Tampa or Houston, TX? (Miami, Brandon: neighborhoods, magnet schools, income)

[jsantig]

My husband has the option of relocating and his company has two branches: Tampa, Fl or Houston, TX.
We’re a family of 4 with 2 kids in elementary school. I would appreciate any information in which city is better in terms of public schools, safer communities, good neighborhoods, better cost of living, etc. We come from Puerto Rico so the hot weather isn’t an issue.

[imguytpa]

Houston is a much larger city(4th largest after New York, Los Angeles, Chicago) than Tampa. Larger cities have many plusses & minuses compare to smaller ones. What's important to you? I think the climates of Houston & Tampa are similar(Tampa a bit warmer in winter). Economic/Employment opportunities would be greater in Houston. Houston traffic is much worse than Tampa and has limited mass transit. Both have access to beaches, Both have no state income tax.

[tampaguy03]

I may look at it the same way, do I want to live in a HUGE city with lots of amenities and people(Houston), or a smaller city, with similar amenities, but on a much smaller scale(Tampa).

[gypsychic]

Tampa has better access to nice beaches and more waterfronts if that comes into play for you. Air quality is better than Houston, also.

[seain dublin]

Well if schools are an issue and with the ages of your children I think it would be, Texas surpasses FL, but than most of the country does.

FL has always been at the bottom of the 50 states in education and is currently ranked 45 out of the 50 states in students completing HS.

I know several people here who moved from other states who ended up placing their children in private schools. An expense they weren't planning on.

You have to drive further in Houston to get the beaches, but IMO an education is more important than going to the beach.

If you like the arts and culture Tampa is seriously lacking. They also fly the confederate flag( the biggest one you will ever see) so there is a redneck mentality that is much less prevalent in a city like Houston.

[kdubose]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

They also fly the confederate flag( the biggest one you will ever see) so there is a redneck mentality that is much less prevalent in a city like Houston.

lmao figured someone would bring up the big Confederate flag over there... to the OP- you will only see this flag if you drive over near Brandon. Ive never been to Houston, but wouldnt Texas have more of a redneck mentality then Florida?? I would think she'd see more confederate flags there then here.. hmmmm

[seain dublin]

No, not in a city like Houston. Maybe in Muleshoe, TX outside of Amarillo. And it is more of s***kicker cowboy menatilty there as opposed to the redneck white trash that you find here. Better class of redneck in Texas....LOL.

The schools are the main issue. Like I said I know many people who relocated here to save money and end up placing their children in private schools. So much for saving money.

And Texas is more into flying their own state flag.

FL really played little or no role in the Civil War so why they feel the need to fly it is more to incite controversy than to honor any Civil War dead.

[imguytpa]

As for Tampa area schools, they do vary from Exceptional to Scary, imo. A colleague moved his twin boys out of private school in to one of the magnet schools in Hillsborough & they are much more challenged than they were in private school. There are excellent schools in Hillsborough with a great variety of AP, IB type offerings. Similar schools in Pasco and throughout the Bay area. I'd say a problem is that's the exception, not the rule. Too much focus here on FCAT, you don't teach to a test for the best educational experience.

[gypsychic]

According to this Men's Fitness article, Houston is the #6 fattest city in America - also this city was #1 for several years in a row a few years ago. Here is the link, which also talks about some negatives:

2009 Fattest Cities: #6 Houston, TX - Men's Fitness

As a side note - Miami was the #1 FATTEST this year! lol
Tampa was #23 on the FITTEST list!

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

If you like the arts and culture Tampa is seriously lacking. .

seain dublin, im very active in the arts and culture of tampa, and would really like to know, what is lacking in tampa? please be specific, id really like to know. thank you. and i am very familiar with the fact that tampa is the 55th largest city in the nation, so it will not compare to nyc, chicago, etc...but i would like to know what is missing.