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Ehh it's a tough call but I think Houston would be the city for me. It's the fourth biggest with some really nice suburbs, great food, good shopping, a lot of black, white, hispanic people, ect. It has the potential to become a MAJOR important US city.
LOL, for all its diversity, Houston still looks and feels a lot more Southern than Dallas does. And Dallas is no slouch when it comes to diversity either.
On what basis?
Quote:
Originally Posted by projectmaximus
I would have a tough decision between Houston and Dallas...probably in the end it would be Houston.
I'm a big fan of Dallas. It has some terrific infill development, gentrifying neighborhoods, and walkability. I think the DART light rail is surprisingly useful. Nice arts and culture scene. Weather is slightly more moderate, and have some good friends/family there. Great food including a decent Asian selection.
Houston, imo, is a little bit behind Dallas in these areas except for Asian food and the arts. And, in the end, despite the shortcomings, I think that would be the clincher for my wife. So as long as we could find a gentrifying walkable neighborhood to invest in, Houston would lure us with the arts and cheap Asian food.
You are falling under the misconception that humid weather = more extreme weather; Dallas gets far hotter in the summer, and potently colder during winter, than Houston does. Dallas is also more prone to extreme weather events (larger temp swings and variations, hail, tornadoes, etc). If someone is looking for a major Texas city with temps as mild and stable as possible, then Houston would be his/her best bet.
Houston also has some good infill and gentrification going on. While the rail isn't as expansive as DART, I've heard great things about the Metro bus system, which, at this time, is functioning pretty well.
Not moving, just a hypothetical, and in fun. There aren't any right or wrong answers, but, it's mainly just about what you think you'd like, or in other words "making the case" for each. It doesn't actually even have to be the city that would be your first choice. For example, I'll go with and make the case for, El Paso.
1. Climate: Maybe just me, and could be wrong but imagine El Paso has more of a dry heat, which I personally prefer. Also, there are only 3 REALLY HOT months, and even during those months, it seems at least to cool down to a reasonable temperature at night.
2. Vibe: Perhaps it's completely inaccurate, but I have just heard that people are very genuine and kind in the area (not that they aren't in other areas of Texas or elsewhere), but that there's more of just a local feel there. I know that one is hard to measure though.
3. Multicultural: Certainly that it has elements of Texas/West Coast/Southwest is neat, but also obviously that it has a high Mexican/Hispanic population. It would be almost like a study abroad without leaving the country, though that would be easier to do also if it ever gets safer to do so.
4. Affordable: Not just housing, but likely also going out for entertainment, and other things around town.
5. Livable: I would imagine traffic is very manageable, slower paced living, etc., though still big enough to have most things I would want.
6. Nature: Way more terrain than anywhere else in Texas, and most cities in the US, right within the city limits and surrounds. Also one of the most diverse collections of impressive/beautiful nature anywhere in the US within an hour-two.
7. History: A diverse collection of history, including natural history, and that of several important events/cultures located near here. San Antonio is the only rival for El Paso among these 5 on history.
8. Location: Close to the aforementioned scenery (White Sands, 10K+ Peaks, Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupes), and also closer to the West Coast than it is to the rest of Texas. 7 hour trips to the Gulf of California, Phoenix, Monument Valley wouldn't seem that long due to the lack of traffic and the scenery, and even the 10 hour trek it would be to San Diego would be very worthwhile to do once or twice a year.
Not saying I necessarily would want to live in El Paso above the others, just making the case. Someone else's turn!
There is nothing about El Paso that connects it to the West Coast. Saying El Paso has elements of the West Coast is like saying Iowa has elements of the East Coast.
See if I had to pick, I think I'd actually go with San Antonio or Austin, just because they are so close together which really gives a lot to do between the two of them, and they have way more in the way of terrain than Dallas or Houston. Houston would be close behind or almost tied with them because of the high culture, access to the coast, and cosmopolitan feel others have mentioned. I have to admit for Dallas a big pat of draw for me would really be sports, since they have all 5 pro sports teams and several very relevant college teams, though that still may not be enough to turn me away from the others, even El Paso.
As far as the western vibe, at the bars/places I went to on my one night in El Paso, there was much more of a Portlandia (or Phoenix, really) vibe than Dallas and Houston which had entirely different atmospheres. Perhaps "Southwest" would be a more accurate label, but a lot of the chains in El Paso are west coast, even more so than other Texas Cities, and I think the biggest way it's like a western city is in how isolated it is from other cities, and how impressive topography and exploring the National Parks would be a much more logical weekend option than say roadtripping it to another city.
You are falling under the misconception that humid weather = more extreme weather; Dallas gets far hotter in the summer, and potently colder during winter, than Houston does. Dallas is also more prone to extreme weather events (larger temp swings and variations, hail, tornadoes, etc). If someone is looking for a major Texas city with temps as mild and stable as possible, then Houston would be his/her best bet.
Houston also has some good infill and gentrification going on. While the rail isn't as expansive as DART, I've heard great things about the Metro bus system, which, at this time, is functioning pretty well.
On all basis.
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