Popular opinion picks San Diego in poll's vs. comparable cities like Houston, Seattle, etc. MUST READ (San Francisco: 2015, condo)
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Popular opinions selects San Diego in poll comparing Houston, Seattle, best cities in America, where would you like to live, national surveys, international cosmopolitan cities, socio-economics
DISCLAIMER, this is not scientific proof that san diego is superior to any city. they're just fun to read to see what is on peoples' minds. SEAandATL, pay attention to popular opinion. its fine that you have your own opinions, but you sound disrespectful most of the time. each post has AT LEAST 7 responses, most with more than 12. i didn't conduct the questions/polls, but i have found them from yahoo answers. read on...
the first post is particularly geared towards that guy from Houston who always brags about houston and puts down san diego (by the way, the only reason houston has a metro of 6 million people is because it covers an area of 10,000 square miles. an area that size in southern california, which would include san diego, orange county, and LA and parts of the inland empire, has a population of 21,000,000+ residents, lol. stick with facts man). let the polls speak for themselves. lets go with the real facts. looks like popular opinion chooses san diego as the city of choice between houston, denver, and san diego, BY A LANDSLIDE! i didn't set up the poll, read it for yourself.
the next 2 posts below is an unbiased poll of peoples' choice between seattle and san diego. both are very comparable cities, but looks like san diego gets the upper edge again. let the PEOPLE do the speaking, NOT the person!
the next post is san diego vs. the international cosmopolitan city to the north, san francisco. looks like popular opinion dictates san diego once again. and remember, these are NATIONAL surveys!
the next post only has 5 responses but the interesting fact is that all 5 responses chose san diego over new york and chicago. it's a national poll but it may be bias since the person asking the question is concerned about cold weather. still, interesting responses!
that's all for now. i had a hard time finding questions comparing other major city centers in the united states, oh well! but across the board, the general consensus from people on yahoo answers that live all over the united states absolutely love san diego, even in many other posts but i didnt include them here because they only had a couple of responses.
Looks like someone is insecure! A poll on a website means very little, Houston and Atlanta are growing fast while Southern Cal is stagnent. If that place were the paradise that you say it is, people would be willing to live in cardboard boxes, ANYTHING, just to live there. Face it, Southern Cal is nothing more than a few rich people taking advantage of millions of low wage migrants that don't know any better. Southern Cal. is the past, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin and North Carolina are the future. Get used to it
Looks like someone is insecure! A poll on a website means very little, Houston and Atlanta are growing fast while Southern Cal is stagnent. If that place were the paradise that you say it is, people would be willing to live in cardboard boxes, ANYTHING, just to live there. Face it, Southern Cal is nothing more than a few rich people taking advantage of millions of low wage migrants that don't know any better. Southern Cal. is the past, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin and North Carolina are the future. Get used to it
insecure, no. local pride, yes. i come on to this forum because i believe in the future of my region, its urban (smart) growth, its economy, its culture, its standard of living, etc. but when i come on here and see people like u disrespecting my city, it's my job as a citizen of this region to back it up with facts while u live in some wishful thinking fantasy that houston and atlanta are cities of the future. the polls are not just "polls", they are written commentaries by the common man middle class of this country. the truth is, people are moving to the west and for good reason -- most of the area is barren compared to the east coast, and the fact that people are willing to live in san diego at an average of $600,000 a house compared to $200,000 in the houston area speaks volumes! economics 101, supply and demand. i don't even have to explain it, you seem intelligent enough to figure that stat out yourself. san diego is an upper middle class hood while houston is a blue collar stronghold and in my opinion, the only cities that have the right to compete with san diego's overall excellence would be seattle, new york city, boston, san francisco, chicago, parts of orange county, portland, and maybe even charlotte. i may be missing a few regions but these cities sum it up for the most part. well houston, we have a problem. you don't make the list
to be fair, since you're from houston and you're here in the san diego message board (God knows why), here's what i have to say about your city. i heard that it has some culture, and inside the loop is pretty cool on a number of measures, but lets face the facts. Houston is where many major oil companies are based and its smog matches that of LA. also, the local sports teams have been crummy. it's cool that a major part of NASA is based in houston and houston has alright weather for the most part. but from what i hear, houston scenery sucks, its bugs are larger than pets, it's mostly flat and dull just like any other urban sprawl sunbelt city, just on a massive level, and lets face it, houston has a lot of jobs but mostly blue collar which explains its affordable housing prices. there's a reason housing is cheap in texas all together -- people in texas think their state is sht sh*t but the truth is, people move there because their first and second options are out of question. im sure houston has a hip scene in many areas, but outside the loop is nothing but cookie cutter surburban sprawl with nothing to do (maybe with the woodlands being an exception). am i right or am i right? ur here, so obviously you want to talk about something. lets talk
Last edited by SouthCali4LifeSD; 01-29-2008 at 02:23 AM..
I used to live in San Diego ( about 2 years) and now I notice that people thinking of moving there are being told the blissful and ignorant side only and not the full truth. There are positives about San Diego, like the zoo and some nice communities but to act like there are no problems there is just wrong. At least in other parts of the country people admit that everything is not perfect. San Diego is basically a media creation and a number of people are brainwashed into believing it. Oh and by the way what championships have the sports teams in San Diego ever won? The rockets won 2 NBA titles in the 90's.
Anyone can say San Diego has the beautiful Pacific vistas and near perfect weather. I just did.
But I lived in San Diego. I have seen the dark socio-economic nature of it that the obnoxious, ignorant tourists and sunnyside boosters don't see.
Houston does have a lush, green beauty that brown San Diego lacks...and I do prefer having canopies of thick trees over me than mountains which serve no purpose to me.
Houston has been a better place for me through the years and I'm glad the turnstile weather keeps away those mass tourist types. There's enough nice sunny and cool days here anyway. I'm glad Houston has its strengths in other areas. For one, it doesn't rely on cheesy tourism. I'm proud of the non-profit Texas Medical Center institutions, for one. The Texas Med Center, more a district than "center", is provider of some 200,000 jobs. Houston ain't just about oil anymore.
Houston is more sophisticated, more live and let live, more culturally endowed, more diverse, more opportunistic, more dynamic and more socio-economically integrated than San Diego can ever hope to be now.
I have some fond personal memories of San Diego but those Yahoo surveys are coming from the superficial people who yap but don't know squat on a deeper level.
Yep, even a Joel Kotkin study pointed out that cities like Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte are better providers for the common folks who work as opposed to the overpriced cities where, as sweetclimber pointed out, a few elites and fake rich take advantage of a massive working class poor to maintain their economy. At least the middle working class in Houston can afford much nicer looking domiciles and neighborhoods than the crapholes they would get in National City, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, San Ysidro and other such areas in San Diego's metro.
In Houston, you can pretty much drive and enjoy your music on a Saturday night without the harassment of police "sobriety" checkpoints (which really serve as public surveillance). In San Diego, that's another story. Ah, to have more conservative liquor laws but liberal commutes rather than vice versa.
insecure, no. local pride, yes. i come on to this forum because i believe in the future of my region, its urban (smart) growth, its economy, its culture, its standard of living, etc. but when i come on here and see people like u disrespecting my city, it's my job as a citizen of this region to back it up with facts while u live in some wishful thinking fantasy that houston and atlanta are cities of the future. the polls are not just "polls", they are written commentaries by the common man middle class of this country. the truth is, people are moving to the west and for good reason -- most of the area is barren compared to the east coast, and the fact that people are willing to live in san diego at an average of $600,000 a house compared to $200,000 in the houston area speaks volumes! economics 101, supply and demand. i don't even have to explain it, you seem intelligent enough to figure that stat out yourself. san diego is an upper middle class hood while houston is a blue collar stronghold and in my opinion, the only cities that have the right to compete with san diego's overall excellence would be seattle, new york city, boston, san francisco, chicago, parts of orange county, portland, and maybe even charlotte. i may be missing a few regions but these cities sum it up for the most part. well houston, we have a problem. you don't make the list
to be fair, since you're from houston and you're here in the san diego message board (God knows why), here's what i have to say about your city. i heard that it has some culture, and inside the loop is pretty cool on a number of measures, but lets face the facts. Houston is where many major oil companies are based and its smog matches that of LA. also, the local sports teams have been crummy. it's cool that a major part of NASA is based in houston and houston has alright weather for the most part. but from what i hear, houston scenery sucks, its bugs are larger than pets, it's mostly flat and dull just like any other urban sprawl sunbelt city, just on a massive level, and lets face it, houston has a lot of jobs but mostly blue collar which explains its affordable housing prices. there's a reason housing is cheap in texas all together -- people in texas think their state is sht sh*t but the truth is, people move there because their first and second options are out of question. im sure houston has a hip scene in many areas, but outside the loop is nothing but cookie cutter surburban sprawl with nothing to do (maybe with the woodlands being an exception). am i right or am i right? ur here, so obviously you want to talk about something. lets talk
Have you ever really seen Houston? This city on the whole is more upscale than San Diego. La Jolla is magnificent, but Houston has that type of stuff in different parts...and we're talking within Houston city limits (yeah I know La Jolla is in San Diego city limits). Uptown Galleria, River Oaks, Rice Village, Highland Village, Uptown Park. And there are more additions on the way.
There's stuff that makes Fashion and Mission Valley look, ahem, blue collar.
I don't live an upscale life but Houston is just not a blue collar town anymore. Please don't prep your Houston knowledge on massively outdated John Travolta movies involving mechanical bulls.
Houston's got close to one hundred international consulates. Third behind NY and LA. San Diego? Nah, not an international player.
Houston is one of only four or five cities to have permanent ballet, opera, symphony and theater. Houston's nightlife consists of well-dressed people who go out in the Theater District. In San Diego, we see Navy/Frat boys or Bob and Mary types from Iowa doing it up in the Gas Lamp or Pacific Beach. I don't do the Theater District but I'm glad that I live in a diverse city that is also a hub of hip hop culture (something I don't care for either but...)
Houston is a highly regarded food and restaurant city, San Diego is not.
Houston has more Fortune 500 companies than San Diego. In fact, Houston is a US leader behind only New York and maybe one other city.
San Diego is expensive because it is overpriced by the economic elites who think it's all that. My wife and I had the chance to go back there; as a travel nurse she would get HOUSING ALLOWANCE but we both agreed that California is nothing but a short-term fantasy land and Houston has the upside.
San Diego is also a Sunbelt town, cookie cutter similar to Houston's suburbs: Carmel Mountain, Mira Mesa, Carlsbad, Escondido, Eastlake Chula Vista, Via Rancho...etc. There's some cute little downtowns in some but still...at least Houston's got some cute little other "main street" downtowns WITHIN the city limits too like 19th Street and Rice Village to name a few.
I'm trying in all seriousness to see how San Diego comes close to an L.A. or N.Y. in terms of stature all the while Houston comes along much more so.
"Parts of Orange County" Now, that's off the chart laughter material right there. Propped up by The Mouse no doubt?
Have you ever really seen Houston? This city on the whole is more upscale than San Diego. La Jolla is magnificent, but Houston has that type of stuff in different parts...and we're talking within Houston city limits (yeah I know La Jolla is in San Diego city limits). Uptown Galleria, River Oaks, Rice Village, Highland Village, Uptown Park. And there are more additions on the way.
There's stuff that makes Fashion and Mission Valley look, ahem, blue collar.
I don't live an upscale life but Houston is just not a blue collar town anymore. Please don't prep your Houston knowledge on massively outdated John Travolta movies involving mechanical bulls.
Houston's got close to one hundred international consulates. Third behind NY and LA. San Diego? Nah, not an international player.
Houston is one of only four or five cities to have permanent ballet, opera, symphony and theater. Houston's nightlife consists of well-dressed people who go out in the Theater District. In San Diego, we see Navy/Frat boys or Bob and Mary types from Iowa doing it up in the Gas Lamp or Pacific Beach. I don't do the Theater District but I'm glad that I live in a diverse city that is also a hub of hip hop culture (something I don't care for either but...)
Houston is a highly regarded food and restaurant city, San Diego is not.
Houston has more Fortune 500 companies than San Diego. In fact, Houston is a US leader behind only New York and maybe one other city.
San Diego is expensive because it is overpriced by the economic elites who think it's all that. My wife and I had the chance to go back there; as a travel nurse she would get HOUSING ALLOWANCE but we both agreed that California is nothing but a short-term fantasy land and Houston has the upside.
San Diego is also a Sunbelt town, cookie cutter similar to Houston's suburbs: Carmel Mountain, Mira Mesa, Carlsbad, Escondido, Eastlake Chula Vista, Via Rancho...etc. There's some cute little downtowns in some but still...at least Houston's got some cute little other "main street" downtowns WITHIN the city limits too like 19th Street and Rice Village to name a few.
I'm trying in all seriousness to see how San Diego comes close to an L.A. or N.Y. in terms of stature all the while Houston comes along much more so.
"Parts of Orange County" Now, that's off the chart laughter material right there. Propped up by The Mouse no doubt?
Don't forget Houston's wonderful parks like Hermann, Buffalo Bayou, Memorial, Cullen- Barker, Bear creek etc. What does San Diego have? Balboa park? Can you say homeless and drug addict central!
Location: Originally Fayetteville, Arkansas/ now Seattle, Washington!
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Haven't been to either I can just speak from talking to people lol. They both seem nice. San Diego looks beautiful and i enjoy spending time in California. Houston seems fun and I have family in Dallas to the north, so i'm sure its fun too. I've been considering both cities to move to. Honestly after reading and reasearching everything, I think i'm going to just move to Chicago lol. Offers more and has a superior cityscape over both. Plus it is moving forward even faster. Man i can't wait to see the Chicago skyline in a few years after all their current projects are done, including the Spire! But while friendly competition is great, i think that both cities probably have a lot to offer!!
DH and I considered moving to Houston a couple of years ago. My brother lives there & my parents had considered relocating there from NYC. Houston turns out to be a terrible place to live if you have MS (the heat is oppressive in the summertime and exacerbates MS symptoms) and I couldn't stand the smell of the refineries. There are very charming neighborhoods (although it was sad to see the widespread tear downs of bungalows for 2 story McMansions in these older neighborhoods) and the Galleria has no competition in San Diego.
Again - as in ALL these similar discussions - each city has its pros/cons and everyone can nit-pick to death what they view as all the negatives about each city - ad nauseum.
insecure, no. local pride, yes. i come on to this forum because i believe in the future of my region, its urban (smart) growth, its economy, its culture, its standard of living, etc. but when i come on here and see people like u disrespecting my city, it's my job as a citizen of this region to back it up with facts while u live in some wishful thinking fantasy that houston and atlanta are cities of the future.
I've been living in SD for about ten years and agree with you that is an easy life here in SD, but urban (smart) growth? I grew up in Europe (Germany) have lived extensively on a few continents including Frankfurt, Cape Town, Singapore, Hong Kong, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando, and of course San Diego. I love the weather in SD, I have no problems with the people or traffic or jobs, but when it comes to urban growth especially smart growth, San Diego is way behind other places. I think only Orange County has worse city planning or lack thereof.
Everything is a decentralized grid of suburbs and stripmalls. Where is the smart urban growth? In downtown/little Italy? Oh boy. Smart growth would somewhat entail a work/live arrangement with available und actually usable public transportation. No - the trolley is no viable alternative and neither is the bus system. They do exist, but are only somewhat usable. e.g parking at the fashion valley mall and taking the trolley to the game.
I have considered a few times buying a condo downtown, but most decent paying jobs (other than lawfirms) are located in areas such as Sorrento Valley, Poway, RB and CV.
I have a few friends who bought in downtown to live and play. They all have jobs or businesses outside of downtown and when it comes to play they prefer to "hang" at places like Jack's of La Jolla. Kinda defeats the purpose of smart growth if you still have to drive everywhere.
I'm not knocking SD. I truly enjoy living here.
Last edited by BigBoy; 01-29-2008 at 11:14 AM..
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