Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Charlotte VS Houston:which would you rather live in and why?Are they very different or very similar.They are very large cities landwise.They both have new shiny light rail systems.Which rail is better?Which one is more fun or family friendly?What about schools?Poverty rates?Which do you prefer?Houston has the ocean.Charlotte has the mountains within 2hrs.Yall call it.
Charlotte for me and it isn't close. I'll pass on Texan culture, not my thing...
Houston does appear to have the more more oft-used rail transit, and its coverage is slightly larger. Houston nightlife is well regarded and probably blows Charlotte away, but Charlotte has great nightlife for a city its size. I actually would prefer Houston's location over Charlotte, which I've never regarded as having a great natural location. But Houston's weather would make me tap out...
Charlotte for me and it isn't close. I'll pass on Texan culture, not my thing...
Houston does appear to have the more more oft-used rail transit, and its coverage is slightly larger. Houston nightlife is well regarded and probably blows Charlotte away, but Charlotte has great nightlife for a city its size. I actually would prefer Houston's location over Charlotte, which I've never regarded as having a great natural location. But Houston's weather would make me tap out...
I wasn't suggesting that both comparisons were completely analogous. Only pointing out that Charlotte cannot fairly compete with a city 3x its size just as Houston cannot.
Charlotte is the smaller metropolitan area, but it has a wide sphere of influence that in many respects encompasses just about all of both North Carolina and South Carolina. It is the nation's smallest metro that is a major airline hub, and the proximity to multiple medium sized metro areas in both states results in traffic volumes beyond what Charlotte can generate on its own. So I think in many respects, Charlotte offers more than a number of other metropolitan areas in a similar size bracket, and it is certainly a city of aspirations that focuses more on the future than the past. This is where Charlotte parts ways with a number of more or less comparably sized metro areas that have lost their airline hubs (e.g. Memphis, Saint Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh).
I will give credit to Houston for having a prestigious school such as Rice University close to the urban core, and the massive Texas Medical Center complex, which are great assets unmatched in Charlotte. Houston probably has the edge as far as the depth of its dining and cultural scene, but what Charlotte offers is more than adequate for most people and constantly evolving. The major weaknesses that I see in Houston are the less appealing natural features and built environment, as well as the economic mix being overly skewed towards the fossil fuels industry. These factors (for me and many others) are of greater importance than such measures as the number of nightlife venues or restaurants in a specific category.
Charlotte is the smaller metropolitan area, but it has a wide sphere of influence that in many respects encompasses just about all of both North Carolina and South Carolina. It is the nation's smallest metro that is a major airline hub, and the proximity to multiple medium sized metro areas in both states results in traffic volumes beyond what Charlotte can generate on its own. So I think in many respects, Charlotte offers more than a number of other metropolitan areas in a similar size bracket, and it is certainly a city of aspirations that focuses more on the future than the past. This is where Charlotte parts ways with a number of more or less comparably sized metro areas that have lost their airline hubs (e.g. Memphis, Saint Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh).
I will give credit to Houston for having a prestigious school such as Rice University close to the urban core, and the massive Texas Medical Center complex, which are great assets unmatched in Charlotte. Houston probably has the edge as far as the depth of its dining and cultural scene, but what Charlotte offers is more than adequate for most people and constantly evolving. The major weaknesses that I see in Houston are the less appealing natural features and built environment, as well as the economic mix being overly skewed towards the fossil fuels industry. These factors (for me and many others) are of greater importance than such measures as the number of nightlife venues or restaurants in a specific category.
So, in other words, each city has their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as certain areas in which they stand out. I don't think anyone would disagree with that, but that's different than saying they're nearly comparable in total range of amenities.
Virtually every city that is Charlotte's size technically has more than most people actually need out of a city, and by saying that a major international city like Houston only "probably" has an "edge" over Charlotte in things like culture and dining...IDK. Kind of sounds like trying to make the race seem closer than it actually is. Houston is infamous for its extreme weather and flat, industrial landscape, but it usually atleast gets props for its incredible diversity and culture that are more or less unrivaled in all of the South. Only the other big three cities are true contenders.
Denver is a city with a wide sphere of influence, but I don't usually see that advantage being used to compare it to cities that are much larger and influential. And if we're being honest, I don't think Charlotte is all that dominant in its region. It's only a little further from Atlanta than Houston is from Dallas.
Charlotte is the smaller metropolitan area, but it has a wide sphere of influence that in many respects encompasses just about all of both North Carolina and South Carolina. It is the nation's smallest metro that is a major airline hub, and the proximity to multiple medium sized metro areas in both states results in traffic volumes beyond what Charlotte can generate on its own. So I think in many respects, Charlotte offers more than a number of other metropolitan areas in a similar size bracket, and it is certainly a city of aspirations that focuses more on the future than the past. This is where Charlotte parts ways with a number of more or less comparably sized metro areas that have lost their airline hubs (e.g. Memphis, Saint Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh).
I will give credit to Houston for having a prestigious school such as Rice University close to the urban core, and the massive Texas Medical Center complex, which are great assets unmatched in Charlotte. Houston probably has the edge as far as the depth of its dining and cultural scene, but what Charlotte offers is more than adequate for most people and constantly evolving. The major weaknesses that I see in Houston are the less appealing natural features and built environment, as well as the economic mix being overly skewed towards the fossil fuels industry. These factors (for me and many others) are of greater importance than such measures as the number of nightlife venues or restaurants in a specific category.
Houston doesn’t “probably” have the edge in culture and dining. The two aren’t even close in that arena.
Probably Charlotte for me. If I'm moving to a TX city, it's probably either DFW or San Antonio. Houston feels too much like Florida to me, and I'm not a huge fan of Florida tbh. I like Charlotte because I like the southern terrain/feel more than the ultra-humid tropical feel of the Gulf Coast, but that's just me. A lot of people would be the complete other way around.
Houston also feels more sprawly than Charlotte. Charlotte just feels more "together" than Houston. I feel a lot of transplants in Houston are just moving there for economic reasons and/or weather, not necessarily because of Houston itself.
I don't mean to give Houston this much crap, I just wouldn't necessarily want to move there. Charlotte would probably be the better one for me. For the record I love TX and would absolutely love living in DFW or San Antonio.
Houston, hell yea. I am a big Houston fan, the sports market is rich, very nice place to live, and less expensive than Charlotte. More amenities in Houston than Charlotte. It's nice here in Houston, except it can get a little hot in the summer. So Charlotte wins in weather. Cost of living has Houston. I mean, Charlotte's not a bad city, I just prefer Houston. #713****
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.