Relocating but is it better to live in Dallas or Houston? (San Antonio: 2013, crime)

[jaykue32]

Hello everyone,I'm planning to relocate to Texas from Michigan in a few weeks since I heard that Texas has a much better economy among other personal reasons.I heard both Houston and Dallas are great cities but I can't seem to make up my mind so I'll give some facts about myself and hopefully some of you nice folks can help me along the way.Please bear with me everyone.I'm a single bi-sexual Asian male in my early 30's and I'm relocating with limited cash.I'm also looking for a city that has a diverse community of friendly people.

Additionally,I'm a churchgoing Christian so I would need a city with many great churches to choose from.I don't mind warm weather but nothing too hot and I can't stand bugs.I'm a fitness nut and would also need access to 24 hour gyms.But most importantly,I need to relocate to a city with many job opportunities and/or programs to help me get back on my feet.I only have my high school diploma but I'm studying computer programming right now.Lastly,which city do you guys think is more fun as far as attractions,theatres,nightclubs,restaurants,museum s etc. with a better quality of living?I'm also considering San Antonio as well.Thank you in advance and God bless!

[DaveG99]

dallas

[TrueDat]

If you don't like weather that's too hot, not sure you'll like either Dallas or Houston. In the summer, Dallas is hotter in terms of temps but Houston is stickier. You may have heard that a couple of summers back we had a run of 70+ straight days of 100-degrees or more temperatures. Springs, falls, and winters are generally nice though. Houston has more bugs though they're certainly not unknown in Dallas.

Both cities are diverse with lots of restaurants, clubs, museums, etc. I like San Antonio but it definitely comes in third compared to Dallas and Houston in terms of these sorts of amenities. Not sure if this matters to you but Houston has a more visible and tourism-oriented Asian community with a Little Saigon and two Chinatowns though Dallas has a large Asian community too. Both Dallas and Houston have tons of gyms and churches of all stripes.

Not sure what you mean by coming with limited funds. How are you planning to support yourself? Where are you planning on living? Do you plan to continue studying computer programming here? The job market here is better than elsewhere but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a job right away, especially with only a high-school diploma.

[BigDGeek]

If you don't like hot weather or bugs, you'll hate Dallas and Houston. San Antonio shouldn't even be on your radar; if you're not retired, in the military or Latino, you're a weirdo down there.

Of the two, however, Dallas is probably the better fit for you. I would recommend visiting in August to see you can handle our heat.

[pinipig523]

I live in Dallas but have been to Houston before and I think the main difference is diversity and little spots like a chinatown. Houston has more of it I think. You should really visit both places and see which you like more.

[rantanamo]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

I live in Dallas but have been to Houston before and I think the main difference is diversity and little spots like a chinatown. Houston has more of it I think. You should really visit both places and see which you like more.

Houston is more diverse technically, but both metros are in the .600s for a diversity index putting them in the top 5 of metros in the US and above places like Boston, New York, Chicago and DC. The biggest difference between the two is DFW has about 10% more whites. Otherwise, there are large Asian communities in DFW that I think many miss because they are not in Dallas proper. No one calls east Richardson/west Garland Little Saigon or Chinatown, but there is a huge swath of this area with Asian oriented businesses very similar to what Houston calls Chinatown. Or like the large Korean business areas around Royal LN in NW Dallas or up in Carrollton around PGBT and Old Denton.

I dunno, just interesting how a large metro with such a high diversity index score is never mentioned as being one of the more diverse metros in the us. Heck, I've seen it listed as one of the least diverse on city-data when the question was asked.

[skyeoverdallas]

I lived in both cities. I should say I lived in Houston in (2003-2004) I love Dallas, but there are some things to think about that may fit with your lifestyle.

From my view, Houston was very well diverse. They have a huge Asian Population! In Dallas there are some pockets of Asian like Rantanamo said. Although I think Dallas has a really good mix of people if that is what you want.

For you lifestyle, from what I heard we have a very strong gay and bi-sexual community. The majority of that area is called Oaklawn. It has tons of night life, with bars, clubs that stay open till 4am and restaurants. Oaklawn even throws the best Halloween Block party in Dallas!

Dallas Tech area is growing at a rapid place, the majority of the tech and telecom is in Richardson(suburb). Austin Texas has a great Tech industry too.

When I first moved to Dallas I was going to a University and had a part time job and I had great time on a limited budget.
When I was in Houston, not so much! haha!! I felt like I had to pay for safety. lol!!

Houston is always humid. Dallas has nice weather.

Hope this helps!!

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by skyeoverdallas

From my view, Houston was very well diverse. They have a huge Asian Population! In Dallas there are some pockets of Asian like Rantanamo said. Although I think Dallas has a really good mix of people if that is what you want.

I think a huge difference is that the Asian population in the Dallas area isnt in Dallas. Its in Plano, Richardson, Irving, Garland, etc. The Dallas area has more South Asians (a difference of around 5,000) and the Houston area has more East Asians (a difference of about 45,000). As of 2000, the Asian communities in both are growing at a very similar pace, but Houston has a much more established Asian community than Dallas does (ie more Asians for a longer period of time). Houston continutes to be more popular with East Asians while Dallas has become more popular with South Asians.

In reality, Dallas is about 10 years behind Houston demographically. What Houston looks like in 2013 is what Dallas will look like in 2023. Both are very diverse and yes Houston is more so.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

I live in Dallas but have been to Houston before and I think the main difference is diversity and little spots like a chinatown. Houston has more of it I think. You should really visit both places and see which you like more.

Houston is also coastal while Dallas is pretty far inland. Houston has a more diverse landscape ie: bayou's, beaches, forests, lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, prairie, etc. Dallas is just wide open prairie with a bunch of lakes & the Trinity River. What people call "wooded" in Dallas is considered scrub brush in Houston.

Houston has more in common with the rest of the Gulf Coast & South while Dallas is almost Midwestern in look, feel, & even culture.

Dallas is smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt. Its a pond of blue surrounded by a sea of red. Houston is so large its politically almost split evenly, but it did elect the first Lesbian mayor in US history & has traditionally been regarded as more Liberal leaning (Blue Collar City) than Dallas (White Collar City) in decades past though not so much these days as Dallas County is pretty blue politically.

Being an Asian male the OP can't go wrong in either city, but Houston is & always has been more of an Asian magnet than Dallas is no matter how you dice it. It's Asian roots are more deeply rooted, especially in the respective Chinese, Vietnamese, & Filipino communities.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by justme02

I think a huge difference is that the Asian population in the Dallas area isnt in Dallas. Its in Plano, Richardson, Irving, Garland, etc.

In reality, Dallas is about 10 years behind Houston demographically. What Houston looks like in 2013 is what Dallas will look like in 2023. Both are very diverse and yes Houston is more so.

I doubt in just 10 years that Dallas will resemble what Houston is today because of the different layouts of each city. Dallas will continue to grow internationally but it won't become a melting pot like Houston because of DFW's bipolar structure. Everything is centered in Houston and that's where most of the commerce takes place as where it will continue to be sprinkled all over different parts of the metroplex.

Originally Posted by skyeoverdallas

When I first moved to Dallas I was going to a University and had a part time job and I had great time on a limited budget.
When I was in Houston, not so much! haha!! I felt like I had to pay for safety. lol!!

Houston is always humid. Dallas has nice weather.

Hope this helps!!

So let me get this straight, you lived in Houston for a year and these are the only 2 conclusions you drew?

Granted, you found you like Dallas better but the second half of your post sounds completely biased. Trying to claim like Dallas is so much safer than Houston is obsurd. Both cities are up there in the national crime index. Crime has no zip code but if you stayed in a rough area in Houston and a decent neighborhood in Dallas, then it's obvious. but you can't write off the whole city that way!

And your last sentence really takes the cake. If you want to pretend that 100+ degree temps in the summer is nice weather then I rest my case.