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I would like your input--esp. if you have lived in both Texas and Florida. I spent most of my life in a small-town in Illinois. After that I spent 11 years in Pennsylvania; the last 8 years in Florida--and 6mos in Raleigh/Cary during 2004.
I just have this feeling that Florida is not where I want to spend the rest of my life or I would have attempted to put down roots by now. I enjoy not having winter--at least in the sense of winter that lasts for months and months. Short-term cool/cold weather is ok--but grey skies that last for weeks and weeks is not ok.
I realize that both Florida and Texas are big states with lots of different personalities from city to city within its own state borders, but I would like to know which of the two states you prefer to live in and Why? Also please list the cities you lived in each state.
I have spent a great deal of time traveling the southeastern states, but for some reason I can't allow myself to make any kind of relocation decision without considering Texas--which unfortunately, I have not spent much time in at all. Right now I am planning a month-long trip to Texas and hope to leave between 2-25 & 2-28.
Any input as to the vibes of each state would be most welcome. Thanks
Having lived in Texas and currently living in Florida, I can tell you that Texas is the better of the two. I like both but Texas wins over Florida in almost every category.
1. Go to the Texas forums and the Florida forums, and look at the threads about transplants. You'll notice that mot of the Texas transplants are quite happy, while most of the Florida transplants do nothing but bash Florida.
2. In terms of friendliness, Texas wins hands down. You'll never get the sense of community and friendliness in FL that you will in Texas except in very isolated parts of FL. Certainly not the metros.
3. TX and FL both meet your criteria for only short cold snaps in winter. Texas' snaps will be slightly stronger and more prolonged, but you'll be better prepared for them there than in Florida. FL cannot take cold at all, at least TX is prepared for it.
4. Well economy and COL and gov't services are all better in TX, though FL doesn't do too bad of a job.
5. If you want to "put down roots" GO TO TEXAS! I cannot emphasize that enough, FL is a state of transients where almost everyone is a lot prouder of where they came from than FL. In TX, most transplants become Texans and are proud to say it.
I have lived in Houston, TX. I have lived in Orlando, FL and Fort Myers, FL. The only reason I left TX was my parents got transferred to Detroit..... and I had to get out of that place ASAP and FL was the only option at the time, as my parents retired down there. I will be looking at ways to return to TX in the near future, though I am not a FL basher. I like Florida, but I simply like Texas more.
A word of advice..... unless you have a burning desire to speak Spanish and only Spanish.... don't look at the extreme southern portions of either state without doing extensive research first.
thevault--Thank you for a very informative post. I can relate to every single word you say and you are hitting the nail on the head exactly with regards to your observations about Florida. I, too, am not a Florida basher. I like it here, but it's just ok. My small-town midwestern roots and the short time I spent in Raleigh filled an empty spot in my heart that exists here in Florida. I would like to find the things you are describing
Having lived in Texas and currently living in Florida, I can tell you that Texas is the better of the two. I like both but Texas wins over Florida in almost every category.
1. Go to the Texas forums and the Florida forums, and look at the threads about transplants. You'll notice that mot of the Texas transplants are quite happy, while most of the Florida transplants do nothing but bash Florida.
2. In terms of friendliness, Texas wins hands down. You'll never get the sense of community and friendliness in FL that you will in Texas except in very isolated parts of FL. Certainly not the metros.
3. TX and FL both meet your criteria for only short cold snaps in winter. Texas' snaps will be slightly stronger and more prolonged, but you'll be better prepared for them there than in Florida. FL cannot take cold at all, at least TX is prepared for it.
4. Well economy and COL and gov't services are all better in TX, though FL doesn't do too bad of a job.
5. If you want to "put down roots" GO TO TEXAS! I cannot emphasize that enough, FL is a state of transients where almost everyone is a lot prouder of where they came from than FL. In TX, most transplants become Texans and are proud to say it.
I have lived in Houston, TX. I have lived in Orlando, FL and Fort Myers, FL. The only reason I left TX was my parents got transferred to Detroit..... and I had to get out of that place ASAP and FL was the only option at the time, as my parents retired down there. I will be looking at ways to return to TX in the near future, though I am not a FL basher. I like Florida, but I simply like Texas more.
A word of advice..... unless you have a burning desire to speak Spanish and only Spanish.... don't look at the extreme southern portions of either state without doing extensive research first.
His word of advice is a lie. There are only parts of Miami-Dade County where Spanish is the rule and that's in Hialeah and Little Havana, outside of those areas English is the spoke language. Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) north of Miami and Monroe County (Key West) south of Miami, Spanish is hardly ever spoken.
1. Florida is filled with New Yorkers and other Northerners. They aren't happy with anything, and they bring their silly expectation of the big city life to Florida. Being a Floridian I come to ignore Northerners because they are rude and unhappy no matter where they move too.
2. Texas would be the friendlier of the two states, only because Florida has a huge population of Northerners who never adapt to the Southern way of life.
3. The theory that Florida isn't prepared for cold weather is silly, we have a Burlington Coat Factory for god's sake. I think he's letting his Texas bias show.
4. Florida has a higher unemployment rate because the state has a Tourist and Housing based economy unlike Texas.
5. Find the state that most resembles your values and way of life. South Florida is a completely different place when compared to North Florida. North Florida has more of the Southern Feel and South Florida has a City Life feel.
I like both, but I voted for Florida. I would like to live anywhere in Florida. I like certain parts of Texas, but other parts I would never want to live in.
His word of advice is a lie. There are only parts of Miami-Dade County where Spanish is the rule and that's in Hialeah and Little Havana, outside of those areas English is the spoke language. Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) north of Miami and Monroe County (Key West) south of Miami, Spanish is hardly ever spoken.
1. Florida is filled with New Yorkers and other Northerners. They aren't happy with anything, and they bring their silly expectation of the big city life to Florida. Being a Floridian I come to ignore Northerners because they are rude and unhappy no matter where they move too.
2. Texas would be the friendlier of the two states, only because Florida has a huge population of Northerners who never adapt to the Southern way of life.
3. The theory that Florida isn't prepared for cold weather is silly, we have a Burlington Coat Factory for god's sake. I think he's letting his Texas bias show.
4. Florida has a higher unemployment rate because the state has a Tourist and Housing based economy unlike Texas.
5. Find the state that most resembles your values and way of life. South Florida is a completely different place when compared to North Florida. North Florida has more of the Southern Feel and South Florida has a City Life feel.
Extreme Soutern refers to Miami in Florida and Laredo in Texas. hence the word "extreme". And you can't dismiss Miami-Dade as an isolated area, it's the largest county in FL with 2,000,000+.
Yes I do like Texas a little bit more than FL. But that does not mean I don't like FL. Go to the FL forums, and you'll see I'm usually the one defending Florida from all of the bashers.
By being unprepared I was referring to the large amount of buildings that are either not insulated or don't have a heating system. There are quite a few, even some of the more recent ones..
His word of advice is a lie. There are only parts of Miami-Dade County where Spanish is the rule and that's in Hialeah and Little Havana, outside of those areas English is the spoke language. Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) north of Miami and Monroe County (Key West) south of Miami, Spanish is hardly ever spoken.
5. Find the state that most resembles your values and way of life. South Florida is a completely different place when compared to North Florida. North Florida has more of the Southern Feel and South Florida has a City Life feel.
Thank you for your response. As I said, I lived in Miami for 1 year in 2007. For a short time I lived out on Key Biscayne--very expensive to live--so it's upscale. When I would go into the 7-11 on Key Biscayne, I would often find that the clerks did not know how to speak English. I spent 5 months near Miami airport and 5 months in Coconut Creek--close to Boca Raton. I can tell you for a fact, there are a lot more areas than what you have indicated where it would not be unusual for me to run into people who DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.
My school was very close to the WalMart near the airport--people would approach me all the time speaking Spanish--and I have extremely limited Spanish vocabulary--we could not communicate. It is very frustrating to be living down there and unable to get a job because you are not bilingual. It is almost a requirement down in Miami area. I never used to believe people when they told me you almost had to speak Spanish in the Miami area. It is true.
I am familiar with the feel of Florida, it is Texas that I know almost nothing about--so that is why I am asking for comparisons for people who have lived in both places.
Can you give me some ideas about what is is that you prefer Texas over Florida? I've been in Orlando for 7 years and Miami for 1 year--so I have a good feel for Florida. I know nothing about Texas--but I will be spending the entire month of March traveling thru the state. Probably will spend most of that time in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Hill Country, Dallas & Ft. Worth.
So far I am surprised by the poll results. The way Florida gets bashed on here, I expected Texas to take a big lead.....
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