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Old 10-18-2009, 11:34 AM
 
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
8,900 posts, read 15,839,302 times
Reputation: 1819

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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnatl View Post
Not helpful to the OP at all, and actually inaccurate.

It is entirely possible to live in the central areas of Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin & San Antonio without a car. All it takes is a little research.

You really shouldn't be dispensing information about Texas to anyone.

Well, you can live there without a car if you don't mind staying in the same half mile of the city all the time.
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Old 10-18-2009, 11:39 AM
 
Location: Atlanta
7,731 posts, read 14,291,021 times
Reputation: 2774
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachael84 View Post
Well, you can live there without a car if you don't mind staying in the same half mile of the city all the time.
And you know this how?

Again, this is not true, and of no help at all to the OP.

You really should refrain from giving advice on subjects you know nothing of.
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Old 10-18-2009, 11:57 AM
 
Location: Connecticut... but trying to get out
193 posts, read 480,169 times
Reputation: 140
I live in downtown Austin with a car, but rarely use it. You are able to take their bus system out to the suburban malls and all around central Austin that consists of what I think is about about 100 north/south blocks on the line when you include south Austin too. I find the public transportation to be just as easy as other cities that only have buses. With that said, I think it is easier to have a car for ikea trips, nights in san antonio, tubing on the river, but I assume if you moved to Austin you'd meet a lot of people with cars or buy your own car after a bit of time. You would easily be able to find 1 bedroom apartments on the bus line for $600 just east of 35 (I have many friends over there and they like it just fine), or studio apartments for $600 for example right outside of downtown. I have a couple friends who are 3 minute walks to the bat bridge and downtown that don't pay much over 600.00 and live on their own.

The job market is great compared to most cities, and there is a ridiculous amount of free or dirt cheap activities. Restaurants are good and cheap, there is almost anything used on craigslist you could ever need to furnish your place, and theres tons of websites that advertise for Austin's free events. Flights are very reasonable- the same as flying in and out of dallas I tend to find. It's very economical to live in Austin, especially if you use the public transportation. It takes a bit longer- but it's very reasonable. 18 dollars a month for an unlimited pass.

The summers are very hot, but every place has AC so you just spend June- August inside until 7 at night, but get to spend the rest of the year outside comfortably for the most part. Besides there are tons of water related things to do in Austin to keep cool. It was the hottest summer in years this summer, and my first year in Austin, and it hardly bothered me. I just knew when to stay in the AC.

Austin is a great city and I highly suggest it- I just moved to Austin this summer from CT. While I love love love Austin, work is bringing me home to CT next spring. I will say too as incredible as Austin is, you will miss the tri-state way of life a bit, the hustle and bustle of the city, the loud honesty and sometimes rudeness of the locals. I always hated all that until I moved away. Austin is very hip, at least when you live downtown, which is so much fun, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the realness, grittiness, and homey feeling of CT. I guess there really is no place like home... I think Austin is an amazing choice for most people, it just wasn't 100 percent right for me. Highly suggest it. Please let me know if you need anymore advice if you decide to pursue austin.
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Old 10-18-2009, 12:12 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
7,731 posts, read 14,291,021 times
Reputation: 2774
Quote:
Originally Posted by watchoverme View Post
I live in downtown Austin with a car, but rarely use it. You are able to take their bus system out to the suburban malls and all around central Austin that consists of what I think is about about 100 north/south blocks on the line when you include south Austin too. I find the public transportation to be just as easy as other cities that only have buses. With that said, I think it is easier to have a car for ikea trips, nights in san antonio, tubing on the river, but I assume if you moved to Austin you'd meet a lot of people with cars or buy your own car after a bit of time. You would easily be able to find 1 bedroom apartments on the bus line for $600 just east of 35 (I have many friends over there and they like it just fine), or studio apartments for $600 for example right outside of downtown. I have a couple friends who are 3 minute walks to the bat bridge and downtown that don't pay much over 600.00 and live on their own.

The job market is great compared to most cities, and there is a ridiculous amount of free or dirt cheap activities. Restaurants are good and cheap, there is almost anything used on craigslist you could ever need to furnish your place, and theres tons of websites that advertise for Austin's free events. Flights are very reasonable- the same as flying in and out of dallas I tend to find. It's very economical to live in Austin, especially if you use the public transportation. It takes a bit longer- but it's very reasonable. 18 dollars a month for an unlimited pass.

The summers are very hot, but every place has AC so you just spend June- August inside until 7 at night, but get to spend the rest of the year outside comfortably for the most part. Besides there are tons of water related things to do in Austin to keep cool. It was the hottest summer in years this summer, and my first year in Austin, and it hardly bothered me. I just knew when to stay in the AC.

Austin is a great city and I highly suggest it- I just moved to Austin this summer from CT. While I love love love Austin, work is bringing me home to CT next spring. I will say too as incredible as Austin is, you will miss the tri-state way of life a bit, the hustle and bustle of the city, the loud honesty and sometimes rudeness of the locals. I always hated all that until I moved away. Austin is very hip, at least when you live downtown, which is so much fun, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the realness, grittiness, and homey feeling of CT. I guess there really is no place like home... I think Austin is an amazing choice for most people, it just wasn't 100 percent right for me. Highly suggest it. Please let me know if you need anymore advice if you decide to pursue austin.
Now THIS is a helpful, informative post.
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Old 10-18-2009, 01:21 PM
 
Location: Bergen County, NJ
594 posts, read 1,192,631 times
Reputation: 156
Florida
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Old 10-18-2009, 04:14 PM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,824 posts, read 29,779,503 times
Reputation: 14418
Quote:
Originally Posted by kyle19125 View Post
College towns always outperform the national economy. I'd recommend two that would most fulfill your criteria. The availability of affordable housing, the walkability factor and reliable public transportation are major pluses of college towns also.

Boulder's unemployment rate for August 2009 was 6.0%, and is also quite low compared to the US average which seems to be hovering around 9.0%. Boulder year in and year out ranks as one of the best places to live in the US based on lifestyle. Besides being the home of the University of Colorado, it's a huge outdoor mecca and is great for those who love hiking, biking, climbing, etc. It's one of the most beautiful settings, surrounded by mountains and within 30 minutes or so of Denver. Boulder, Colorado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good luck!
Boulder IS NOT affordable.
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Old 10-18-2009, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
8,900 posts, read 15,839,302 times
Reputation: 1819
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnatl View Post
And you know this how?

Again, this is not true, and of no help at all to the OP.

You really should refrain from giving advice on subjects you know nothing of.

There have been countless of posts on city-data of people saying you need a car in cities outside of SF, Chicago, NY. I have a friend who lived in Dallas and laughed when I told them what you said. They said of course you need a car to live there.

Here's the laughable Austin bus map. I wouldn't ever want to rely on this to get around.

http://www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/shuttle/graphics/austin-bus.gif (broken link)

Now compare this to the bus map of the SUBURB I live in:

http://www.mta.info/libus/maplibus.pdf (broken link)
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Old 10-18-2009, 08:08 PM
 
Location: Connecticut... but trying to get out
193 posts, read 480,169 times
Reputation: 140
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachael84 View Post
There have been countless of posts on city-data of people saying you need a car in cities outside of SF, Chicago, NY. I have a friend who lived in Dallas and laughed when I told them what you said. They said of course you need a car to live there.

Here's the laughable Austin bus map. I wouldn't ever want to rely on this to get around.

http://www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/shuttle/graphics/austin-bus.gif (broken link)

Now compare this to the bus map of the SUBURB I live in:

http://www.mta.info/libus/maplibus.pdf (broken link)
The point in the matter is you haven't lived there- you've simply looked at a map. Living in Austin is doable without a car if you are willing to change your lifestyle a bit- many of my friends live in the city without a vehicle. Is it particularly easy? No. We don't have the greatest public transportation in the world- but it is very doable. You look silly commenting on transportation in a city you haven't lived in.
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Old 10-19-2009, 10:32 AM
 
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
8,900 posts, read 15,839,302 times
Reputation: 1819
Quote:
Originally Posted by watchoverme View Post
The point in the matter is you haven't lived there- you've simply looked at a map. Living in Austin is doable without a car if you are willing to change your lifestyle a bit- many of my friends live in the city without a vehicle. Is it particularly easy? No. We don't have the greatest public transportation in the world- but it is very doable. You look silly commenting on transportation in a city you haven't lived in.
lol...the map says it all.
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Old 10-19-2009, 10:42 AM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,310 posts, read 43,763,348 times
Reputation: 16418
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachael84 View Post
lol...the map says it all.
Actually, I think a detailed description of a city given by a person that has actually experienced life there says it all.
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