Dallas v. Houston - Which is right for me? (Jacksonville: crime, house)

[traceytracey]

Hi Everyone: Need your unfiltered feedback, please.

I'm a SBF in the Metro Washington, DC area (DMV) with a degree in business. My daughter's grown and almost done with college. I came here from OH to raise her in a culturally diverse area with opportunities for advancement, blah-blah. Done. Now, 20 years later, I need a change. HELP!

Looking for:

Relatively safe
Lower cost of living than the DMV
Diversity
More "house" for my money than here
Commute under 45 minutes
Straight men
Activities/Night life (not so much clubs but good restaurants, lounges, live music, skating, Meet up groups, etc.)
Decent job market but also Business-owner friendly (I just got my degree, ready to start something of my own...)
NOT COLD

Haven't counted out Phoenix, Albuquerque, Tuscon, Vegas, Jacksonville or Charlotte.

Thanks.

[stoneclaw]

You're new here so i'm going to take it easy on you, and totally not even mention how this topic has been done to death to the point it can't be done no more.

Simply said, you should visit both cities and see for yourself. I recommend visiting during the worst times of the year to see if you can tolerate the cities at their worst (obviously that would be summertime).

The cities are more alike than different, it's just what kind of layout you prefer. If you want to live in a metro that has two major cities as bookends with large suburbs on steroids in between, then Dallas would probably be your choice. If you want to live in a much larger city that has suburbs surrounding it, some that have access to water, then Houston is your choice.

[LexStayTRUE]

Definitely Houston, I'm going to say since you come from up north, you will probably be able to afford a house in the suburbs for cheap compared to where you lived before.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by traceytracey

Looking for:

Thanks.

Relatively safe -either depending on the area
Lower cost of living than the DMV - either depending on the area
Diversity - edge Houston. Houston has more diversity in the city. Diversity is more suburban in Dallas.
More "house" for my money than here - Either
Commute under 45 minutes - Dallas
Straight men - Either
Activities/Night life (not so much clubs but good restaurants, lounges, live music, skating, Meet up groups, etc.) - Edge Houston for resturants and edge Dallas for the others
Decent job market but also Business-owner friendly (I just got my degree, ready to start something of my own...) - Either
NOT COLD - Houston is warmer.

Looks like Houston may be slightly more your taste overall.

[dallasboi]

oh no....

[traceytracey]

Thanks for having mercy on me, Stoneclaw.

[traceytracey]

Thanks Peterlemonjello.

Now, what are your thoughts about this:

A girlfriend told me that in about 10 years Houston will be one big 'ghetto' because everyone migrating there from the East (because it's so cheap) has minimal education so they'll have low-paying jobs, they won't take care of their homes, property values will go down, crime will go up, mayhem and calamity will follow. Versus Dallas; slightly higher cost of living but more people with advanced degrees settle there, maintain well-paying jobs, they will keep manicured properties and everything over there will be roses and baby's breath. Any truth at all in what she's saying?

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by traceytracey

Thanks Peterlemonjello.

Now, what are your thoughts about this:

A girlfriend told me that in about 10 years Houston will be one big 'ghetto' because everyone migrating there from the East (because it's so cheap) has minimal education so they'll have low-paying jobs, they won't take care of their homes, property values will go down, crime will go up, mayhem and calamity will follow. Versus Dallas; slightly higher cost of living but more people with advanced degrees settle there, maintain well-paying jobs, they will keep manicured properties and everything over there will be roses and baby's breath. Any truth at all in what she's saying?

Well, first I want to clarify something.

Both Houston and Dallas are going to offer everything your looking for. Maybe one more so than the other in certain areas, but overall I think you would be very happy in either. Houston and Dallas are both extremely multicultural and diverse. The only difference is that the diversity has been estabished in Houston longer than Dallas. Its just more new in the Dallas area. But you can find neighborhoods and areas of both that are like the UN.

Now then as far as your question, yes and no. The Dallas area is more organized and kept up and the Houston area is more gritty. Its just a preference for what you like. Houston has no zoning which makes the area more unorganized (if you dont like it) or spontanious (if you do like it).

As for education and pay, Houston has a lot (and I do mean a lot) of high paying blue collar jobs that do not require a college education. Dallas has very few of those. That means that in Houston you might find high income neighborhoods that have few college degrees which is harder to find in Dallas. Those jobs are almost all associated with the oil industry. The primary industries in Houston are energy, medicine, and international shipping. In Dallas, the economy is much more diversified but with tech, logistics, and energy being the top.

Do I think Houston will be one big ghetto? No. Some areas will change and become that and some will stay nice. I dont think Dallas is any different there.

I would also describe Houston as an international city (economically and residentially) with a Southern vibe. Dallas is an American with a Great Plains vibe, but with an international populace.

[traceytracey]

You're the new love of my life Peterlemonjello! Thanks for all your great answers today.

[TexasTallest]

Originally Posted by traceytracey

A girlfriend told me that in about 10 years Houston will be one big 'ghetto' because everyone migrating there from the East (because it's so cheap) has minimal education so they'll have low-paying jobs, they won't take care of their homes, property values will go down, crime will go up, mayhem and calamity will follow. Versus Dallas; slightly higher cost of living but more people with advanced degrees settle there, maintain well-paying jobs, they will keep manicured properties and everything over there will be roses and baby's breath. Any truth at all in what she's saying?

LOLOL (not at you Tracey, just at that "rumor" about Houston). for one, ive heard Houston has the higher cost of living vs Dallas. 2, just as many of those "people from the east" are moving to Dallas as they are Houston. its not just a city phenomena, but a state wide phenomena. there are areas in both cities that are ghetto, and areas that are nice. that will probably stay the same, though both cities are gentrifying the poorer areas.
the more likely scenario (not just for Houston, or Dallas, but for most all suburban style cities) is that as the inner cities gentrify, densify, and become more developed, the poorer people will be priced out/kicked out of their homes and find their way towards the cheaper suburbs, outside of the cities, causing a reverse white flight, as the city becomes the more desirable place to live.