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View Poll Results: Austin vs Houston for My Situation
Austin 36 53.73%
Houston 31 46.27%
Voters: 67. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-24-2009, 09:14 AM
 
Location: Fort Worth/Dallas
11,887 posts, read 36,818,319 times
Reputation: 5663

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Quote:
Originally Posted by elranzer View Post
Am I limiting myself to these two cities? Based on my original post, are there others I should be looking into?

I'm attracted to Texas due to its cost of living, taxes, weather and job market. But I know that many parts are completely different. Houston and Austin are just the most well-known up where I'm from.

Should I be looking into Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, El Paso, etc? I've heard good things about Fort Worth, like it's also hip and up-coming but not as congested as Austin.
I think you should at least look into Dallas.
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Old 05-26-2009, 12:23 AM
 
77 posts, read 227,026 times
Reputation: 34
Default You have a funny thread.

You explain and give detail on your situation. With respect, there is no reason to read your bio. Lol seriously. Austin is your clear choice. Austin and Houston are WORLDS away.

Last edited by Texsez; 05-26-2009 at 12:24 AM.. Reason: spelling
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Old 05-26-2009, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Orlando, FL
44 posts, read 121,088 times
Reputation: 13
That all sounds interesting. Seems like Dallas is the clear third city I need to look at. It's now got my interest at the same level as Houston and Austin, especially since Portland (Oregon) is now off my radar.

Also, I know that Austin is not some bohemian hippie city. I'm actually not looking for that (I am escaping the East Coast and am not considering the West Coast due to this). I just heard Austin was the more progressive part of Texas... but I now know that Dallas and Houston these days probably is just as good in that department.

I'm not the suburb home type. I'm more comfortable living in an apartment in downtown, or somewhere in the city. I'm not concerned with the cost of owning property.
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Old 05-26-2009, 01:20 PM
 
25,157 posts, read 53,822,070 times
Reputation: 7058
I have to disagree.

Who told you Austin is progressive? It's more of a big lumbering college town than a city. UT is the real capital of the city. Everything revolves around UT.

Dallas and Houston are progressive world class cities with a lot of money, rich people everywhere, businesses everywhere, art, theater, music, sports, diversity, etc everywhere.

You cannot compare a city/metro with only 1.5 million people to Houston and Dallas that have a city/metro of over 6.5 million each. Obviously the larger cities are going to be far more progressive. It's basic common sense. Seriously Austin falls far behind the huge cities that are Houston and Dallas.

Quote:
Originally Posted by elranzer View Post
Also, I know that Austin is not some bohemian hippie city. I'm actually not looking for that (I am escaping the East Coast and am not considering the West Coast due to this). I just heard Austin was the more progressive part of Texas... but I now know that Dallas and Houston these days probably is just as good in that department.

I'm not the suburb home type. I'm more comfortable living in an apartment in downtown, or somewhere in the city. I'm not concerned with the cost of owning property.
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Old 05-26-2009, 01:24 PM
 
25,157 posts, read 53,822,070 times
Reputation: 7058
You have yet to describe in detail how Austin is progressive and how I am wrong. The OP is looking for progressive. Retail and residential areas does not make a city progressive.

I do not have a chip on my shoulder. I have nothing against any city. I'm just saying that it is not a progressive city.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TXperson View Post
Protip: Whatever artsyguy says, think of the direct opposite. The guy has a major chip on his shoulder with Austin.



Dallas, Fort Worth and Irving share the same metro. El Paso is a great city, but probably won't have what you're looking for.

Yes. You should probably give Dallas a look see, especially if you have a tech background. You should also not pass up any available opportunities in San Antonio. Houston lags in the tech industry behind Dallas and Austin. And if you add that to your list of criteria, Austin sounds like a better fit than Houston, and I'm sure you will enjoy your time there.

However, please keep in mind that Austin is a city much like anywhere else. People often have this tendency to paint Austin as this ultra-liberal playground riddled with bohemian wonderlust, when in reality it's only limited to the college campus and central area. The rest of the city is like any other U.S. city filled with strip malls, highways, and suburbs. The positives are that it's very clean, the residents are well mannered, and it's virtually crime free (I'm talking about violent crime).

Ultimately, I suggest you explore the state of Texas, and see for yourself, but there is a saying about its major cities - Dallas is money, Houston is business, San Antonio is family, and Austin is hype.
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Old 05-26-2009, 02:22 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
13,715 posts, read 31,026,329 times
Reputation: 9270
Quote:
Originally Posted by artsyguy View Post
You have yet to describe in detail how Austin is progressive and how I am wrong. The OP is looking for progressive. Retail and residential areas does not make a city progressive.

I do not have a chip on my shoulder. I have nothing against any city. I'm just saying that it is not a progressive city.
Artsyguy - you DO have a chip on your shoulder. You absolutely hate Austin and see none of the fine things that many see in Austin. Your hatred of the city and its people is obvious in every post you make about Austin.

I would not descrbe Austin as progressive - at least not by the standard set by San Francisco. Yet Austin is tolerant (in spite of your experience otherwise) and has a unique culture. It is a Texas-based culture but very different from Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio.
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Old 07-18-2009, 01:06 PM
 
804 posts, read 1,958,740 times
Reputation: 459
No tech jobs in Austin, especially if you're not a Longhorn or Aggie alumni. Save yourself, check out Houston or... that other place *wince*
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Old 07-21-2009, 04:52 PM
 
53 posts, read 145,315 times
Reputation: 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alatex View Post
26, Masters degree in tech, libertarian, likes state capital/college atmosphere, etc ?

With all due respect to Houston, that sounds like a perfect fit for Austin.
Agreed. You might also consider DFW area. Huge number of tech related jobs.

By the way I have been to upstate NY and Albany several times. You will not have any problem fitting in. I was really surprised by the contrast between people there vs. NYC.
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Old 07-21-2009, 06:17 PM
 
14 posts, read 99,346 times
Reputation: 12
Are you kidding?
AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNN
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Old 07-22-2009, 09:38 AM
 
Location: Texas
989 posts, read 2,491,801 times
Reputation: 698
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffdano View Post
Austin is more liberal overall than most of Texas. Travis County has been solidly Democratic for some time including a big edge for Obama in the last election.
In 2000 Travis county went red for George Bush.

In 2008 Obama won in Travis county by only a slightly bigger margin than Dallas, Bexar, Harris counties and by a lesser margin than most of the Rio Grande Valley and southwest Texas. In addition, Obama won by a bigger margin in El Paso than in Travis county.

That Travis county is a democratic stronghold is misleading. I would, however, agree with the assertion that Travis county is a state stronghold of independent voters.
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