Where to live? Dallas or Austin

"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
07/14/2014 at 07:39 • Filed to: None

Thinking about relocating to TX. I have some career advancement opportunities in both Dallas and Austin. What are the good suburbs to look at? Schools are top priority. Prefer newer, open concept homes. Commute time isn't a major concern, but want to stay at 45 minutes or less. Any TX Oppos that can opine?

DISCUSSION (11)

JEM > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 07:48

I've been to both and Austin, by far, is the hands down winner if you want culture (live music, awesome food, art, etc..). Dallas isn't bad, you've got the remnants of the Deep Ellum area, but it's just not even in the same league as Austin.

E92M3 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 07:51

I'm don't live in Texas, but I've been to both cities. I would pick Austin. IMO it's more openminded, and for lack of a better word "hip". Just a better mix of people. Dallas is much more conservative.

StingrayJake > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 07:53

North side of both cities is fairly affluent. In Texas, generally high property values = high property taxes = schools with big budgets.

In Dallas, old money is around SMU and University Park. Otherwise, you get out around Plano, McKinney or Rockwall, you'll probably find what you're looking for.

Austin you could go just about anywhere these days, but Cedar Park and Round Rock is where you'd probably want to start.

Torque Affair > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 07:55

I've been in Austin since 2001 and I love it! I think almost everyone that lives in or even visits Austin loves it. Finding great schools and a good home will definitely not be a problem if commute time isn't a big deal.

But, I have to say I don't know anything about Dallas.

TGMOTOMAN > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 07:57

austin looks nicer, better driving and central to dallas, san antonio and the coast. I35 is a pain in the ass, but the other roads are much easier to get around on.

Dallas is a concrete jungle spread out way too much, everything and ever place is all about driving..in traffic..all..the..time.

Austin has more trees, water, rivers lakes that are useable and visible, lol.

Culture in austin is more liberal than the rest of texas, not a bad thing.

Clown Shoe Pilot > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 08:55

I've lived in both. I grew up in the Dallas area and lived there for not quite 40 years. Now I live in Austin.

Dallas will be a little easier to find a place to live that meets your selection criteria. It's bigger and has more inventory. Dallas is also easier to get around because Dallas builds roads. Other than the live music scene, Dallas also has more "culture" stuff, especially if you count Fort Worth. 2 major symphonies, ballet companies, opera companies, and a bunch of live theatre. 4 heavy hitter art museums, multiple science and history museums. If you like professional ball sports, the Dallas/Fort Worth area has everything - championship winning football, basketball, and hockey teams, and a baseball team that's made it to the world series. There's a really nice oval race track if you're into circle racing. There are 2 decent road course "country club" tracks nearby.

Austin's real estate market is hot right now, everyone wants to move here. We don't have kids so paid NO attention to schools when buying a house. Also, Mrs. Shoe Pilot and I prefer older homes. We live south and there is a TON of construction happening where we live and I assume that's true elsewhere. If you want new it's available, and probably easier than buying in established neighborhoods. Traffic is a nightmare because nobody has bothered to build a road here since my parents were in college here in the 60s. The city's not as developed on the culture scene yet. There are some decent museums and a symphony, an opera company, and a ballet company. It's got a huge live music scene if you're into that. It's got GREAT food. If you like ball sports, there IS a major university in town so there are games to watch. There's motorsport of an international flavor 3 times a year (MotoGP, WEC, F1).

On quality of life, Austin wins it. Dallas is all concrete, all the time. There are parks, yes. But it's a LOT of concrete. It's brutal in the summer. It gets hot during the day and the concrete soaks it up and keeps it hot all night. Austin's got a lot more green space. It still gets hot during the day but once the sun goes down it cools off to a more reasonable temperature a lot faster. Austin's got good recreational water around for stuff other than power sports, though you can still go water skiing too. Austin's got the hill country close by. If you like getting in the car or on a bike and going for a drive with no agenda, the hill country is a nice place to do it. When hunting season comes around, the hill country is good for that too. Generally, if you prefer to be outdoors - Austin.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > Clown Shoe Pilot
07/14/2014 at 09:04

With regards to culture, Austin does has a "younger" culture - tons of festivals, concerts, that kind of thing. The more "sophisticated" stuff like ballet, museums, symphony is lacking here. I'm not big on that kind of stuff so I'd much prefer Dallas' scene. that being said Dallas is extremely uptight. My company has an office there, meetings with clients in Austin are jeans and a collared shirt, Dallas you wear a tie even if you're the janitor kind of thing. My wife works for a huge law firm, same kind of thing. They take themselves very seriously up there. And if you're moving to the burbs (cedar park, round rock,) its going to feel more like dallas than austin. We went from downtown to the edge of the city proper about a year ago and it was a major change.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
07/14/2014 at 09:05

And 10x yes on the outdoors aspect. I probably would move somewhere else if that wasn't around, I'm a better fit for the dallas culture. The amount of nature within a few minutes of driving seals the deal for me

EL_ULY > mkbruin, Atlas VP
07/14/2014 at 09:07

Even better... Houston, because the Oil industry is where the money is and the beach!

theo > mkbruin, Atlas VP
08/03/2014 at 23:53

Never been to Dallas but Austin has the F1 track which holds races as well as the x games so for me that makes the decision. Clown Shoe Pilot is right everyone wants to move to Austin right now, including myself.

eforeal > mkbruin, Atlas VP
08/11/2014 at 10:41

Austin - Any other life decisions I can make for you?