Texas

[Rookie]

Potentially moving to Texas for work.
Just trying gauge what city would be best to live in/buy a house. I think I've got my selections down to two cities. San Antonio and Austin but I'm open to others. I've always wanted to live in Austin but I know its really expensive so I don't know if it's at all practical. Im 28, single, salary would be around 55k for the first year.
Thinking of just moving to Austin for a year then picking a city to settle down in after that.
For those who have been there, what's your opinions?

 

[Soar]

Haven’t been but I have heard Austin isn’t fun to live in but fun to visit.

My buddy said something like the population is growing but Austin doesn’t have the infrastructure to accommodate. So commutes and all that really suck I assume? He’s been there a year.

I’m sure someone with direct knowledge could explain more.

 

[CleveRocks]

San Antonio is pretty cool, so is Austin. 55 is tough to live on there, but there is a lot of upside and good university.. cycling heaven, I am told..

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Been to both, never lived in either though.

Austin is a really fun city because of the music scene and UT, but San Antonio is more livable. Almost took a job in USAA's legal department for less money just because I liked SA so much.

 

[Sebastian]

If you're single, and in the market, UT is essentially a big dating service.

I like both Austin and SA, but if I were thinking with my dick Austin would be the choice.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Haven’t been but I have heard Austin isn’t fun to live in but fun to visit.

My buddy said something like the population is growing but Austin doesn’t have the infrastructure to accommodate. So commutes and all that really suck I assume? He’s been there a year.

I’m sure someone with direct knowledge could explain more.

Charlotte's the same way. Growing too fast for the existing infrastructure to deal with.

 

[Bill Walton.]

Texas..........




Is a great place....










To call home

 

[Phills14]

 

[Mazer]

I live right between both the cities in the Texas Hill Country. You picked the right area of Texas to move to, in my opinion. I don't really like Dallas, Houston, or god-forbid West Texas like El Paso/Amarillo. But Central TX is awesome.

Both cities are great - but a totally different culture. If I was moving here as a 28-yr old, I'd definitely pick Austin. There is a lot more nightlife activity and just a cool young vibe. Definitely lots of outdoor activities, great food, tons of things to do and a great singles scene. Lots of fit and beautiful people. Real estate is damn expensive.

San Antonio is a larger city, more traditionally-cultured, you'll be a minority if you aren't Hispanic. Not a big deal to me as a white guy - everyone just considers themselves "Texans" and not Mexican vs. white people. The old missions like the Alamo are pretty cool. They've got the Riverwalk and the Spurs, and it's the 7th largest city in the US, so it's got everything you'd want somewhere in town.

Between the 2 cities on I-35 are a couple of great little towns where $55k/yr would be really comfortable living and you could get to San Antonio or Austin in half an hour. San Marcos is a college town with a great river that runs through it that is always full of coeds. We have a tradition where we jump in a few days before Christmas every year and send the video to our family in Ohio to piss them off as they are freezing up north.

New Braunfels is a great town, too. Again, they have a couple of rivers that you can float in most of the year, Schlitterbahn is the best water park in the world, and they have one of the largest Oktoberfests in the US. Lots of places to shop and eat in either San Marcos or NB, and your money would go farther on rent/mortgage. But... if are looking for big city life every day, you might not like the 30 to 45 minute drives.