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If SJ's proximity to SF is not a factor, then that means we're choosing if we hypothetically had to live/work/play all in SJ or Houston, correct? Houston definitely isn't the most fun city in the country, but I really can't think of a more boring major city than SJ. If it weren't for the influence of SF being 1 hour north and the connectedness of the Peninsula, SJ really has almost nothing going for it. It's boring and expensive. The tech jobs are not in the city of SJ really. Palo Alto, Mountain View, and a few others in the area are the real Silicon Valley. That's where Google, Facebook, and others are located, not SJ. SJ really has almost nothing fun. For a city of 1 million, there is Santana Row and that's about it. Houston has a real downtown, real nightlife, real cultural activities. SJ has these things, but without SF, there would be nothing going on in SJ.
And regarding SJ being being the secondary major city within a larger metro. Dallas and Fort Worth function together. Each has its own identity, but they're connected in many ways similar to SJ/SF. Without SF, though, SJ is nothing. Without Dallas, Ft Worth can handle its own and has quite a bit going for it still. LA has Long Beach as its secondary city. LBC has tons of culture, vibrancy, nightlife, etc. to function without LA. The argument can be made that LBC would be nothing without LA's importance, but the port of Long Beach is huge and there is actually enough to do in LBC that people don't always have to drive an hour to West LA, WeHo, DTLA, etc. to do stuff. And their job center is actually in the same city, not like Mountain View and Palo Alto BORDERING the city of SJ.
So with that said, I voted Houston, obviously. If this was SJ taking into consideration the culture, nightlife, culture, etc. of SF, I would have voted SJ. Houston can function on its own and attract people for various reasons. SJ would not be able to do so if it weren't for its proximity to SF.
Houston is more boring than San Jose and so flat. It's so sprawled out with a mediocre downtown to speak of despite the new hotel being completed to connect the other side of its convention center and two new parks(discovery and Market Sq.). There are around 11 high rises recently completed and about to be completed in Dt. Houston to no avail. The oil market has crashed, possibly leaving 5 new apt. towers empty for a long time except for first 2 of them(Skyhouse). Downtown SJ is 15 years ahead of Downtown Houston. The only game in town in Houston is Montrose and Westheimer, the Galleria area. In San Jose, Santana Row, downtown, Alameda, Willow Glen and Campbell.
Houston is more boring than San Jose and so flat. It's so sprawled out with a mediocre downtown to speak of despite the new hotel being completed to connect the other side of its convention center and two new parks(discovery and Market Sq.). There are around 11 high rises recently completed and about to be completed in Dt. Houston to no avail. The oil market has crashed, possibly leaving 5 new apt. towers empty for a long time except for first 2 of them(Skyhouse). Downtown SJ is 15 years ahead of Downtown Houston. The only game in town in Houston is Montrose and Westheimer, the Galleria area. In San Jose, Santana Row, downtown, Alameda, Willow Glen and Campbell.
Yeah because only the people who want to live in these apartments are people working in the oil business? Nevermind the large medical center and growing technology centers? You don't know who is moving into these apartments to say this.
I get how much prettier the South Bay is over Houston and right now San Jose gets the nod over Houston in terms of job prospects.
But the food scene in Houston blows San Jose completely out of the water. Now, if you want to include the rest of the Bay Area, thats a different story. But just Houston vs. San Jose, Houston will definately have the better dinning.
Houston DOES NOT have 'better' dining than San Jose. Where did you get that idea from?
The South Bay/ Peninsula has 7 Michelin star rated restaurants, including Manesa, which has 3 stars.
The foodie scene in the South Bay is vibrant and very diverse.
Houston is more boring than San Jose and so flat. It's so sprawled out with a mediocre downtown to speak of despite the new hotel being completed to connect the other side of its convention center and two new parks(discovery and Market Sq.). There are around 11 high rises recently completed and about to be completed in Dt. Houston to no avail. The oil market has crashed, possibly leaving 5 new apt. towers empty for a long time except for first 2 of them(Skyhouse). Downtown SJ is 15 years ahead of Downtown Houston. The only game in town in Houston is Montrose and Westheimer, the Galleria area. In San Jose, Santana Row, downtown, Alameda, Willow Glen and Campbell.
I mean, let's be honest, neither is a real happening place. But Houston is the hub of...Houston haha. SJ is basically just a massive suburb of SF. Neither really has too much going on, but Houston is the actual job center and entertainment/dining/nightlife hub of the metro. Besides Santana Row, most of the stuff going on around SJ happens outside the city. The Peninsula has a lot of the tech jobs and SF has most of the entertainment and culture. That said, the Bay Area has much more to do and much more culture than Houston, but it's just not in SJ.
Houston being flat shouldn't be something that holds it back THAT much. Chicago is flat. Miami is flat. Those are giant deterrents to move to a city. Especially for someone like me that really doesn't care to ever go into nature, access to hills and mountains and hiking is irrelevant. Houston is at least closer to the warm, usable beaches of the Gulf.
One big benefit I can think of with Houston? Neither city is that great to live/work/play in forever. But at least in Houston you'd ave enough money to be able to travel a lot since housing is so much cheaper
I mean, let's be honest, neither is a real happening place. But Houston is the hub of...Houston haha. SJ is basically just a massive suburb of SF. Neither really has too much going on, but Houston is the actual job center and entertainment/dining/nightlife hub of the metro. Besides Santana Row, most of the stuff going on around SJ happens outside the city. The Peninsula has a lot of the tech jobs and SF has most of the entertainment and culture. That said, the Bay Area has much more to do and much more culture than Houston, but it's just not in SJ.
Houston being flat shouldn't be something that holds it back THAT much. Chicago is flat. Miami is flat. Those are giant deterrents to move to a city. Especially for someone like me that really doesn't care to ever go into nature, access to hills and mountains and hiking is irrelevant. Houston is at least closer to the warm, usable beaches of the Gulf.
One big benefit I can think of with Houston? Neither city is that great to live/work/play in forever. But at least in Houston you'd ave enough money to be able to travel a lot since housing is so much cheaper
Serious?! San Jose is not a suburb. It's a real city with real working neighborhoods/downtown. They both are mediocre cities. It's just that Houston is more mediocre with no real downtown to speak of and no good barbecue pits.
Houston DOES NOT have 'better' dining than San Jose. Where did you get that idea from?
The South Bay/ Peninsula has 7 Michelin star rated restaurants, including Manesa, which has 3 stars.
The foodie scene in the South Bay is vibrant and very diverse.
I thought we're comparing just San Jose to Houston? Peninsula doesn't count here. If the Peninsula were included, I would have voted for San Jose.
South Bay is definitely the only place to get good Mexican food in the Bay though. Never had the Vietnamese food down there, but I'm assuming with the huge Vietnamese population there, it must be great.
I mean, let's be honest, neither is a real happening place. But Houston is the hub of...Houston haha. SJ is basically just a massive suburb of SF. Neither really has too much going on, but Houston is the actual job center and entertainment/dining/nightlife hub of the metro. Besides Santana Row, most of the stuff going on around SJ happens outside the city. The Peninsula has a lot of the tech jobs and SF has most of the entertainment and culture. That said, the Bay Area has much more to do and much more culture than Houston, but it's just not in SJ.
Houston being flat shouldn't be something that holds it back THAT much. Chicago is flat. Miami is flat. Those are giant deterrents to move to a city. Especially for someone like me that really doesn't care to ever go into nature, access to hills and mountains and hiking is irrelevant. Houston is at least closer to the warm, usable beaches of the Gulf.
One big benefit I can think of with Houston? Neither city is that great to live/work/play in forever. But at least in Houston you'd ave enough money to be able to travel a lot since housing is so much cheaper
It should be a lot cheaper soon that its economy is coming back to earth due to weaker job market in in case for Houston. Low apartment prices are rearing its pretty head again already in the Houston area after a few years of higher rental/housing price, according to apartment.com. You're right: it's a steal in Houston! In San Jose, it will keep going higher, albeit more slowly. San Jose is a rip off!
Houston DOES NOT have 'better' dining than San Jose. Where did you get that idea from?
The South Bay/ Peninsula has 7 Michelin star rated restaurants, including Manesa, which has 3 stars.
The foodie scene in the South Bay is vibrant and very diverse.
Great. Now tell me how many of those are in San Jose.
Ive eaten extensively in both cities and if we are ONLY comparing SAN JOSE to HOUSTON then Houston does have a better eating scene.
The OP asked to compare only the cities not the metro areas.
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