San Antonio quality of life? (Austin: school districts, contractor, living)

[Soonhun]

The reason for El Paso is that it is poor, having low incomes even with the low cost of living, and the fact that it isn't a major city on the national scale like the four or five anchors of the Texas Triangle. It's main pulls are its low crime rate and access to a major Mexican city, which I do champion on this site when applicable, but they aren't things most people are extremely excited about.

The first part also applies to San Antonio; while things are cheaper in the San Antonio area than in the three other metros, incomes and wages are even lower, completely negating the cost advantage. The lack of diversity may also be something holding many people back. A lot of minorities naturally want to living in a place which a community that shares religious beliefs, racial experiences, or ethnic heritage, which San Antonio lacks for more groups compared to Houston and DFW, as well as even Austin.

As others mentioned, there are other things that can be measured, but even then, even more so than weather or urban build, people differ drastically in what they consider good traits and bad traits when it comes to the "hearts and minds" of people; some may prefer San Antonio in this regard, others may prefer Austin, and no one would be wrong.

[L210]

I

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Quality of life is subject and depends highly on your own perspective.

As for as 'mentions' on this (or other) forums, SA has not historically been as internet obsessed as other cities. From a 2013 review, San Antonio has a 74.7% rate of internet access (by household). El Paso was 71.3%. The review only included cities with 100k+, and both El Paso and SA are similar in that they do not have a huge population in the suburbs; the bulk of the population is in the city limits. I would expect Boerne has a high connectivity.

Austin was 85.1, but has major suburbs, as well - RR with 91.6. Leander, Pflugerville, Westlake, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, etc. are probably similarly over 90%.

Houston proper was only 75.1%, but Pearland is 92.6 and the Woodlands 90.9, and I suspect most of the other cities around there are similar.

Dallas proper was surprisingly low - 71.5% (136,000 households not connected), but Frisco is No. 4 in the nation at 94.7, and Plano No. 9 at 92.3. Lewisville, Richardson, Denton, McKinney, Garland, Carrollton, and Arlington are all 80%+

So, what I am trying to say, I think, is that the metro areas for Dallas, Austin, and Houston are all very internet connected/obsessed and have not only have a higher percent of their residents online, they are probably more concerned with the internet culture in general.

Laredo, btw, was No. 293 out of 296 - 59.8% of households had internet connections.

This has nothing to do with being internet obsessed and actually points out poverty issues. Those without internet access tend to be elderly or poor. Internet has become an important utility. I taught college students in San Antonio who were too poor to have internet access at home, and this was an issue. Modern college courses depend a lot on the internet. Most research is done online. The research journals schools are subscribed to are usually only made available online.

This isn't something to brag about as not being "internet obsessed." Many of these students were under 25 in 2013 and had to be taught how to use computers because they attended poor school districts that didn't provide much technology training, and they couldn't afford to have computers at home. This wasn't something done by choice. They are going to have to go to a library to apply for jobs because there aren't many employers left that accept paper applications. Most job searching is also done online.

These were criminal justice students, and I think I'm qualified enough to say that your chance of getting a job in CJ without internet access is almost 0%. Some security company that pays $8 an hour might hand you a paper application. The police departments that still have paper applications list their jobs online and often make people print applications from the internet. Hiring process updates are often sent by email. How is not having internet remotely a good thing? It's almost as bad as not having a phone.

From the cities you posted, it is quite clear that the internet access rate is inversely correlated with the poverty rate. Of course the wealthy suburbs of Houston are going to have more internet access. Their poverty rates are low. Almost everyone can afford to have internet, tablets, and laptops. The same with the Dallas suburbs.

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Quality of life is subject and depends highly on your own perspective.

As for as 'mentions' on this (or other) forums, SA has not historically been as internet obsessed as other cities. From a 2013 review, San Antonio has a 74.7% rate of internet access (by household). El Paso was 71.3%. The review only included cities with 100k+, and both El Paso and SA are similar in that they do not have a huge population in the suburbs; the bulk of the population is in the city limits. I would expect Boerne has a high connectivity.

Austin was 85.1, but has major suburbs, as well - RR with 91.6. Leander, Pflugerville, Westlake, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, etc. are probably similarly over 90%.

Houston proper was only 75.1%, but Pearland is 92.6 and the Woodlands 90.9, and I suspect most of the other cities around there are similar.

Dallas proper was surprisingly low - 71.5% (136,000 households not connected), but Frisco is No. 4 in the nation at 94.7, and Plano No. 9 at 92.3. Lewisville, Richardson, Denton, McKinney, Garland, Carrollton, and Arlington are all 80%+

So, what I am trying to say, I think, is that the metro areas for Dallas, Austin, and Houston are all very internet connected/obsessed and have not only have a higher percent of their residents online, they are probably more concerned with the internet culture in general.

Laredo, btw, was No. 293 out of 296 - 59.8% of households had internet connections.

San Antonio metro has 1 million people that do not live in the San Antonio city limits. New Braunfels, Schertz, and Cibolo are all rapidly expanding and quite a bit more affluent than San Antonio as a whole so I expect those cities to be inline with the Austin metro suburb numbers.

[L210]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

San Antonio metro has 1 million people that do not live in the San Antonio city limits. New Braunfels, Schertz, and Cibolo are all rapidly expanding and quite a bit more affluent than San Antonio as a whole so I expect those cities to be inline with the Austin metro suburb numbers.

There are also a lot of affluent people living in the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, and I believe the growth is extending into Comal County. I find it interesting that a good number of people online who talk about loving San Antonio don't even live in San Antonio or even in a city that touches San Antonio. They intentionally chose to live far away from city limits for a reason.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by L210

I find it interesting that a good number of people online who talk about loving San Antonio don't even live in San Antonio or even in a city that touches San Antonio. They intentionally chose to live far away from city limits for a reason.

I'm one of them. We moved because of the way the governing of the city was going. Had nothing to do with the citizens - but there's so much going wrong in their government, and they either don't see it, or choose to accept it. And that's their choice.

[rynetwo]

San Antonio really is a tale of two very different cities. Here is a good read.

In the 78207 zip code, an area just west of downtown San Antonio, nearly 48% of residents 25 years and older do not have a high school diploma, and the area’s poverty rate approaches 41%. By contrast, in 78248 on the city’s Northside, fewer than 3% of adults lack a diploma and the poverty rate is less than 3%.

https://therivardreport.com/study-ci...y-by-zip-code/

[Kthnry]

SA doesn't have a large African-American population, but it has the country's largest Martin Luther King Day parade, with close to 300,000 attendees. Partly because of SA's early and successful role in desegregation, and partly because SA loves a party.

https://patch.com/texas/downtownaust...-mlk-day-march

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Ever hear the parable about how someone that gives the only dollar they have being more generous than the rich man that gives a thousand? THAT is how I think of SA - what its' citizenry might lack in personal wealth is FAR outweighed by the generosity of their hearts.

+1. I've lived in a lot of places, and San Antonians are the warmest, friendliest, most thoughtful people I've encountered anywhere.

Also, where else do high school marching bands play cumbia music while wearing sparkly lights?

[L210]

Originally Posted by Kthnry

SA doesn't have a large African-American population, but it has the country's largest Martin Luther King Day parade, with close to 300,000 attendees. Partly because of SA's early and successful role in desegregation, and partly because SA loves a party.

https://patch.com/texas/downtownaust...-mlk-day-march

SA does love to party as well as drink and drive at very high rates. I think only Harris County has Bexar County beat in drinking and driving. Anyway, a large MLK parade is not nearly enough to make a lot of black transplants happy, and SA receives less black transplants than Austin, even. I found that surprising because black locals have been moving from Austin due to housing costs, but they don't move far. A lot move right up the road to Pflugerville and other suburbs. But, Dallas and Houston have Austin and SA beat for very good reasons.

[Juventud Guerrero]

Originally Posted by L210

SA does love to party as well as drink and drive at very high rates. I think only Harris County has Bexar County beat in drinking and driving. Anyway, a large MLK parade is not nearly enough to make a lot of black transplants happy, and SA receives less black transplants than Austin, even. I found that surprising because black locals have been moving from Austin due to housing costs, but they don't move far. A lot move right up the road to Pflugerville and other suburbs. But, Dallas and Houston have Austin and SA beat for very good reasons.

Is Austin really that much better for young people? You have me wanting to look into it