Another thing: you will have to buy a pickup truck. And learn how to fix a brisket. Don’t say “pop”. It’s a cold drink or soda. Just tryin’ to keep you out of trouble.
Hi There:
Well, I am transplanted Texas of many years... probably the best decision I ever made.
As you know Texas is huge with big distances between major cities. I live fairly close to Fort Worth. Check out a map and you will easily see that Dallas - Fort Worth (DFW) are practically one giant city - with lots of other smaller cities filling the gaps in between.
We have a widely diverse economy in the greater DFW Metroplex as we call it. We have weathered the economic downturn fairly well - not untouched mind you. But better than most places.
Cost of living is manageable. Jobs can be found. Affordable apartments and homes can be found. It is possible to live in the countryside and commute to one of the outlying edges of the metroplex for work if you desire. Or you can get right in the middle of it.
Las Colinas is part of Irving, TX - next to Dallas... Las Colinas is full of corporations from all over America and International. Plus it is close to the airport entrances and lots of trendy apartments and condos. You could actually live in a Condo and walk or cycle to work.
The weather is SO much better than up north. But this year we have had a pretty cold - snowy time of it - nothing like the north or north east U.S.
Also - the biggest problem most Northerners have is the summer heat - it gets HOT. June-July-August most often gets into the high 90’s and low 100’s and stays there until the middle of September. But we have long mile Falls and pleasant Springtimes. But spring also brings toronados.
Check out good job finding boards - even Craigslist for Dallas (which includes the whole metroplex).
Good Luck. I’ve heard we are getting 2000 new folks a month and that doesn’t even count illegal aliens.
Some of my questions are: 1. Do you like Texas better than your former state or why do you think Texas is second to none? 2. Out of the two cities there: Dallas and Houston, which one is the better one to live in?
I've lived in Texas, and Oklahoma and Oregon... so I have some comparisons here. I know you're not talking about anywhere near Oregon, but the Pacific Northwest has super great scenery and great mountains and downhill skiing and cross-country skiing and you've got the ocean (although it's a cold ocean out that way... :-) ...).
I was in Portland for a long while (some suburbs and in the city, too). Portland was a great town for basic quality of life (lots of things to do and see, plus a good location for the outdoors and city stuff both).
In Texas, I've lived in Houston and Dallas. I prefer Dallas (and/or suburbs, depending on what you want). They've got a town just north of Dallas called Frisco, that is right on the Dallas North Tollway and it looks like it was just built yesterday, everything is so new. And the entire town looks like it's built around the concept of "shop until you drop" ... LOL ... But, it looks like a very nice place to live, as long as you don't mind paying the daily tolls on the tollway... (get a NTTA TollTag and just zip along...).
When I would go to Dallas, while living in Oregon and come back to Oregon (visiting the relatives there, doncha know...), I would always tell them that people in Dallas shop by driving down the freeway at 70 MPH until they see the store they want and get off. Then they get back on and shop some more... LOL...
It seems that people in Dallas shop till they drop too... seems like an awful lot of shopping and business goes on -- everyone has a lot of money to throw around there, it seems... :-)
It's been a while since I was living in Houston, though, and I imagine it's changed, but I'm sure the humidity hasn't changed and it's much worse than it is in Dallas (and that was bad enough, in Dallas, coming from Oregon... LOL...). It's way too hot down that way for me, a bit better in Dallas, and just a bit better in Tulsa (where I'm at now). Portland, Oregon had the best climate as far as I was concerned.
It was nice in Houston, being so close to Galveston (or other parts nearby... on the Gulf of Mexico). But, I would rather drive down from Dallas, rather than live right next door in Houston. Besides, I've been through a few hurricanes down that way, and they don't get that far up north to reach Dallas... :-)
All you gotta worry about in Dallas are some tornadoes now and again. Of course, they've been talking about the "Super Tornado" that's supposed to absolutely destroy Dallas (one of these days), but you know how these kinds of predictions are... sometime a lot of hype. But, one did just about destroy downtown Fort Worth a number of years, back so it can happen.
But real tornado country (at least to me) seems to be up in Oklahoma where I've seen more tornadoes in a short period of time than all the time I lived in Texas... :-)
Of course, I do have to say that the only tornado that I've actually been through (exactly in the building where I was), and "lived through" was one in Galveston, that went right over the top of the building I was in. It was technically a waterspout, I guess, and they're typcially less powerful than the ones on land, so maybe it wasn't that big of a deal, except for all the glass breaking out in the building and the doors flying open and everyone screaming inside as it tore up the place... LOL... That happened during Hurrican Katrina, as it was striking New Orleans, I was having a tornado go right over the top of me. That place is no longer there, as it got wiped out during the last Hurricane to hit Galveston, and the pier is gone now... (the 61st Street Pier... I'm sorry to see it gone now...).
To make a long story short... go to Dallas... :-)
But, as for me, I like Oklahoma and especially Tulsa, and that's where I'm at right now. So, you might drop on by Tulsa and see how you like it here, but I'm not sure if the job prospects are as good as they probably are in Dallas.
mark.
I grew up in Chicago and moved to Houston in 1973. I have been in sales so I have traveled extensively across the state. Any city in Texas is better than Chicago, I live in Austin now and would never consider moving back to Chicago. Do yourself a favor and check out Austin or San Antonio before you settle on Dallas or Houston. Houston has better weather and great access to the coast. Good luck. In spite of the global economic downturn the Texas economy remains strong.
Yes. Go to Texas. Excellent idea. (Seruzawa.... keeping Chicagoans out of Utah for 60 years).
If you are interested in purchasing or building a home in Tx. be aware that the middle of the state the soil type is clay—awful for foundations if the soil gets dry or waterlogged since clay expands and contracts moving the soil and then your home’s foundation. Make sure to apply soaker houses to the foundation in the summer and drain away excess rainfall away from the foundation.
I live in the Bryan-College Station area. It has the advantage of being within a couple of hours of all the large cities, but with few of the disadvantages.
So if you want to catch a pro ball game, concert or some major event, it’snot a long drive to Dallas, Houston or San Antonio. You can make a day of it visiting the zoos, museums, etc.
- JP
Don't care for the city of Dallas (Fort Worth is better), but there are several nice suburban communities north of the city proper.
Austin is the nicest of the large cities, but filled with libs. San Antonio appeals to me because of the low cost of living, but I can't appreciate the weather when there are no beaches to escape to.
Climate-wise, the hill country is your best bet, but it isn't like there are alot of jobs in Fredericksburg or Bandera.
The typical reaction when someone mentions Houston here in Dallas is “that place smells bad.” Please, I mean no offense to our Houston FRiends. I have many friends who have moved there or currently live there, but most of them have moved back.
To be fair, I am sure that Houston is a wonderful place, but I don't know from personal experience, and the above “jabs” at Houston are based on things other people have said.
Dallas isn't all sunshine up your you-know-what either. There are plenty of things wrong here, but I have personally grown accustomed to the place. If you ever want a shot at any weather similar to up north, come to Dallas. We're *cough* expecting snow on Thursday which will be the 4th or 5th time this winter. Don't mistake it for actual snow, it's more like slow falling white rain. The next day it will probably be 70 degrees out. The weather is unpredictable in Texas, one day it'll be nice, the next tornados, the next snow storm, the next sunny and breezy.
Dallas does have a lot of Republicans here, but I kind of feel that Texas has a reputation of being more conservative than it really is. Out of 100 + people on my Facebook of people I actually know, only a small hand-full are actually Republicans. I think there is a good balance of both here...
You'll see the occasional Obama/Biden bumper sticker, but it is usually in the poorer parts of town. You drive through Frisco and won't see but one or two, but get to Carrollton and they're everywhere.
Politics aside, Dallas does have a heck of a lot of venues for concerts, sporting events, dancing, pool halls, bars, coffee shops, and everything in between. Make sure, if you're a smoker, to not break the golden rule of smoking indoors. You'll be looked at like you're a space alien.
One thing you need to know about Texas before you move here is that Texas is it's own country. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who disagrees with that statement. We have so many different geographical features; the deserts to the west, hills to the south, woods to the east, and everything else.
Texas is doing alright as far as the economy goes. We aren't immune from the recession, but compared to the rest of the country we've been very lucky. Developers and Investors are coming to TX from all over the place, especially CA. Recent unemployment numbers put us below the national average, but we're growing.
Just some other numbers for you:
Median age (2007)
Houston - 32.2
Dallas - 31.9
% of individuals living below poverty level (as of 2007)
Houston - 19.2
Dallas - 17.8
Average Annual Growth Rate in Employment (1998-2007)
Houston - 2.15%
Dallas - 1.86%
Average Unemployment Rate (1997-2007)
Houston - 5.21%
Dallas - 4.69%
Real Wages, Average Annual % Growth (1979-2007)
Houston - 2.84%
Dallas - 3.73
Fort Worth - 3.51%
Median Household Income (Adjusted for Inflation 2007)
Houston - $52,988
Dallas - $54,730
Median Family Income (Adjusted for Inflation 2007)
Houston - $61,588
Dallas - $64,324
Per Capita Income (2007)
Houston - $26,697
Dallas - $27,627
Houston ranked 4th largest city as of July 1, 2007
Dallas ranked 9th largest city as of July 1, 2007
(Chicago ranked 3rd largest city as of July1, 2007)
Sources: U.S. Census; Bureau of Labor Statistics; Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas;
Born and raised here. I've lived north of the Dallas area near the Red River, I've lived in the Austin area, and now am just north of Dallas in the 'burbs. I've also spent some time in Mesa, AZ. AZ was nice in it's own way, but I much prefer TX ... climate, people, etc.
2. Out of the two cities there: Dallas and Houston, which one is the better one to live in? (Basically I want the city that least resembles Chicago, but is fun to live in and doesn’t end up costing me an arm and a leg in rent and taxes)
Houston is near the gulf ... that's a plus. But it's extremely humid ... that's a minus. Of course being on the coasts, you've go the possibility of the occasional hurricane. The burbs of Houston can be nice, ranging from the piney woods of east Texas to flat lands. Dallas is all flat. The northerrn burbs have some low hills, but not a lot. There are lakes everywhere you look. Personally, I prefer the Dallas area over Houston. You didn't ask about Austin. Other than being a liberal hotbed, it's beautiful country. Hills everywhere, live music every night. But traffic's a nightmare.
I've spent plenty of time in Chicago and I really don't think you could say that any of these cities are similar to Chi-town, so you won't be reminded of that anywhere down here.
3. How’s the economic climate in Texas? I know we’re in the midst of a recession but what’s the unemployment rate etc."
Texas is doing better than most during these times. I'm sure others will expand on that.
Come on down ... we have plenty of room. And no state income tax or grocery tax.
I like Texas. Still own a company there.
Great spirit
Great road system
Great people
Great shopping
Great economy (at least in DFW)
Great restaurants
You have to be willing to cope with heat - lots of it
You will never be a Texan - sorry, your great grandparents weren’t born there. They will, generally treat you with respect.
You will find lots of Chicago refugees there.
You have to put up with Jerry Jones...
On balance, if you can cope with the heat, go.
best,
ampu
Ain’t no down side to living here - well, except the occasional Yankee - or mojado.
I would vote San Antonio, too. I’ve not lived in Dallas but if I were to move to the Houston area (I grew up there)... I would go to the northwest ‘bout 30 miles out (Spring or the Woodlands) or to the southwest ‘bout 20 miles out (Sugar Land).
San Antonio is a bit more affordable than Houston, Dallas and certainly Austin. I love Texas but we do seem to have a bit of an attitude. The most friendly place I’ve ever lived was coastal South Carolina.
One more thing ... no blizzards or shoveling any of that white stuff.
God’s Country.... c’mon down!
I moved from Denver to Houston 20 years ago right after college. I started in Houston, then moved to Beaumont, then Austin, and now live in Waco. The heat, humidity, and hurricanes in Houston are rough on newcomers, but there is a lot to do and tons of professional opportunities for someone young.
You will love Texas. People are friendly here and, in my experience, very welcoming to “Texans By Choice.” My advice is to find a job wherever you can and then start exploring. You’ll eventually find the city that suits you.
Oh, and as soon as you set foot here, if you don’t know what fire ants are, be sure to ask.
Caution!
To register your car(s) here you have to have a Texas DL. They will take your old one and give you a receipt leaving you without photo ID. You’ll have to have TEXAS insurance policy as well. None of that is cheap or easy.
Watch out for Municipal Utility District Taxes (MUD Taxes). Mine are almost as much as my Principle and Interest combined.
Local sales tax 8.5%.
There are cops...cops...and more cops!
State patrol....county sheriff...municipal police...constables...and school district police forces.
No open carry.
Lots of rules, lots of enforcement.
I am rather disillusioned about the so called freedoms of Texas.
After years and years of lurking, your posting was the impetus for me to finally submit a reply.
I’ve been in the North Dallas area for over 20 years, wisely making the move from Pittsburgh. I was sick of the dreary, cold weather there. Even when the temperature hits the 100 degree mark here, my long memory recalls the lake-effect snow and piercing winds. So the heat doesn’t seem so brutal.
More importantly, my experience is that you’re not a minority as a conservative Christian here. While the Pittsburgh area does have some pockets to the contrary (think Richard Mellon Scaife), the overall attitude there is still steeped in the traditions of big labor, big government and big taxes. My colleagues still in Western Pennsylvania occasionally rib me about living in the land of rednecks and rightwinger. But I take that as badge of honor...and maybe you will too if and when you relocate.
Of course, this reply can’t conclude without a word about football. It did take a while to become a Cowboy fan but that became much easier after the Steelers won Superbowl 43 and owner Dan Rooney gave thanks to President Obama when awarded the Lombardi Trophy. Say what you will about Jerry Jones, he’d never do that and he’s among the top NFL owners in terms of donations to Republicans.
By the way, in my trips to Chicago, I’ve mostly found the people to be friendly to an extent, especially in DuPage county and the western suburbs. A word of caution about Texas — you’ll be almost smothered with the friendliness and openness here, so be prepared! :-)
Having been all over the state, my specific recommendations are Collin, Denton and Tarrant Counties in north Texas. Elsewhere, look at Williamson County in the central part of the state as well as Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties in greater Houston.