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Compare Dallas and Houston: Nightlife, Shopping, Culture, Big City Feel
Hi all,
I'm a 28 year old male who has lived in various places across the country, including North Carolina, California, Arizona, and Washington State. But I've always wanted to move to a big city in Texas. I love the Texas culture and everyone I've ever met from Texas has had this outgoing, friendly, just awesome view on life. My degree is in public policy with a minor in GIS, so there are a lot of potential job opportunities for me in any big city. Thankfully, I have about 60K through savings/inheritance so I can move somewhere without a job and then start the job searching process.
I've narrowed my choices to Houston and Dallas - I want a really big city/metro area and from what I've seen there are tons of opportunities in local and state government for someone with my background. So my questions are more about what it's like living in Dallas and Houston. Put the job stuff aside in your comparison and please focus on the categories below. Also, I've seen lot of "Dallas is better than Houston" or "Houston is better than Dallas" threads and my aim isn't really for that kind of thing. I'm looking more for descriptive comparisons.
Nightlife - I like going out to various bars, pubs, etc. How would you describe the nightlife scenes in Dallas and Houston? How are they different and how do they compare? Quantity and Quality? How about live music scenes?
Housing - I want to live in an apartment or condo in a cool part of town with a lot of restaurants and bars. Which city is better for that? I've looked at Uptown and Deep Ellum in Dallas and Midtown and Montrose in Houston via internet research but I'm sure there are many other options.
Food - How would you describe the food scenes in both cities? How are they different?
Shopping - How would you describe the shopping scenes?
Walkability/Urban Landscape - I know neither are particularly urban or walkable the way cities out East or West Coast are, but how do these two compare to each other? Both seem to have large urban stretches. I'm intrigued by Houston's no zoning thing.
Getting Around - I like to have options. I'd probably drive much of the time, but I also like to walk/bike/take transit when it makes sense. Again I know neither are great, but which has better public transit? Which has worse congestion and is harder to get around by driving?
Cool/fun neighborhoods - which has more cool/fun/distinct neighborhoods? Neighborhoods with more community and character?
Downtown - which has the bigger, more active and fun downtown?
People - how would you describe the people in these cities and how are they similar/different?
Big City Feel - which one feels like more of a big city?
Weather - how does the weather compare?
Hiking and Fishing - I like to hike and fish as "leaving the city" activities. Which metro area has better options for that?
Just fly down for two weekends. One in Dallas, one in Houston. That's the only way you'll be able to decide.
I was planning to do that, but I would still find it helpful to hear other people's (who know both cites well) thoughts on these topics. There's only so much you can see over a weekend.
I was planning to do that, but I would still find it helpful to hear other people's (who know both cites well) thoughts on these topics. There's only so much you can see over a weekend.
All of this is subjective though.
I'd give he edge to Dallas in shopping and getting around.
I'd give the edge to Houston in Food and I guess outdoor activities due to being located near the coast.
I feel like I have to throw in my opinion about this.
I'm originally from San Antonio, aka "hell on Earth"... that city just sucks
But i lived in the DFW area and Houston and personally prefer DFW...
Both are however VERY GOOD cities... The fact that if you just "Google" "Houston vs Dallas" you will probably get about a million + results shows that both are VERY GOOD cities
I will do my best to give an unbiased, objective view of both cities as a mid 20s young professional who has lived in both areas.
Houston and DFW have ENTIRELY different personalities and are both pretty "fast paced" so to speak.
SIMILARITIES in BOTH:
1. Good job market
2. Excellent nightlife
3. Excellent diversity
4. Good to great school systems... Rice, SMU, TCU are by far the best overall private universities in Texas (imho)... Baylor is fine however it's primarily geared towards pre medical tracks and is in Waco (lol), Trinity is respectable
5. Great people
6. Expansive city with multiple access/highway routes to get to certain destinations. *** I feel that people take this for granted, if you are ever passing through Austin and there is an accident on I35 you are pretty much ****ed ***
7. Great culture and things to do besides drink
8. Great food
9. Great music... If you ever lived in San Antonio for a prolongued time, like i unfortunately did, and visit Houston or DFW... you can notice this difference VERY VERY well
DIFFERENCES:
A. Houston
1. WAYYYYYY more humid than DFW. It's really not even close although both around July - August will be very HOT. There is no point in EVER "layering" in Houston
2. Very good areas but kind of limited. The "nice" areas in Houston might be considered Rice Village, the Heights, Midtown, Sugarland, Montrose (some parts), the Woodlands/Spring, TMC area... Now while these are good areas and I have friends in these areas so I do enjoy visiting, for such a big(space wise) city, I don't believe it's enough. The nightlife in these areas is great, particularly in Rice Village and Midtown (imho) and I'm a DFW guy. But this brings me to my next point...
3. Greater "gap" socioeconomically than DFW. While there are "bad" parts in all big cities. Houston has a very large socioeconomic gap, primarily between those in O&G, IB, and Medical Industries... and then there's pretty much everyone else(lol). I'm just being honest with this. There is a "gap" in DFW too, but it's not as noticeable.
4. The bugs...
B. Dallas
1. You get REAL FOUR SEASONS. Have you seen downtown Dallas around New Years Eve?? Beautiful.
2. CLEANER... this I think even Houston guys will admit. The Dallas Galleria is CLEANER than the Houston Galleria... but I think the Houston Galleria might be slighly larger. It doesn't matter though, Dallas has Northpark which beats both
3. Less socioeconomic gap. While the "tech" industry does dominate in DFW... There is also opportunity in MANY MANY other fields too.
4. More "nice areas". I'm not ignorant, and I try not to be biased as I enjoy visits to Houston to see friends and to go out when I can and I do like some parts of it, but Dallas has better "nice areas". Highland Park, Richardson, Irving, Southlake, Uptown, Greenville, Plano (probably East), Rockwall, Highland Village, Arlington Heights, Richland Hills... There are a few other areas I didn't feel like mentioning, but there is a definitive difference if you stay in either area for a prolongued time.
5. While there are definite "bad" areas in Dallas... try East Dallas at night (lol), if you're smart, you can notice that it is not near as bad as in Houston. Which in turn makes Dallas less dangerous in terms of getting killed. There are probably more robberies in DFW though... For that reason, it is always imperative to get a GATED community and your problem is solved. But this is mostly true for Houston too.
6. More predictable weather. This coincides with the first one, but geographically it probably plays a role. DFW, save for some parts, isn't far up north enough (near Oklahoma) to consistently get tornado threats. Houston is at constant threats for hurricanes, and floods b/c of the nearness to Galveston and the coast.
CONCLUSION:
All in all, I'm a DFW guy but I'm not ignorant or completely biased and i see redeeming qualities in Houston... but if i have to pick one, I would choose DFW everytime and visit Houston. I believe many people do the same too. Either way, I have them 1-2 in Texas BOTH ahead of overrated Austin
just visit both. I'm a DFW guy personally but Houston has redeeming qualities and i enjoy visits to certain parts to visit and go out with friends in Houston too.
For shopping you probably have more in DFW no question. The Dallas Galleria is cleaner than the bigger Houston Galleria but you also have Northpark Mall and Grapevine mall in Dallas
Food yes probably in Houston, but honestly, you have alot of options in DFW too
Houston probably has more outdoor activities b/c it is so close to Galveston
Nightlife: here are some suggestions
Houston: Rice Village, Midtown, Washington/Montrose area... check out Rice while you're there too
Dallas: Uptown, Greenville, Deep Ellum... check out SMU and TCU while you're there too
Nothing really comes to mind specifically at this point but yes those are definite good areas
I will do my best to give an unbiased, objective view of both cities as a mid 20s young professional who has lived in both areas.
Houston and DFW have ENTIRELY different personalities and are both pretty "fast paced" so to speak.
SIMILARITIES in BOTH:
1. Good job market
2. Excellent nightlife
3. Excellent diversity
4. Good to great school systems... Rice, SMU, TCU are by far the best overall private universities in Texas (imho)... Baylor is fine however it's primarily geared towards pre medical tracks and is in Waco (lol), Trinity is respectable
5. Great people
6. Expansive city with multiple access/highway routes to get to certain destinations. *** I feel that people take this for granted, if you are ever passing through Austin and there is an accident on I35 you are pretty much ****ed ***
7. Great culture and things to do besides drink
8. Great food
9. Great music... If you ever lived in San Antonio for a prolongued time, like i unfortunately did, and visit Houston or DFW... you can notice this difference VERY VERY well
DIFFERENCES:
A. Houston
1. WAYYYYYY more humid than DFW. It's really not even close although both around July - August will be very HOT. There is no point in EVER "layering" in Houston
2. Very good areas but kind of limited. The "nice" areas in Houston might be considered Rice Village, the Heights, Midtown, Sugarland, Montrose (some parts), the Woodlands/Spring, TMC area... Now while these are good areas and I have friends in these areas so I do enjoy visiting, for such a big(space wise) city, I don't believe it's enough. The nightlife in these areas is great, particularly in Rice Village and Midtown (imho) and I'm a DFW guy. But this brings me to my next point...
3. Greater "gap" socioeconomically than DFW. While there are "bad" parts in all big cities. Houston has a very large socioeconomic gap, primarily between those in O&G, IB, and Medical Industries... and then there's pretty much everyone else(lol). I'm just being honest with this. There is a "gap" in DFW too, but it's not as noticeable.
4. The bugs...
B. Dallas
1. You get REAL FOUR SEASONS. Have you seen downtown Dallas around New Years Eve?? Beautiful.
2. CLEANER... this I think even Houston guys will admit. The Dallas Galleria is CLEANER than the Houston Galleria... but I think the Houston Galleria might be slighly larger. It doesn't matter though, Dallas has Northpark which beats both
3. Less socioeconomic gap. While the "tech" industry does dominate in DFW... There is also opportunity in MANY MANY other fields too.
4. More "nice areas". I'm not ignorant, and I try not to be biased as I enjoy visits to Houston to see friends and to go out when I can and I do like some parts of it, but Dallas has better "nice areas". Highland Park, Richardson, Irving, Southlake, Uptown, Greenville, Plano (probably East), Rockwall, Highland Village, Arlington Heights, Richland Hills... There are a few other areas I didn't feel like mentioning, but there is a definitive difference if you stay in either area for a prolongued time.
5. While there are definite "bad" areas in Dallas... try East Dallas at night (lol), if you're smart, you can notice that it is not near as bad as in Houston. Which in turn makes Dallas less dangerous in terms of getting killed. There are probably more robberies in DFW though... For that reason, it is always imperative to get a GATED community and your problem is solved. But this is mostly true for Houston too.
6. More predictable weather. This coincides with the first one, but geographically it probably plays a role. DFW, save for some parts, isn't far up north enough (near Oklahoma) to consistently get tornado threats. Houston is at constant threats for hurricanes, and floods b/c of the nearness to Galveston and the coast.
CONCLUSION:
All in all, I'm a DFW guy but I'm not ignorant or completely biased and i see redeeming qualities in Houston... but if i have to pick one, I would choose DFW everytime and visit Houston. I believe many people do the same too. Either way, I have them 1-2 in Texas BOTH ahead of overrated Austin
* I meant West Plano .. sorry lol
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Compare Dallas and Houston: Nightlife, Shopping, Culture, Big City Feel
