which i find hysterical... i'm persian and mexican and i like white girls. time for him to get over it. /derailment
It's funny how I've read through these responses and I think the opposite in so many cases and similarly in others. I've experienced more racism in Texas than I have in California, but I've probably only spent a total of 1 month or so there. I know people who have moved from Cali to Texas and couldn't wait to get back after hearing co-workers talk around here. The people I met in the San Diego and Long Beach area seemed like nice people. The politeness in Texas seemed "more", but it's no big deal. On the other hand, I encountered a girl working at Circuit City in the Long Beach area who told me to "go back" because she was from Mississippi and was sick of it out there. She said people out there are all trying to be "Hollywood" and were superficial. I could never live in a place like New York. It's too congested and crowded and I can't stand the snow/ice. I've lived almost all my life in Dallas and Houston, but as I get older, I realize I hate city life. It's convenient to me, but it just isn't me - it seems so artificial. I drove around places like small-town Texas and Arkansas and got to talk to some of the locals and they're the type of places and people I like (or at least I think so). It's probably because of this that I'm contemplating buying land in Arkansas and/or Texas within the next couple of years with the intent on retiring there eventually. To me, it's about the people and how they act more than the theaters, restaurants, etc. To me, a good life is getting together with some friends and kicking back, relaxing while sitting on a front porch, eating bbq, and staring across a valley or something. lol. Give me the quiet of a starry night instead of the sounds of traffic in the distance. Give me relatively clean air instead of the smog/pollution. I don't need the Starbucks, the movie theaters, etc. In the end, there is no such thing as NY or San Diego or Houston is "cheaper" unless you're talking solely about money because there are things that God put out there you will not be able to buy - you just take advantage of it by being there. I mean seriously, how do you buy San Diego weather? It's some of the most beautiful on the planet. Some people appreciate that, while others will appreciate diverse cuisine and a Broadway show more. To each their own, but give me Hank, Boomhauer, Dale, and Bill over Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer.
for those wanting a pissing match: we're #3 in the US (behind NY & chicago), and #8 in the world for tallest cities. beat that LA and SD http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/30/ne...0_tallest_cities_slide_9.html?thisSpeed=15000 and my $50k annual is worth more. dallas sucks!
Let's not forget about state income tax. If you live in NYC or Yonkers you'll also have to pay city income tax as well (that sucks). If you make 100k in NYC, you're going to pay 22k to the Fed, 6,500 to NY, and then 3,500 to NYC. And don't forget to add on that sales use tax, which us Texans don't have to worry about. So even if we make the same salary in both cities, we'll have a cheaper cost of living with much higher standards and an additional 10k to throw around each year.
what idiots do you work with? this notion that people outside of houston have no comprehension of houston is dumb. sure many people dont know, but most educated non-idiots realize what the skyline of houston is like. realize that houston is a major city.
Actually, I've encountered this many times too. I went to a friend's wedding in NY and was driving in a car with one of his friends. The Cure or some other 80s group was playing on the radio and I was commenting on it and the guy was like, they play this type of music down there? I thought he was kidding but he was serious. Of course he was a dumbass and most educated people are smarter than that. But you'll be surprised at the percentage who don't know crap about anything beyong their 5 square miles.
I live in the Bay Area, and every time I go down to LA/SD for a visit, it's like going to a whole nother planet. The way people act, dress, their attitudes, etc. is completely different from the laid back style of the Bay Area. I hate LA.
if you are in the lower class none of this matters. Living in Houston, NYC, or LA has been the same for me as far as expenses and cost of living. NY had higher taxes, but you save so much money walking everywhere. My costs are actually higher in LA with the cost of owning an automobile and everything that comes with it. Urban sprawl takes a toll on the old gas mileage. you can eat for $5-$10 in NYC if you know the right places to look. bagel shops and pizza places keep the cost low. I'll agree with the superficial stereotype of LA but still think that Houston is just too conservative and I have seen too much racism and homophobia to settle down and raise kids down in TX. it looks like Austin is the solution to all these debates!
Having lived in both places here's my take. First: Stereotypes The "politeness" of Houston always seemed fake to me. While the "indifferent" attitude of New Yorkers is genuine in that: that is how they precisely feel. It is nothing personal, just that they have their own lives and could not be concerned with you for the most part, but this is neither positively or negatively. They just don't care. Yet, lets say if you were to ever approach a New Yorker to ask directions to a subway station, they will be some of the nicest, cordial people you'll ever meet. Of course, if they don't like you they'll let you know exactly how they feel. But for the most part they mind their own business and expect you to do the same. I noticed in general, people in Houston concern themselves more with others and what they do/say. Obviously these are just very broad generalizations but so are the two stereotypes just mentioned so I am just addressing them. Another factor: Motivation/Drive It may be that I was hanging out with the wrong crowds, but as a student in Houston it was easy to slack off and settle for decent (but not great) grades. At UofH, an undergraduate spends on average about 5 years in school. This is through personal observation and widely regarded as true by many students. Students seem to be content as long as they graduate, whether it be 4.. 5.. or 6 years.. In NY, nearly all students graduate in 4 years, regardless of major. Not only that, during those 4 years students would partake in internships nearly every summer, and even part-time during the semester. The point is, kids are more focused in their careers - very early on. NY is definitely more CAREER-ORIENTED. Many students I saw were content with their life and I saw this attitude even among working adults as well. Their lifestyle.. their job.. the status quo. It seemed as though they were happy as long as they had a steady job and lived comfortably. This isn't a bad thing but it wasn't for me. I would not be surprised if they were doing the same thing 5 years from now. Houston had a very laid back atmosphere and to an extent I saw this attitude in California as well. I believe it is harder to IMPROVE yourself in Texas than in New York. I think there are less opportunities, and because of the culture/atmosphere of the city there is less motivation to improve/progress. Lastly: Lifestyle There are many cities similar to Houston, but not a single one can replace NY. As someone already mentioned, it's all about supply and demand. Prices are driven up not because of the scarcity of land, but because the demand for the land remains high - DESPITE the high living costs. NY can offer things no other city can and it can't be replicated. For this reason, we can't compare "living costs" of Houston and New York because the "lifestyles" are not equal. We could compare rent and tax rates quantitatively, saying a 1 bedroom apartment goes for $1000 in Houston but $2500 in Manhattan. However, the life and experience that comes with the apartments are not equal. Is the apartment in Manhattan worth 2.5 times the one in Houston? What about the economic utility gained from living in one apartment over the other? The point is, we can't simply compare with numbers and say Houston is better because it is cheaper. I am giving up more financial "bang for buck" than I did in Houston, and without some of the luxuries I had (ie: MUCH BIGGER apartment). However, I am willing to sacrifice certain conveniences since I believe there is much more to be gained by living in NY than in Houston.
Saying NY has a better 'lifestyle' is subjective. Saying Houston is cheaper is a fact. So if you happen to like NYC's lifestyle... well, you're still stuck with the crappy cost of living. But if you happen to like how Houston is... well, best of both worlds baby.
I moved out here because I came from a ****hole town in California where rent was twice as high as it is here for an apartment and the Job opportunities were limited to Wal-mart, Best Buy, or Burger Flip. Now I'm going to school full time and living comfortably on a part time job salary. Texas ftw.
I think lifestyle is a state of mind. I'm looking at this from a "starving artist" point of view. Young people have and always will flock to towns like NYC, LA, Austin, etc... If you are poor and living under, say 30,000 a year, your life won't be much different in any city you live in. But I just don't see people running to Houston to follow their dreams of making it in the big city... At the same time my Houston friends are doing VERY WELL with their lives, jobs, incomes, homes, etc... they made that choice to settle down earlier in life and they have my respect.
Cost of living comparisons are always skewed by housing costs. If your housing costs are in control, an otherwise 'expensive' city can be pretty cheap if you need less car, or have a lot of free or low cost activities available. We looked around at various places about two years ago -- and I was suprised how expensive I calculated cost of living in Houston for my family. Our utility and property taxes would have gone way up, we would have needed another car, and our entertaiment costs would have gone up too. As would our medical costs. Possibly unique to our family because of the way we like to live -- but interesting to me at the time. That said -- NY is crazy expensive.
I sincerely doubt most people know about Houston's skyline. I couldn't tell you Atlanta's, either. If most New Yorkers have been to Dallas, Memphis, St. Louis, etc. the buildings aren't near as tall. Most are around 30 stories. Houston's skyline is impressive, even compared to larger cities. I can see people being surprised.
