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.
I agree with a lot of OP's points except for the cultural lag comment. I guess because i'm a born and raised Texan that I simply don't get it from A NE person's perspective. Considering Boston and Philly are much much older than Houston than I get why it would feel like it's a cultural lag but I see it as more of a difference. However Houston doesn't do itself any favors the way it goes out of it's way to not preserve the cities History.
.
I agree. I dont find Houston culturally lagging at all. I also think Houston has a good selection of parks given the nature of the city.
However, I think the other points the OP made were solid ones. I dont think they were overly critical of Houston. Every city has its positives and negatives and Houston is no different. The sprawl is pretty intense here, Southeast Texas isnt very naturally beautiful, the summers here are very intense, and the lack of zoning creates a perfect environment for unchecked growth. On the positive, its a very diverse and international city with great cultural amenities, a great culinary scene, and its very laid back.
Truth be told, I'm sick and tired of these posts. Houston isn't this, Houston isn't that, Houston has crime and this, that and the third. Houston has crime, but what big city doesn't? The bulk of Houston's crime is concentrated in the ghetto, so as long as you're not slinging drugs, don't have beef with shady people or associate with those who are into the gangster life, you'll escape 100% of all crime that happens in Houston.
Escape 100% is a gross overstatement. I partially agree that you stay away from most crime by your social environment. But you're painting a picture that is not true. Good people get robbed every single day in Houston, from purse snatching, home robbery, business robbery, vehicle robbery, bank jugging, etc. This should surprise anybody though, these are big city problems.
Escape 100% is a gross overstatement. I partially agree that you stay away from most crime by your social environment. But you're painting a picture that is not true. Good people get robbed every single day in Houston, from purse snatching, home robbery, business robbery, vehicle robbery, bank jugging, etc. This should surprise anybody though, these are big city problems.
Right, this myth that "fancy suburbs must not have any crime" needs to be put down. It's perfectly normal for all suburbs to have crime, especially property crime. I can state from personal experience that even small towns and rural areas in Texas are hardly crime-free. I can't imagine it's different in any other part of the U.S.
Lived in Houston from 1965 to 1971, went to college there from 1973 to 1977, lived there from 1986 to 1992, and again from 1999 to 2006. Lived in the far exurbs of Houston from 2006 to 2013.
In 2013 we decided to move to our eventual place to retire.
Reasons why we chose against Houston.
Biggest of all - I wanted a four seasons climate where even in the summer it frequently cools off at night. I was willing to take on a little more winter in exchange for a lot less summer. And the spring and fall are glorious here.
The walkable neighborhoods in Houston with safety and easy access to city amenities are have become very expensive. The affordable safe neighborhoods are way way out and might at any time transition to undesirable neighborhoods.
The aesthetics. We are so happy living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And I detest the sprawl of Houston.
The politics. I lived through the anti-Obama hysteria in a small Texas town for several years and it was so over the top, I pretty much decided I needed to be in a different state. (I probably would have been driven just as crazy living in an extreme liberal environment, but I find living in a purple state to be a good fit.)
After living in the Houston metro for seven years and then in a "one grocery store" town for seven years, I decided that I wanted to live in a small city that had a reasonable level of amenities but without the outrageous sprawl of a Houston area. I had a hard time thinking of a mid-size metro area in Texas to which I would want to relocate. (The Texas metros that are comparable in population are Lubbock and Beaumont. Enough said.)
This sounds so negative but I am actually am a big Houston booster, and I have to go back once or twice a year, if only for the authentic Texas bbq, the good Mexican food options, and the awesomeness that is Pappadeaux.
You are in the Blue Ridge Mountains and you imply Anti-Obama hysteria was worse in small town Texas? Where might you be? I lived in Virginia over 3 years and the farther from D.C. you are, the more conservative is the state. I also had family in North Carolina and lived in Georgia.
Texas is more purple than many believe when you looks at governance of the six big cities and the Rio Grand Valley that lean more left and represent over half the state's population. In addition, Texas, surprisingly like California's demographics, is a majority-minority state, and moving more in that direction.
Over 30 years in Houston, and it has been very good to my family and me. Moved to Houston for the jobs, and after marrying a Houston girl we started out living in the Heights. Loved living in the loop, but my job moved to Clear Lake so we eventually moved that way when we had children as it was way less expensive, and we had heard good things about the schools. After several years, I really grew to dislike the suburbs. The schools were not what we had hoped, neighbors were not as friendly, we felt isolated from the city, the area was totally a car-only culture with no walkability, and we no longer wanted to live in a hurricane susceptible evacuation zone. So we moved back into the loop over 10 years ago, purchasing a smaller house at 3x the cost of our old home, with the intention of perhaps making the city our "retirement" home in the future.
We had everything we were looking for - close to amenities and parks, good public school for our oldest, established neighborhood with friendly and engaged neighbors, the best walkability Houston had to offer, and easy access anywhere in the city. We were ok with the sketchiness of nearby areas, and we knew Houston wasn't perfect but we knew this was the best we could hope to afford for what we got.
But, over time our experiences and perceptions changed. Houston used to be a 10-minute city inside the loop, but over the last several years we have become house-bound during certain hours of the day as not only freeway traffic but local traffic has become horrendous as the area has become more crowded and popular. We dropped our downtown Y membership as a 3 minute trip turned into over 20 minutes, only to arrive at an overcrowded facility. Over the last 12 years we have seen little to no improvement in simple things like missing and broken sidewalks (Richmond), or some streets which remain rubble-strewn (Woodhead, Dunlavy). Many of the small businesses and restaurants we enjoyed are now gone. Oversized $1M+ homes have replaced the bungalows on the small lots, and are filled with unseen neighbors who disappear in and out of front loading garage doors never to be seen again. The homeless situation nearby has ebbed and flowed, but has been on an upswing in our area for the last 2 years due to relocations in EADO and Midtown.
But the nail in the coffin is the cost versus what you get. Property values have doubled, which is only great if you are a seller, but taxes regularly increased by 10% a year most years, and we basically came to the conclusion that in retirement we would no longer be able to afford the house, especially with all of the deferred maintenance on it. And outside of a couple of expensive inner loop neighborhoods, there are really no places in the Houston area to live in with walkability (if you have to drive to get there it then it is not walkable from your home). We have found nothing appealing in living in another Houston suburb, and decent urban neighborhoods in other Texas cities can even be more crowded and expensive.
So, with family connections, we have left Houston and moved to an affordable and walkable neighborhood in Buffalo. Our access to walkable amenities has improved by at least 5x, and we are actually looking forward to enjoying 4 distinct seasons again. Summers are usually 15 degrees cooler than Houston, which is very welcome at this point in our lives. Being retired means no issues with snow, and taxes here are very reasonable for retirees (we will pay no state income tax here at our pension levels, sales taxes are equal, property tax is 1/3 what we paid in Houston (based on lower cost of housing), car insurance 25% less, and homeowners insurance less than half). We have access to beaches, parks, lakes, rivers, and of course are right on the border with Canada. The city itself in undergoing a renaissance, but is not (and likely will never be) growing at the fast clip that strains the services in cities like Houston and Austin. And we never have to deal with tropical weather again in any of its forms.
For anyone moving to Texas, I would still recommend Houston as my preferred city, as it has the most welcoming people and opportunities. But, the city it is and continues to grow into is no longer one I want to live in.
Being retired means no issues with snow, said NO one ever in upstate NY. C'mon now... how many people a year incur heart attacks trying to plow their sidewalks? I lived in Philly as a child and snow ALWAYS was impactful. Ask my backside as I crashed on it from walking on icy sidewalks.
Truth be told, I'm sick and tired of these posts. Houston isn't this, Houston isn't that, Houston has crime and this, that and the third. Houston has crime, but what big city doesn't? The bulk of Houston's crime is concentrated in the ghetto, so as long as you're not slinging drugs, don't have beef with shady people or associate with those who are into the gangster life, you'll escape 100% of all crime that happens in Houston.
100% of the time bro? C’mon that’s a bit of a stretch. Houston is not the most dangerous metropolitan in the country nor one of the worst. It’s also not one of the safest either. With a crime rate over the national average Houston is about somewhere in the middle. Meaning it’s not a Detroit or St.Louis but it ain’t no San Diego or even NYC for that matter. Yes, your less likely to be a victim of crime if you live in a nice area but it can still happen. Perfect example is Northwest Houston. There’s a lot of safe communities in between FM 1960 and 99. However because there’s a cluster of affordable apartments(not all crime is committed by residents of these apts. btw) not very far from those communities every now and than you might have a home invasion or car hacking from somebody who comes from those areas. Now by no means is Champions or the Heights consider ghetto but every now and then there’s a break in in those communities. It’s not the Wild Wild West and for the most part you’ll be fine if your not looking for trouble. But you still have to take precautions even in safe neighborhoods so you won’t become a victim. That usually comes with most big cities in America though.
I agree with a lot of OP's points except for the cultural lag comment. I guess because i'm a born and raised Texan that I simply don't get it from A NE person's perspective. Considering Boston and Philly are much much older than Houston than I get why it would feel like it's a cultural lag but I see it as more of a difference. However Houston doesn't do itself any favors the way it goes out of it's way to not preserve the cities History.
With that said, i'm in limbo when it comes to Houston right now. Me and my wife have contemplated long and hard of moving out of Houston since we moved back 2 years ago but it's still a "Want to see what the city will become" feeling with me at least. It's so much change going on right now good and bad that you almost want to see it through(even though it will forever change) yet still there's still so much that is undesirable about living in Houston. None the fault of Houstonian's. The people is what I love the most about the city to be honest. My Wife is a native and even she is ready to move out the city.
Now on the other end, I can't do the NE unless it's NYC or DC. As a Black Man from the south Boston is probably the last big cities I would want to reside in. Philly I know nothing about, however I'd be interested to check it out some day. With that said, Houston has a lot going for it but the "unfettered growth" is unattractive and uninspiring. Outside the loop a lot of communities that make up the metro has no rhyme and reason. It's just subdivisions/strip malls/ farm land/ ditches.
Now there's more to different parts of the metro than those attributes but a lot of these do exist. And these are not in entirely "poor" communities. There are beautiful areas of Houston even outside the loop but there's still a lot of tacky looking areas. When I first moved here I was used to the combination of humidity and hot summers but since we moved back I've become less immune to it and now it just feels a bit more overwhelming than I remember. I'm still clinging on to the idea of living here but there's still a strong urge to leave the city I have feelings for.
Native of Houston but also spend much of my childhood in Philly back when it looked like it was going to be Detroit or Baltimore as it lost over 500K residents over 40 years, enabling Houston to surpass it as the 4th largest U.S. city. That said, the last ten years, it has experienced a rebound due to a number of factors:
1. Comcast's rise to prominence. Comcast is based in downtown Philly. Downtown is great.
2. Of the big east coast MSA's outside of Baltimore and Pittsburgh, its more affordable by far than D.C. NY or Boston.
3. It has the Big Five group of colleges, i.e. that draws your upwardly mobile aspiring people to the city which keeps it vibrant.
4. Crime is down as it is in many cities so people move back.
5. Its historical significance on the scale of Boston
6. 75 miles from the Beach and two hours to the Pocono mountains.
7. Its a healthcare hub.
6. Great parks system, especially Fairmount Park.
7. 90 miles by care to NYC, 2 1/2 hours to D.C.
8. Excellent foodie scene.
That said, there are some ROUGH looking neighborhoods (think the Bronx) or Roxbury in Boston). Schools are mediocre at best (strikes as kid were the norm). Notably more segregated than Houston.
I am originally from the Austin area. However about 3 years ago I was offered a job in Houston which I accepted. I lived in the Galleria area and then Montrose for a brief period. While I will always love Austin, I can’t stand the growth and the changes happening right now. It is becoming a whole new city, without the charm of what makes it great. Moving to Houston was exciting for me as I was able to meet a lot of people who were genuinely kind for the most part and made friends much easier than anywhere else I’ve lived. I’ve noticed people in Houston also have this kind of badass confidence, like most people are friendly but you also know they can be tough because they have grown up somewhere that you have to be able to hold your own. On the other hand, people are much more status obsessed in Houston than other places I’ve lived which can be good in a sense that people are motivated, but can also lead to people one upping eachother a lot.
I loved living in the loop because things would stay open late and there was always something to do. I did miss the outdoorsy things I used to do in Austin like hike, but there are places to go, just not immediately near the inner city. I could kayak on the bayou or go down to galveston. Even though it was hot there were options. I love the greenery and trees found in the city and to the north. It’s beautiful. There are gorgeous neighborhoods all around, something that you don’t see in every city. There are really pretty and unique areas of town which I really love. Traffic was pretty bad as I was commuting from the Galleria to Cypress, but it was a reverse commute so it wasn’t as horrible as what I experience in Austin.
I recently relocated to Salt Lake City due to a new job, however I have been strongly considering coming back to Houston in the near future. I don’t even miss Austin like I miss Houston. There is something about the mix of cultures, no zoning laws, opportunities for success, and pride in the city that really make Houston something special. It isn’t for everyone, but I think SO many people have this preconceived notion about Houston, but when they see for themselves they usually end up falling into an “it’s complicated” relationship with the city.
Hope to be back soon! Thanks for the topic, made me realize in more detail why I valued my time in Houston so much.
How is SLC? I interviewed and talked to a realtor and it just was not my cup of tea...needed more cultural diversity and energy. If you are not LDS, it seems a very tough sell.
Agreed about the preservation of history here. But I think cultural lag is behind the east coast corridor simply because there isn't a mass of 50 million people from here to New Orleans! Otherwise Houston is pretty decent, and the international population & influence helps. However- educational attainment in the area is still ranked low compared to the rest of the country, even many educated people have outdated ideas in their heads due to religious beliefs, and a large culture of being stupid, ghetto and staying uneducated is obvious even to a native. I think that is considered 'lag' to a lot of people- just put in a P.C. way.
Philadelphia is the nastiest big city on the east coast corridor, but has the most fascinating history. The tourist spots are worth multiple visits if you're interested in that. Otherwise as far as residents go there is a massive underclass, and a weekend with two dozen shootings is not unusual. The tourists areas are safe because they are heavily guarded- the Feds and Philly police are everywhere, but outside of that is a different story.
No way is Philly worse than Baltimore , New Haven, Buffalo, or Newark and you might want to travel more around NYC's Bronx and Queens boroughs. Have you Glock on your lap as you drive. You think NYC doesn't have Fed Police? How much does NYC spend on Law enforcement, billions!?
Philly's violent crime rate is actually less than Houston's, DC, Chicago, Baltimore, St. Louis, ABQ, Nashville, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Minneapolis to name several cities of size. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._by_crime_rate
Being retired means no issues with snow, said NO one ever in upstate NY. C'mon now... how many people a year incur heart attacks trying to plow their sidewalks? I lived in Philly as a child and snow ALWAYS was impactful. Ask my backside as I crashed on it from walking on icy sidewalks.
Yeah 100'' inches of snow per year over 6 months-- a garden spot for retirement for sure. I dealt with about 40'' last year and that was enough for awhile. Buffalo also gets extremely filthy when the temps get just over 32 after snow has piled up, and then the thawed snow eventually turns into ice. And don't forget your Vitamin D pills for bone & mental health, as the skies are grey 9 months of the year.
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.
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.
