TX Monthly Claims Houston Less Affordable than NYC (Dallas, Austin: middle-class, appointed)

[Treasurevalley92]

This article is about Houston but could have been about Dallas or Austin. This is why I posted it in the General Forum.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/ho...rtation-costs/

I think it is pretty interesting. I'm not sure if Houston/Dallas/Austin are indeed less affordable than NYC, but all things considered, I think they are actually pretty close.

Of course, for individuals that may not be true, but I'm speaking in generalities.

Thoughts?

[eastriver]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

This article is about Houston but could have been about Dallas or Austin. This is why I posted it in the General Forum.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/ho...rtation-costs/

I think it is pretty interesting. I'm not sure if Houston/Dallas/Austin are indeed less affordable than NYC, but all things considered, I think they are actually pretty close.

Of course, for individuals that may not be true, but I'm speaking in generalities.

Thoughts?

The TM author has banal, overreaching writing skills.

[turf3]

False comparison. That median $1750/mo housing cost in NYC gets you a shared flat or maybe a crummy two room apartment in a crummy area, whereas that $1379/mo housing cost in Houston probably gets you the PITI on a 3 bedroom 2 bath single family detached house with a two car garage in a middle-class (not fancy neighborhood).


An honest comparison would compare the costs of living in a 1800 sq. ft. single family detached house with two car garage in NYC vs. that in Houston, and would compare the costs of living in a two room apartment as well.


Everyone knows that the daily standard of housing amenities takes a huge hit when you move to a place like San Francisco, NYC, Boston. You don't move to those places for nice housing.


It's like saying lunch at the Four Seasons is just as affordable as lunch at Applebees. Yes, if your Four Seasons lunch consists of a small salad and a glass of water, and your Applebees lunch consists of two appetizers, a sirloin steak, a big dessert, a cocktail before the meal, four glasses of beer during the meal, and two more drinks after, plus a 30% tip for your server.

[TheOverdog]

False comparison

LOL. In another post in the Dallas forum, you just said you'd buy a smaller, older home in north Dallas that is equally expensive to a larger one in a better, cheaper area (Frisco), while the smaller North Dallas one is in an area that is so much worse you basically have to pay for private schooling (Frisco public schools are pretty good) and the North Dallas area conveys no benefits over Frisco beyond being a bit closer to some more jobs.


The irony is hilarious.

[turf3]

Well, no, I didn't say Dallas is more affordable than Frisco (it isn't, not for the same thing).


In fact, if you actually read both my posts you'll see that I am completely consistent. If you choose to pay the same in New York City and Houston, you'll get a much bigger nicer house in Houston. Is that important, or are other aspects of NYC living important to you? Same thing with a smaller spread in N. Dallas vs. Frisco. In N. Dallas for the same money you get the benefits of living in the city rather than an exurb; and you have a smaller older house and you have to use private schools. My choice would be for N. Dallas not Frisco.


So, the "irony" (I think you meant to say "inconsistency" or "self-contradiction") you're hoping to find isn't there.


Texas Monthly didn't write an article about why a lot of people prefer to live in NYC rather than Houston, or vice versa. They wrote an article claiming that "Houston cost of living is less affordable than NYC".

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

This article is about Houston but could have been about Dallas or Austin. This is why I posted it in the General Forum.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/ho...rtation-costs/

I think it is pretty interesting. I'm not sure if Houston/Dallas/Austin are indeed less affordable than NYC, but all things considered, I think they are actually pretty close.

Of course, for individuals that may not be true, but I'm speaking in generalities.

Thoughts?

Yeah this article has already been debunked in the General U.S. section by New Yorkers. TM was really reaching with this article. Basically living in a car centric city such as Houston is not as inexpensive as people would like for you to believe once factoring in car expenses but in no shape form or fashion is it less affordable than NYC.

[Treasurevalley92]

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/...-cars-11853601

This is another one, but for DFW.

Campbell doesn't think it's fair to compare DART, which was established in the 1980s, with transportation systems in other cities. "If you come here expecting the mass transit in Washington, D.C., you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re like me — a lifelong Texan — you look at DART and you see the promise of the future."

The above quote stood out as stupid to me because the DC metro was actually only built in the 70s. The Chinese are building metros today. Good metros are not only built in the 1st half of the 20th century...

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/...-cars-11853601

This is another one, but for DFW.

Campbell doesn't think it's fair to compare DART, which was established in the 1980s, with transportation systems in other cities. "If you come here expecting the mass transit in Washington, D.C., you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re like me — a lifelong Texan — you look at DART and you see the promise of the future."

The above quote stood out as stupid to me because the DC metro was actually only built in the 70s. The Chinese are building metros today. Good metros are not only built in the 1st half of the 20th century...

Yeah he sounds real ass backwards and outdated. Instead of the continuation of building cities for cars we should be building cities for people and incorporate more walking and biking.

[eastriver]

DART was established in 1983. Its first rail leg opened in 1996.

WMATA was established in 1967. Its first rail leg opened in 1976. It was conceived as a futurist showpiece.

A lot happens with access to funding in that time. Dallas should be grateful that, like WMATA, its rail serves two airports. Not many cities have that option.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

LOL. In another post in the Dallas forum, you just said you'd buy a smaller, older home in north Dallas that is equally expensive to a larger one in a better, cheaper area (Frisco), while the smaller North Dallas one is in an area that is so much worse you basically have to pay for private schooling (Frisco public schools are pretty good) and the North Dallas area conveys no benefits over Frisco beyond being a bit closer to some more jobs.


The irony is hilarious.

Um. No offense but there is a TREMENDOUS difference between the kind of house you get even in N.Dallas vs the average house in NYC for the same dollar.


Anyways.

I will say that there kind of are hidden fees with traveling in Texas if you account for all the toll roads but those are every bit as present in NYC too