Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > San Diego
 [Register]
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.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 11-07-2007, 10:27 PM
 
Location: Rye, NH
26 posts, read 98,944 times
Reputation: 17

Advertisements

Hi,

After hours of research and forum-reading; I'm trying to narrow down where to move for the winter (I'm a 24/f single from New Hampshire looking for a WARM climate, an exciting young scene, and job opps). I have never visited my three top choices: San Diego, Phoenix, and Austin. Preferably, any advice from anyone who's lived in all three, or at least lived in two maybe and visited the other? Whereever you say, I'm going! Thanks so much!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 11-07-2007, 10:43 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
288 posts, read 919,362 times
Reputation: 147
My post here regarding SD and Austin might be of interest to you: //www.city-data.com/forum/1932870-post4.html

What industry are you seeking work in?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2007, 10:46 PM
 
8,256 posts, read 17,346,611 times
Reputation: 6225
San Diego and Austin definitely appeal more to younger crowds. Coming from NH, for some reason I think Austin will be the most similar. Phoenix is a lot of old geezers and ugly scenery. It can get cold there in the winter too. Oddly, for the first time, I'm not suggesting SoCal. I actually think you should try Austin as it has a lower cost of living as well. SD second. Don't even consider PHO
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-12-2007, 11:25 PM
 
30 posts, read 195,697 times
Reputation: 31
Austin is not warm in the winter. It's the coldest of the 3 places mentioned. Forget about Phoenix. As already mentioned, it's ugly, very unappealing aesthetically. In addition, it's a cultural black hole. If one can find anything cool, it will quickly be swallowed up by the hole or the city will tear it down, rip the life out of it and build some lovely homogenous, varying shades of brown-ness sorts of things that you can't figure out why anybody in their right mind would like or enjoy.
San Diego's great. You'll pay for the climate. There's really no better. Austin is very cool too but again, don't think it's going to be warm in the winter. I really love Austin for the music. We went to The Broken Spoke on Thursday night and had a good time. It was nice to see all the smiling faces on the dance floor song after song. Everybody dancing, just having a good time. You've got that just about every night of the week. Lots of stuff to do in both San Diego and Austin.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-14-2007, 07:00 AM
 
35 posts, read 125,974 times
Reputation: 23
Visit these cities first before you decide!!!
From a practical standpoint Phoenix/Scottsdale is not as bad as these other posters are saying. Lots of young people there now, lots of job ops, lots of great shopping, and fine dining. Big airport, so easy to find a non stop to go back East. City infrastructre is strong. SD's is in the toilet. Phoenix is terribly hot in the summer and in my opinion too sunny all the time. That much sun is unbearable to me. Also, agree with the other posters about the buildings all looking the same.

For a vacation spot---easily SD is the only place to consider. To settle down and live--like I said really depends on how practical you are and what kind of lifestyle you like . . . For most people your age, SD lifestyle is very beachy and carefree (until you decide you don't want to live in a house with 5 other people and you need a decent job); Phoenix is more career oriented. I don't know anything about Austin. Good luck!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-14-2007, 05:44 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
132 posts, read 596,602 times
Reputation: 138
Been to each city extensivly. Take out Austin, it's just OK. Can be very humid HOT and some temps quite cold in winter. Phoenix OK too, but only in Spring, fall and winter. San Diego with the Dry-Summer Subtropical (Mediteanean) climate is by far the best choice. Perfect weather year around. Near snowy mountains, gorgeous deserts, and the classic blue pacific, Mexico, L.A. It has the best of all worlds.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-15-2007, 12:49 AM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo - Kensington
5,291 posts, read 12,738,305 times
Reputation: 3194
Quote:
Originally Posted by happykid View Post
Visit these cities first before you decide!!!
From a practical standpoint Phoenix/Scottsdale is not as bad as these other posters are saying. Lots of young people there now, lots of job ops, lots of great shopping, and fine dining. Big airport, so easy to find a non stop to go back East. City infrastructre is strong. SD's is in the toilet. Phoenix is terribly hot in the summer and in my opinion too sunny all the time. That much sun is unbearable to me. Also, agree with the other posters about the buildings all looking the same.

For a vacation spot---easily SD is the only place to consider. To settle down and live--like I said really depends on how practical you are and what kind of lifestyle you like . . . For most people your age, SD lifestyle is very beachy and carefree (until you decide you don't want to live in a house with 5 other people and you need a decent job); Phoenix is more career oriented. I don't know anything about Austin. Good luck!
Phoenix more career oriented? How so? Salaries there are even lower than they are here. Lots of low paying jobs, ie, call centers, service jobs, etc. I hate that everything there is new. It seems like there is power center every couple of miles (Staples, Target, Linen & Things, etc) in each direction - yuck!

I can't comment on Austin because I haven't been there, but most things I have heard have been positive. I've heard a comparison that SD and Austin have a similar "vibe".

And seriously, how many people do you know that have 5 roommates in order to afford to live here?

I think it's a misnomer that salaries are so much lower than most other cities. Sure, the salaries don't even up to the cost of living but the pay isn't peanuts. Here's a link to a site that compares salaries of the same jobs in all 3 cities:

San Diego
Phoenix
Austin

Good luck to the OP!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-15-2007, 12:57 AM
 
635 posts, read 1,746,794 times
Reputation: 112
Best Weather: San Diego
Best Air Quality: Phoenix
Best Cowboy Feel: Austin
Best Rock 'n Roll Feel: Austin
Best College Town Feel:Austin
Worst Weather: San Diego
Worst Health & Obesity: Austin
Most Beautiful Scenery:San Diego
Hottest Weather: Phoenix
Worst Traffic: San Diego
Best Young Person Place: Austin-San Diego
Lack of Scenery: Phoenix
Great Nightlife: ALL
Southern Mentality: Austin
Occasional Boredom: Austin
Four Seasons: NONE
Best Food: Austin

You should go with Austin.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-15-2007, 12:45 PM
 
8 posts, read 23,508 times
Reputation: 12
Well, I am moving to SD in a few short months so I might be biased but I had also considered Phoenix until I visited. I have never been to Austin but have heard good things. Phoenix is the most culturally devoid place I"ve ever been to. It is like an entire city of endless strip malls. Everything is a chain and nothing is local or original. San Diego has more of a smaller town vibe (with all of the beach cities having their own feel) so each has it's own culture of sorts. The beaches are fantastic, and of course the weather is beautiful almost always. Austin might be more cost effective, but I'd say pick either Austin or San Diego. I hated Phoenix.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-16-2007, 11:37 PM
 
Location: Surface of the Sun, AZ
93 posts, read 422,591 times
Reputation: 39
Don't move to Phoenix! I am a 22 yr old single college student and Phoenix is one of the most culturally devoid, un-fun places to be! For the area, the cost of living is fairly high compared to the salaries, that is if you can even find a salaried job in the first place. I acutally moved to Phoenix from Pennsylvania a few years ago for the same reasons you are looking to move. I do enjoy the warmer weather, but remember, its a desert, its literally like above 100 9 months of the year, and anyone who says a dry heat is not hot, 118 is hot no matter if its dry! Also in the months of july and august we have monsoons to look foreward to, then its 118 with 80% humidity. As far as activites phoenix is just not geared for young people, we have endless strip malls and super stores (wal-mart, Target, mervyns ect.) and decent restaurants except that everything is a chain. I am graduating with my associates degree in july and I am acutally moving to CA to finish up my bachelor's degree. So my pick for you would be SD, yes its astronomically expenisve, but you have amazing culture, tons of natural beauty, cool people, the beach and believe it or not, far better air quality than Phx. Last week the smog was an irradescent grey/brown cloud over the entire metro area. Anyhow, feel free to email me directly. I can definatly give you more advice about Phx and Sd. my email is Rachel_Kay127@hotmail.com
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
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.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > San Diego

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top