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Old 02-06-2014, 09:59 AM
 
22 posts, read 42,071 times
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Hi everyone,

I've been living in Boston for the past 7 years and am ready for a new experience (and I'd like that experience to involve a much lower cost of living!). I visited my friend in Dallas a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I'm 26, single, and want to relocate to another city. I plan to search for a job first so that won't be an issue. I'm wondering what life is life in all cities in general. I'm someone who really enjoys meeting new people and having an active social life. Weather? Things to do? Environment (I know Austin's supposed to be the prettiest w/ the most greenery) Reputation of people? Being from Boston, I'm very educated and pretty liberal but also sick of being surrounded by the pretentiousness of it all!

Just a general feel of all the cities would be great- I'm not too concerned with job market, transportation ( I have a car), or food like some people post about. Thanks
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Old 02-06-2014, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,237 posts, read 35,424,886 times
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There are lots of comparisons already on here that might help, BUT the very basic differences:
- Austin is probably the most expensive, although comparing downtown costs will not be that different, possibly
- Austin is not the 'greenest', although it is the hilliest. Houston is just about the tropical rainforest environment - humid, lots of rain, and not as (absolute) hot.
- Dallas will be the coldest in winter, but also seems to manage to often be the hottest in summer. If you want to keep your seasons, Dallas is the closest of the three.

All three are plenty big enough to have a good social life. Dallas has the reputation of being the most 'status conscious', but not sure if it deserves it or not, or whether it is just an artifact of the past.

Austin is definitely the smallest, if not actually small.
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Old 02-06-2014, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Northwest Houston
6,262 posts, read 7,414,415 times
Reputation: 5041
Quote:
Originally Posted by KataM View Post
Hi everyone,

I've been living in Boston for the past 7 years and am ready for a new experience (and I'd like that experience to involve a much lower cost of living!). I visited my friend in Dallas a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I'm 26, single, and want to relocate to another city. I plan to search for a job first so that won't be an issue. I'm wondering what life is life in all cities in general. I'm someone who really enjoys meeting new people and having an active social life. Weather? Things to do? Environment (I know Austin's supposed to be the prettiest w/ the most greenery) Reputation of people? Being from Boston, I'm very educated and pretty liberal but also sick of being surrounded by the pretentiousness of it all!

Just a general feel of all the cities would be great- I'm not too concerned with job market, transportation ( I have a car), or food like some people post about. Thanks
Go where your employment takes you IOW go where you will make the most money. If somehow it is a tie Go with Houston, not only are we close to the coast but we are only a couple hours away from Austin as well. You will have a lower COL with the best cultural amenities in the state. Once you decide on Houston post in the Houston forum and you will be guided on where to live and what to do once you get here, lol.

I hope this helps
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:02 PM
 
22 posts, read 42,071 times
Reputation: 23
Thanks for the replies. When I visited Dallas I was really surprised by one thing- it's a very large city but I soon realized that it's very small regarding where people my age/demographic would live. Basically most of it's not really the "city". The Greater Boston Area is all the city, basically, and every part of it has young people living (so a larger area to choose to live), even though it's technically much smaller than Dallas. I had a hard time understanding this when I moved that the areas to live were pretty limited. For example, I was told not to go further east than the Know/Henderson area of Dallas because it gets bad. This is only a few miles from downtown/uptown Dallas. Whereas I live about 15 miles outside of "downtown" area and it's still vibrant and safe and nice and young, lol. Basically Boston has like a 15 radius around downtown and in any direction you can live if you're young and it's still "the city". (Perhaps this is due to our transit system reaching so far?). I was told don't go West or South, and stay within a 5 mile range North or East if you still want to be in "the city".

Basically this limits me muchh more than it does than here in Boston which was a total shock to me.

Does the same apply to Houston? I know they advise you not to live outside of the "loop" in Houston- and I guess the "loop" is just bigger here in Boston bc of the public transportation.

Sorry this is so long- just trying to understand. When I move I'll have to get a place to live from MA so I'm trying to be thorough. Thanks

Is it the same in Houston?
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:10 PM
 
22 posts, read 42,071 times
Reputation: 23
Wow, please disregard the mileage I gave in that post. I am closer to downtown that I thought, lol. i'm about 8 miles from downtown. Still, 8 miles v. 3.5 in Dallas- so we have a larger area where young professionals can live?
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:20 PM
 
Location: Beautiful Northwest Houston
6,262 posts, read 7,414,415 times
Reputation: 5041
Quote:
Originally Posted by KataM View Post
Thanks for the replies. When I visited Dallas I was really surprised by one thing- it's a very large city but I soon realized that it's very small regarding where people my age/demographic would live. Basically most of it's not really the "city". The Greater Boston Area is all the city, basically, and every part of it has young people living (so a larger area to choose to live), even though it's technically much smaller than Dallas. I had a hard time understanding this when I moved that the areas to live were pretty limited. For example, I was told not to go further east than the Know/Henderson area of Dallas because it gets bad. This is only a few miles from downtown/uptown Dallas. Whereas I live about 15 miles outside of "downtown" area and it's still vibrant and safe and nice and young, lol. Basically Boston has like a 15 radius around downtown and in any direction you can live if you're young and it's still "the city". (Perhaps this is due to our transit system reaching so far?). I was told don't go West or South, and stay within a 5 mile range North or East if you still want to be in "the city".

Basically this limits me muchh more than it does than here in Boston which was a total shock to me.

Does the same apply to Houston? I know they advise you not to live outside of the "loop" in Houston- and I guess the "loop" is just bigger here in Boston bc of the public transportation.

Sorry this is so long- just trying to understand. When I move I'll have to get a place to live from MA so I'm trying to be thorough. Thanks

Is it the same in Houston?
When it comes to young people living in Houston most people will tell you to live in Midtown, Montrose, Upper Kirby, and the Heights, perhaps Rice Military as well, or the Washington Corridor as some call it, all in the inner loop of Houston. I would think this area is roughly equivalent in area to greater Boston. Once you get out of the inner loop area, you will find a hodge podge of neighborhoods that can vary greatly in vibrancy and crime, so yes there will be many similarities in Houston to what you describe in Dallas
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:44 PM
 
22 posts, read 42,071 times
Reputation: 23
Ok, I just google mapped and it seems Houston has a larger metro area for young ppl to live (their "loop" is about a 6 mile radius compared to Dallas's 3-4 mile radium. Still not Boston's 8 mile lol

Any comment on the people in both cities? I'm pretty type-A, mainstream, and slightly too conservative for Austin, I think. At the same time I don't like the whole vapid reputation of Dallas :-/ Although that could just be certain parts?
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Old 02-06-2014, 06:42 PM
 
13 posts, read 18,021 times
Reputation: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by KataM View Post
Ok, I just google mapped and it seems Houston has a larger metro area for young ppl to live (their "loop" is about a 6 mile radius compared to Dallas's 3-4 mile radium. Still not Boston's 8 mile lol

Any comment on the people in both cities? I'm pretty type-A, mainstream, and slightly too conservative for Austin, I think. At the same time I don't like the whole vapid reputation of Dallas :-/ Although that could just be certain parts?
honestly,

Dallas is what it is... it's a very nice city and provided you have the income, you can have a nice living there..

But "vapid"... yes i guess i could see what you are saying, from what I experienced in my time up there it doesn't "push you to your limits" it's a nice city, but probably a little overrated. It just depends what you're looking for, it's conservative, which is nice(iam too btw), but it's more of a place where you would start or have a family in, in my honest opinion.
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Old 02-06-2014, 07:42 PM
 
19 posts, read 35,738 times
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If you are under 30 and plan to establish yourself for the rest of your life then pick Houston. Houston will likely grow the most in the next 10 years.

If you have unlimited resources and don't mind cost, go to Austin. It's probably the best city to live in Texas right now.

I'm from CA and I would only live in those two cities in Texas.

I believe Houston comes 2nd in Texas for young professionals, only after Austin.
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Old 02-06-2014, 08:10 PM
 
3,491 posts, read 6,932,109 times
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If I was in your situation I would choose San Antone or Houston or Austin. I keep on reading all the time that there is lots of pretty stiff competition for jobs due to UT being there turning out lots of highly qualified graduates year after year who want to stay in Austin. However, if you could make it I would suggest Austin but idk for sure.Traffic is horrible in Austin though. Whereever you go, get ready for extremely hot and humid summers.San Antone is cheaper and has a better freeway system.You might also like DFW.DFW has more severe of winters and tornadoes.Hurricanes are a concern in Houston but since the city is inland it wont be that big of a deal compared to being on the coast. You will get wind and flooding.
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