Time for a final decision-Texas Hill Contry or Tucson,AZ? (San Antonio: amusement park, car registration)

[i_love_autumn]

So my adult son and I want to leave north-central Ohio with it's few annual days of sun~ winters of snow/cold/ frigid temps/and sometimes ice,and hot slimy/humid summers.

We know we want out west. Research started at San Diego,CA,until we learned about the crazy cost for housing,car registration,gas and taxes[seems the only bargain there is fresh produce!] plus all the wildfires and severe lack of water.

Next was the PNW-Seattle and Portland,Oregon. Both beautiful,but dreary wet weather except for 3-4 months,and Portland gets landslides and ice storms! Plus housing costs in both is also very high.

Then,since I lived there as a teen when my career AF dad was stationed at the base in Tucson,AZ,and it Cheyenne,WY[because of Pioneer Days,cowboys and the scenery] and England were favorite places we lived.Tucson,AZ is the most recent place we have considered. My son is leery about the extreme heat and lack of a major amusement park for him and his teen daughter to enjoy[they get season pass to Cedar Point nearby here].

Now I have remembered that my late husband and I were considering his retiring to the Hill Country area of Texas after he saw the Tapatio Springs Golf Resort on TV and they said you could golf year round.He called the Chamber Of Commerce to ask if that was true,and was assured that the area only gets about 1/4 of an inch of snow annually. Plus Kerrville,TX was rated very highly in a "Retirement Places Rated" book,I had checked out from the library.

Very pretty area and mild climate,but Wikipedia says the climate is "humid/sub-tropical"!

We DETEST summer humidity and are trying to escape it,but west TX[Lubbock,El Paso] sucks as have read about attractions/things to do,not even having any shade!

So it is now down to deciding if we can handle the heat but nice,low humidity of Tucson,or the Hill Country/SA area humidity? SA has the advantage of Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

Can anyone who has experienced both the humidity of the midwest and the Hill Country area say if it is as bad in that Texas area? Would appreciate it so much.

We would definitely visit both areas.BTW, my son is a CNC machinist/programmer.

[joqua]

The San Antonio humidity is not "quite" as bad as it is in the other major metro areas of central Texas. And a person can acclimate to higher humidity without too much suffering in this age of "everything has AC." And AC is definitely needed in Tucson at least half of the year. If I were the one choosing between SA or Tucson, I'd pick Tucson although I loved living in San Antonio the two years I was there.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by joqua

The San Antonio humidity is not "quite" as bad as it is in the other major metro areas of central Texas. And a person can acclimate to higher humidity without too much suffering in this age of "everything has AC." And AC is definitely needed in Tucson at least half of the year. If I were the one choosing between SA or Tucson, I'd pick Tucson although I loved living in San Antonio the two years I was there.

True about AC, but we want to be able spend more time COMFORTABLY outdoors,not have to live indoors year round! I have lived in OH since '68 and still can't take the humidity in summer.

[joqua]

Unfortunately, the only place in the USA that I can think of where it's comfortable for 12 months of the year is southern CA shoreline areas, with the exception of smoggy days. Anyplace else is going to be a toss-up between being uncomfortable either summer or winter, or rainy season/snow season.

San Antonio is both hot and humid in summer, albeit not as hot usually as Tucson, although the humidity makes it seem hotter. Tucson is hot and dry except when there are thunderstorms in July/Aug but the dry heat is somewhat more tolerable than if it were more humid.

City Data shows crime rates well above USA norms for both cities, but about equal comparing one against the other.

[fwsavemoney]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

True about AC, but we want to be able spend more time COMFORTABLY outdoors,not have to live indoors year round! I have lived in OH since '68 and still can't take the humidity in summer.

Look into Sacramento. Low humidity and mild winters. Relatively cheap as compared to other California cities, plenty of quick outdoor getaways.

[Westerntraveler]

There is humidity in the Central Texas Hill Country and San Antone.It can get pretty oppressive..Im not for sure but I think housing may be expensive in Kerrville but don't quote me.I at least looked it up and it said that it was.Best of luck.

[ChristieP]

Hill country is beautiful but not cheap... And yes, summers are hot and humid.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by fwsavemoney

Look into Sacramento. Low humidity and mild winters. Relatively cheap as compared to other California cities, plenty of quick outdoor getaways.

California is pretty much ruled out.The COL is just too insane,and the statewide 3 year drought,wildfires,and far too liberal politics,just don't appeal at all.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Hill country is beautiful but not cheap... And yes, summers are hot and humid.

Wikipedia says Fredericksburg is semi-arid,is this true? If so,that would be the less humid place for me,lol!

Fredericksburg, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Wikipedia says Fredericksburg is semi-arid,is this true? If so,that would be the less humid place for me,lol!

Fredericksburg, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No. Fredericksburg is a sauna in the summer.

It's all relative, though. I live in the driest part of Texas (far West). It's still humid here compared to Tucson.

I just moved back to TX from NM, and I notice the greater humidity even in West Texas, which is far less humid than San Antonio or any part of the Hill Country. If you're looking for truly low humidity most of the day, the Hill Country won't fit the bill.

Yes, it's pretty--but it's still humid.