything but brown. Although I voted Dallas, Jacksonville has much more to offer than most realize.
Me as well. Dallas offers a lot more but Jacksonville is constantly sold short on this site. It's a nice city that I've enjoyed a few times.
Jacksonville to Dallas is a hard comparison. The Dallas Metro Area, even without Fort Worth, is more than double the size of Jacksonville Metro are. DFW is more than 3x the size. It's like comparing Denver to Chicago.
I vote Jacksonville. Dallas is pricey, and they don't have a beach. Your kids will love being able to go to Disney World in just a couple hours. There is upscale shopping in Jax as well as a riverfront experience. Some nightlife, a good zoo, plenty of good restaurants.
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