Better place to live?? Dallas metro or Houston metro? (Arlington: crime, neighborhoods)

[mario826]

like the title says........................

[Crackerjack]

For me, I'd pick the Dallas Metro. Why?
1. Not as huge as Houston but still large.
2. Not as humid.
3. You don't have to worry about hurricanes.
4. It floods quite a bit down in Houston, less so in the DFW Metroplex.
5. I love Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys.
6. There is more crime in Houston.
7. Traffic is bad in both but it seems less so in DFW especially as you get off into the suburbs.

[Steel Man]

I have been in both cities numerous times and I have to pick Dallas. I lived in Southern California (but haven't lived there since 1972, although I go back once in awhile to see my parents) and somehow Houston reminds me of that area. It may seem strange, but I do not have that "Texas" feeling when I am in Houston, but I definitely do in Dallas.

[alsal29]

Houston!!!

I have lived in both and prefer Houston because:

1. The traffic is equal in my opinion and in Dallas traffic you are usually paying for it.
2. It is drier in Dallas. Could be a good or a bad thing, but we used to have water restrictions where you were not allowed to wash your car. They have some definite water issues up there and it gets old. The cities have outgrown their water sources.
3. More trees in Houston
4. I think people are friendlier in Houston.
5. Houston is a more international city.
6. You don't have to drive to Arlington to catch a football or baseball game
7. The freeways make more sense
8. Better mexican food.
9. Houston has better museums and art galleries.
10. Because feeder roads are much better than frontage roads. ;P

and I think the crime is relative. Houston has more largerdefined bad areas, where there are more pockets of small bad areas all over Dallas.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by Crackerjack

For me, I'd pick the Dallas Metro. Why?
1. Not as huge as Houston but still large. - Excuse me??? Isn't Dallas technically bigger once you throw in the Metropolitan area.

2. Not as humid. - Agree, but both are still hot. If you hate heat avoid both.

3. You don't have to worry about hurricanes. - Tornadoes.

4. It floods quite a bit down in Houston, less so in the DFW Metroplex. - True, but flooding can be an issue in Dallas too though.

5. I love Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys. - Ok, you got me.

6. There is more crime in Houston. - Nope, Dallas overall is more dangerous.

7. Traffic is bad in both but it seems less so in DFW especially as you get off into the suburbs. - I guess, but both have bad traffic.

Thank you.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Go visit both and pick one.

Every person will have a different opinion. Both are nice places to live.

[Crawdaddy214]

Flip a coin you will not go wrong on either metro. I like them both. Texas should be proud to have two major metros like DFW and Houston and stop this one is better than the other nonsense.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by Crackerjack

For me, I'd pick the Dallas Metro. Why?
4. It floods quite a bit down in Houston, less so in the DFW Metroplex.
5. I love Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys.
6. There is more crime in Houston.
7. Traffic is bad in both but it seems less so in DFW especially as you get off into the suburbs.

You got a source for that eroneous claim of more crime in Houston? Sounds like something you just pulled out of your a$$.

And it floods in Dallas too. I've been living in Houston for about 6 years and I've seen bad floods on average about twice a year. But i understand Houston is so big that it probably floods more in certain areas. It's still not as bad as people make it.

Originally Posted by jluke65780

Thank you.

And no, Dallas is not bigger, technically. Dallas/Ft. Worth/ Arlington is bigger than Greater Houston. Houston still has that bigger city feel and bigger urban core.


Both areas have their advantages and disadvantages. They both seem like great places to live. I don't think i can choose one.

[texasdiver]

Depends what you are looking for.

For single urban living I would prefer Dallas. I prefer the uptown Dallas area to the Galleria area which would be the Houston equivalent. And I like prefer the inner Dallas neighborhoods like Lakewood to the equivalent close-in neighborhoods in Houston.

For suburban/exurban master planned family oriented communities I think I'd pick Houston. I'd pick the Woodlands, Katy and Sugarland over the Dallas equivalents of Plano, Frisco, Allen, etc. I haven't found any real equivalent to Katy's Cinco Ranch in the Dallas area and there is nothing at all like the Woodlands in greater Dallas.

Otherwise I pretty much agree with the previous sentiment. Dallas is more of a great plains city. Houston is more of a tropical Gulf city. If you like the high plains environment choose Dallas. If you like a more lush tropical environment that always seems on the verge of being overgrown choose Houston.

[MDE]

The people who point to Dallas' crime stats also point out the entire DFW metro area is as big or larger than Houston. If you compare the crime stats for the entire DFW metroplex to Houston's I think they would compare favorably.