Married couple (IT and healthcare), should they move to TX? (Houston: affordable houses, schools)

[iamanewuser]

Hi,
I posted my question in the general US section and got different responses. The draw for us to TX is due to its booming economy and affordable houses compared to East Coast (think Boston and NY). More details at this thread:

//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...ids-wants.html

Lot of folks on that thread say about the humidity and heat but what's the scoop from your Texans.. Running away from snow but will we melt in the TX heat :-)

I would like to hear your views what parts of TX are the best for us as a couple with young kids.

Thanks for reading my question and looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[C24L]

West Texas and the Panhandle dont have much humidity.Places like Lubbock,Amarillo,El Paso,Midland-Odessa,Abilene and Angelo.Dont consider Dallas,Houston,San Antone, or Hou if u dont want humidity.What is your budget for housing?I would send your kids to private skool or home skool them in Midessa if u live here.I think there's IT jobs in those places....Odessa has them.Also, healthcare is in all those places too,

[Arkay66]

Amarillo is a huge regional medical center. Both Amarillo and Lubbock have universities in or near them, and their school systems are pretty good. If you want to live in a smaller town near the cities, both have a good selection of small towns with good school systems.

There are four seasons in both areas, but winter is very mild, compared to Boston or New York. Amarillo is at high altitude, if anyone has breathing issues.

IT jobs are readily available, but don't plan on East Coast salaries. The region is not as expensive, cost of living is lower, so salaries are also lower. Folks can live quite nicely anyway.

Suggest you read up on the various threads about moving to/living in Amarillo and Lubbock environs. You may find them to be a good non-humid location.

[Kthnry]

I sure wouldn't consider West Texas or the Panhandle solely on the basis of the weather. Especially since the OP is not from the U.S. If the OP can't deal with summer weather in the vicinity of the major Texas cities, then Texas is probably a no-go.

[fwsavemoney]

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Hi,
I posted my question in the general US section and got different responses. The draw for us to TX is due to its booming economy and affordable houses compared to East Coast (think Boston and NY). More details at this thread:

//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...ids-wants.html

Lot of folks on that thread say about the humidity and heat but what's the scoop from your Texans.. Running away from snow but will we melt in the TX heat :-)

I would like to hear your views what parts of TX are the best for us as a couple with young kids.

Thanks for reading my question and looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

I read your other thread. I am guessing you grew up in a warm weather place :-)
DFW metro would be a good fit for you. It is hot but definitely much much more manageable than NE Winters. Schools are also very good. The affordability is slowly eroding away but with your budget, you'd be fine here. Healthcare is a broad industry though. Which area does your wife work in?

[Hill Country]

Come visiting between June and October. If you can handle the heat and humidity, then Texas is for you.

I came for interview at the end of June and felt ok. So my family of 4 moved from SF Bay Area to Austin 10 years ago. We cut household income in half as wife quitted her software engineer job and we still have better quality of life.

Everybody is happy so far. Life is balanced. Kids attend great schools and are less stressful than those of my friends in CA.

Good luck with your search.

[iamanewuser]

Grew up in warm weather but spent the last almost 20 years in the Northeast .. snow. cold and all! Not looking for scorching heat but it also gets hot in NE in the summer ..probably not at the same level as TX and summers are short lived here..

Wife is a physician and I'm in IT, programmer and planning to work remotely so location is not going to be that much of a factor for IT related jobs but would like to be in an area that does offer jobs in case I need to be onsite.

Are there moderate climate areas in TX that are still booming but don't scare away snowflakes from the East?

Originally Posted by fwsavemoney

I read your other thread. I am guessing you grew up in a warm weather place :-)
DFW metro would be a good fit for you. It is hot but definitely much much more manageable than NE Winters. Schools are also very good. The affordability is slowly eroding away but with your budget, you'd be fine here. Healthcare is a broad industry though. Which area does your wife work in?

[iamanewuser]

Thanks! Yeah the weather becomes an interesting point of comparison between CA and TX. Have been looking at San Diego and Fresno in CA but feel that probably not worth it to pay top dollar to be in a brutal housing market.

Coming from CA, any particular areas you like in TX or said another way, what areas do you find are the best bargain in terms of compromise on weather, cost, schools and over all opportunities between CA and TX?

Originally Posted by Hill Country

Come visiting between June and October. If you can handle the heat and humidity, then Texas is for you.

I came for interview at the end of June and felt ok. So my family of 4 moved from SF Bay Area to Austin 10 years ago. We cut household income in half as wife quitted her software engineer job and we still have better quality of life.

Everybody is happy so far. Life is balanced. Kids attend great schools and are less stressful than those of my friends in CA.

Good luck with your search.

[fwsavemoney]

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Grew up in warm weather but spent the last almost 20 years in the Northeast .. snow. cold and all! Not looking for scorching heat but it also gets hot in NE in the summer ..probably not at the same level as TX and summers are short lived here..

Wife is a physician and I'm in IT, programmer and planning to work remotely so location is not going to be that much of a factor for IT related jobs but would like to be in an area that does offer jobs in case I need to be onsite.

Are there moderate climate areas in TX that are still booming but don't scare away snowflakes from the East?

It does get hot in all major metros of Texas. I'd suggest that you take a trip here in the middle of the summer (July or August) when it is usually around 97 to 100 degrees on an average.

[abelinkkin]

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Thanks! Yeah the weather becomes an interesting point of comparison between CA and TX. Have been looking at San Diego and Fresno in CA but feel that probably not worth it to pay top dollar to be in a brutal housing market.

Coming from CA, any particular areas you like in TX or said another way, what areas do you find are the best bargain in terms of compromise on weather, cost, schools and over all opportunities between CA and TX?

100+ degree days with 80% humidity are just part of life here. The only areas with lower humidity are West Texas and the Panhandle. Amarillo and Lubbock are not going to cut it if you are looking for big city excitement.

If you can't learn to live with the heat it's not the state for you.