Portland or Austin? (living, people, cons, economy)

[boywithstick]

Originally Posted by jluke65780

Austin is a great city of course, but when you hear people saying it's oh so liberal, the best city ever, or the only livable place in Texas. It's kind like "Dude....it's just a college town".

I would disagree. I would say that cities like Waco or College Station are just college towns. Austin is ranked # 16 in terms of population of United States cities.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by boywithstick

I would disagree. I would say that cities like Waco or College Station are just college towns. Austin is ranked # 16 in terms of population of United States cities.

Even if you wanted to, you couldn't say Waco was a college town because of the fact that the city dosen't revolve around Baylor. College Station is definatly a college town, but Waco is not. The city was established before Baylor came along.

[Trae713]

If Waco is not, neither is Austin. Austin is definitely not a college town, but it has grown way too big. Infrastructure is a problem there. A ton of traffic.

*looks at locations of where I live*

Yeah, lots of traffic in Austin.

[grapico]

"Austin was voted America's #1 College Town by the Travel Channel."

In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24,

Austin is home to The University of Texas at Austin, one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country and the flagship institution of The University of Texas System. Other institutions of higher learning include Austin Community College, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward's University, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, the Acton School of Business, Austin Graduate School of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a branch of Park University.

not a college town huh?

[cottonwood2420]

Portland.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by grapico

"Austin was voted America's #1 College Town by the Travel Channel."

In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24,

Austin is home to The University of Texas at Austin, one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country and the flagship institution of The University of Texas System. Other institutions of higher learning include Austin Community College, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward's University, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, the Acton School of Business, Austin Graduate School of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a branch of Park University.

not a college town huh?

Exactly. You look up Austin your going to see tons of information about UT and 6th street, which both cater to the college scene. Waco is not a college town, and never has been. Baylor isn't what attracts people to the city.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I can't say which city is better than the other but I can say this. Places just as people that portray themselves as better than others, generally can't live up to the portrayal. They become known as braggarts, and people avoid them. I don't know about Austin, but here in Portland the constant bragging about itself is really nauseating.

Originally Posted by houstoner

Same with Austin. It's no coincidence that both cities draw the same types of people.

Yes.
At least in Austin's case, I've seen lots of people move there only to be disappointed. They probably would have been happier in the young/trendy neighborhoods of Houston or Dallas.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by redwine

And I thought Austin was the place to be in Texas...

Austin has been great at marketing itself. Things aren't exactly what they seem, however.

Originally Posted by grapico

Austin overrated...I'd rather live in Dallas or Houston if I were to live in Texas. At least that is my sense... too much college influence there and I was over college towns soon as I turned 21.

Not just that, but it has most of the problems people complain about in the other Texas cities (traffic, car-dependence, sprawl, lack of urban planning, over-development) while lacking in big-city amenities such as great restaurants and world-class arts/culture/museums.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by houstoner

Same with Austin. It's no coincidence that both cities draw the same types of people.

I agree. I do however think that Austin most likely attracts more that are interested in meaningful employment.

[brandonlee206]

Portland and Austin are almost twin towns except in Portland you won't be in Texas, so I vote Portland.