Considering a move from Vegas to Dallas. Need feedback. (San Antonio: crime rate, job market)

[Belldandy07]

Hello. Thank you for reading my post. Your time and feedback are invaluable resources. As for why I am here-my mother and I are looking to move away from Las Vegas and into a city we feel would be far more beneficial for us. We've lived in Vegas for three years, and to put it very lightly, we are not enjoying our time in Sin City for the following reasons:

-The clear absence of a community spirit (we are not prickly porcupines, but people here are unforgivably rude and empty)
-The list of recreational activities being small if you do not enjoy shopping, gambling, drinking or attending shows
-The amount of fatal car accidents (a Las Vegas newspaper just reported there being a massive increase in fatal car accidents)
-The high violent crime rate
-How the cost of living is above the national average, and yet the previously mentioned points do nothing to soften the cost of living's blow

We're searching for a city that's pretty much the exact opposite in all of the previously mentioned points. We understand traffic and heat are common annoyances all throughout the country-people say both are abhorrent in California, Texas, Arizona, etc. But we're focused on finding a city that would feel a little more like home, instead of a dirty pit stop.

Our salary is approximately $30,000 a year, each. We're considering Dallas but have heard conflicting stories, on how Dallas is a superb place to live, but at the same time, it's one of the absolute worst. Do you enjoy living in Dallas? Why do you hate Dallas? We're concerned with the:

-Cost of living
-Diversity and tolerance towards diversity
-Crime rate
-Recreational activities
-Job market/Unemployment rate
-Community spirit

Thank you for your time.

[Bp25]

Dallas will be tough on a 30k salary. Do you need to stay in a large city, or do you have a job that you can do remotely? I'd say San Antonio will be easier on a low budget for a large city. As for any city, cost of living will vary proportionately to job opportunity and salary levels.

[bmccormick71]

Yikes. 30K for two people is not a lot to live on.

The metroplex is very spread out so the answer to all of your concerns is "it depends". I would start searching for housing you can afford, and see if those cities meet your other needs.

[Belldandy07]

Originally Posted by Bp25

Dallas will be tough on a 30k salary. Do you need to stay in a large city, or do you have a job that you can do remotely? I'd say San Antonio will be easier on a low budget for a large city. As for any city, cost of living will vary proportionately to job opportunity and salary levels.

We're interviewing for jobs in Dallas, but are heavily interested in work-from-home positions. We were researching San Antonio at one point, but just ran into a recent Youtube video about San Antonio that has comment after comment on how it's incredibly dangerous and riddled with violent gangs.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Belldandy07

Hello. Thank you for reading my post. Your time and feedback are invaluable resources. As for why I am here-my mother and I are looking to move away from Las Vegas and into a city we feel would be far more beneficial for us. We've lived in Vegas for three years, and to put it very lightly, we are not enjoying our time in Sin City for the following reasons:

-The clear absence of a community spirit (we are not prickly porcupines, but people here are unforgivably rude and empty)
-The list of recreational activities being small if you do not enjoy shopping, gambling, drinking or attending shows
-The amount of fatal car accidents (a Las Vegas newspaper just reported there being a massive increase in fatal car accidents)
-The high violent crime rate
-How the cost of living is above the national average, and yet the previously mentioned points do nothing to soften the cost of living's blow

We're searching for a city that's pretty much the exact opposite in all of the previously mentioned points. We understand traffic and heat are common annoyances all throughout the country-people say both are abhorrent in California, Texas, Arizona, etc. But we're focused on finding a city that would feel a little more like home, instead of a dirty pit stop.

Our salary is approximately $30,000 a year. We're considering Dallas but have heard conflicting stories, on how Dallas is a superb place to live, but at the same time, it's one of the absolute worst. Do you enjoy living in Dallas? Why do you hate Dallas? We're concerned with the:

-Cost of living
-Diversity and tolerance towards diversity
-Crime rate
-Recreational activities
-Job market/Unemployment rate
-Community spirit

Thank you for your time.

There's a set of reasons 'Vegas has such a high suicide rate and also apparently 'Vega has a very high rate of mental illness as well and few pros to deal help ('Vegas has one of the lowest ratios of psychiatrists per 100,000 among big cities).

Given what you've written IMO your best course of action would be to identify the least expensive area you can that where you can still earn $30,000 or close. Sadly that's almost certainly not Dallas.

IMO you should check out New Mexico, Tennessee, parts of Florida, smaller towns and smaller cities in Texas etc.

*Over two stints totalling not quite 1.5 yrs. I lived in 'Vegas and hated it. I'd rather live in Mexico City than 'Vegas, literally. I think you are right to get out.


Good luck.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Belldandy07

We're interviewing for jobs in Dallas, but are heavily interested in work-from-home positions. We were researching San Antonio at one point, but just ran into a recent Youtube video about San Antonio that has comment after comment on how it's incredibly dangerous and riddled with violent gangs.

San Antonio is a safety conscious person's paradise relative to 'Vegas (the violent crime rate in 'Vegas is roughly 50% higher).

[Belldandy07]

Originally Posted by bmccormick71

Yikes. 30K for two people is not a lot to live on.

The metroplex is very spread out so the answer to all of your concerns is "it depends". I would start searching for housing you can afford, and see if those cities meet your other needs.

Oops my apologies. We're making $30k each. I'll edit the original post. Thank you for your insight.

[NoClueWho]

Originally Posted by Belldandy07

Oops my apologies. We're making $30k each.

Still not enough, for Dallas.

[Bp25]

Originally Posted by Belldandy07

Oops my apologies. We're making $30k each. I'll edit the original post. Thank you for your insight.

Still on the low side for Dallas but doable if you are looking outside the expensive suburbs. It all depends on where you find jobs, commute can be a killer.

[CalTex Ranger]

Originally Posted by Belldandy07

We're interviewing for jobs in Dallas, but are heavily interested in work-from-home positions. We were researching San Antonio at one point, but just ran into a recent Youtube video about San Antonio that has comment after comment on how it's incredibly dangerous and riddled with violent gangs.

This is asinine. Really, a YouTube video?