Serious said:

I cannot give you any advice as I haven't been to any of these places, but I want to wish you luck that you find a city where you and your family will be happy .

thank you so much my friend!

Miami: If I were to ever move, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in The South. However, if I had to stay in The South, Miami probably would be the only place I would want to be. From what I've seen on TV, they have modern contemporary style like a motherfucker which I love. I could never afford it though.

Dallas: If I want to be in a city or state full of rednecks, I can stay right here in Mississippi.

Iowa: Oh hell naw! I may be white my damn self but Andy ain't going to live nowhere that ain't got hardly any blacks. Living someplace like Iowa would be as dull as being in a 24 hour Shitney Houston concert.

San Diego: All I know about it is it is in California and I always said if I ever had the money to get the hell out of Mississippi, it would be either New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Well, at least San Diego is in California so that probably would be where I would consider moving. Only after doing some research on the city first though. I wouldn't want to end up being in some area of California that would be as dull as Iowa.

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[Edited 3/31/11 14:35pm]

vainandy said:

Miami: If I were to ever move, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in The South. However, if I had to stay in The South, Miami probably would be the only place I would want to be. From what I've seen on TV, they have modern contemporary style like a motherfucker which I love. I could never afford it though.

Dallas: If I want to be in a city or state full of rednecks, I can stay right here in Mississippi.

Iowa: Oh hell naw! I may be white my damn self but Andy ain't going to live nowhere that ain't got hardly any blacks. Living someplace like Iowa would be as dull as being in a 24 hour Shitney Houston concert.

San Diego: All I know about it is it is in California and I always said if I ever had the money to get the hell out of Mississippi, it would be either New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Well, at least San Diego is in California so that probably would be where I would consider moving. Only after doing some research on the city first though. I wouldn't want to end up being in some area of California that would be as dull as Iowa.

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[Edited 3/31/11 14:35pm]

Boy, you really need to quit! Are you seriously comparing Dallas to ANYWHERE in Mississippi???

I'm black and love the gay mens and I can tell you Dallas is NOT full of rednecks. I've lived here for almost 20 years and in Texas for 30. I can live anywhere in this country and own a home in Panama and would always pick Dallas as my homebase. Folks need to actually come here and visit and stop assuming a lot of bullshit about a place and group of people.

SCNDLS said:

vainandy said:

Miami: If I were to ever move, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in The South. However, if I had to stay in The South, Miami probably would be the only place I would want to be. From what I've seen on TV, they have modern contemporary style like a motherfucker which I love. I could never afford it though.

Dallas: If I want to be in a city or state full of rednecks, I can stay right here in Mississippi.

Iowa: Oh hell naw! I may be white my damn self but Andy ain't going to live nowhere that ain't got hardly any blacks. Living someplace like Iowa would be as dull as being in a 24 hour Shitney Houston concert.

San Diego: All I know about it is it is in California and I always said if I ever had the money to get the hell out of Mississippi, it would be either New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Well, at least San Diego is in California so that probably would be where I would consider moving. Only after doing some research on the city first though. I wouldn't want to end up being in some area of California that would be as dull as Iowa.

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[Edited 3/31/11 14:35pm]

Boy, you really need to quit! Are you seriously comparing Dallas to ANYWHERE in Mississippi???

I'm black and love the gay mens and I can tell you Dallas is NOT full of rednecks. I've lived here for almost 20 years and in Texas for 30. I can live anywhere in this country and own a home in Panama and would always pick Dallas as my homebase. Folks need to actually come here and visit and stop assuming a lot of bullshit about a place and group of people.

SCNDLS, what do you thank of miami? it seems that you get to travel a lot, so i would love to know what you think of miami. also what are the things you love about dallas. i haven't had as much feedback on dallas yet as i would like. thanks so much.

vainandy said:

Miami: If I were to ever move, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in The South. However, if I had to stay in The South, Miami probably would be the only place I would want to be. From what I've seen on TV, they have modern contemporary style like a motherfucker which I love. I could never afford it though.

Dallas: If I want to be in a city or state full of rednecks, I can stay right here in Mississippi.

Iowa: Oh hell naw! I may be white my damn self but Andy ain't going to live nowhere that ain't got hardly any blacks. Living someplace like Iowa would be as dull as being in a 24 hour Shitney Houston concert.

San Diego: All I know about it is it is in California and I always said if I ever had the money to get the hell out of Mississippi, it would be either New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Well, at least San Diego is in California so that probably would be where I would consider moving. Only after doing some research on the city first though. I wouldn't want to end up being in some area of California that would be as dull as Iowa.

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[Edited 3/31/11 14:35pm]

i was born in the los angeles area, and lived there off and on during my childhood. it's not my fave. place in the world. lived in northern california off & on for 18 years now, and i think i'm ready for a change. i think california is one of the most beautiful places a person could ever live, but it has many redneck people as well, mostly around the sacramento area. where i lived for many years.

Graycap23 said:

Cerebus said:

San Diego is awesome. I have close friends in La Jolla and its one of my favorite places to visit. But like Stoned said, its expensive. Plus, its hot. Plus, depending on where you are in Cali, the demographic is TOTALLY different. As a person who never plans on leaving the Bay Area, the San Diego area as whole is just WAY too SoCal for me. I'm not sure its really any more expensive than many parts of the Bay Area, though. And maaaaan there are some beautiful areas down there (and close by). But the heat and the different vibe are just too noticeable for me to ever move there.

I never been to Des Moine and haven't visited Dallas or Miami in over a decade, so I don't really have anything to say for or against those choices.

Oh, why are you leaving the Bay Area? I've lived a lot of places and I can say with CONFIDENCE that there is no place like it.

OK, I read a little more. First, I don't have kids so I can't judge cities in that regard. Second, SD has quite a few great "scenes" (or terrible ones if you ask one of my friends ). In other words, they have things for adults to go out and do at night. A lot of them.

I've in and around SD for 17 years. I was BORED 2 tears and that is the reason I left. Add 2 that the fact that the house I wanted was $9.6 million dollars. I left and came here, got a better house 4 a FRACTION of the cost. If like hanging around those Tiger Wood "type" of negroes, by all means move 2 S.D.

Well, keep in mind I only visit, which definitely makes things seem more fun and interesting. But they've never had any problem finding things I like to do. Like, check out local microbrews/breweries, antique stores, record stores, book stores, go dancing/clubing, see live music and stuffs like that. Also, I've been surfing with one of the people I know there since I was 17 (more than twenty years) and they live walking distance from the beach, so that definitely helps.

kimrachell said:

SCNDLS said:

Boy, you really need to quit! Are you seriously comparing Dallas to ANYWHERE in Mississippi???

I'm black and love the gay mens and I can tell you Dallas is NOT full of rednecks. I've lived here for almost 20 years and in Texas for 30. I can live anywhere in this country and own a home in Panama and would always pick Dallas as my homebase. Folks need to actually come here and visit and stop assuming a lot of bullshit about a place and group of people.

SCNDLS, what do you thank of miami? it seems that you get to travel a lot, so i would love to know what you think of miami. also what are the things you love about dallas. i haven't had as much feedback on dallas yet as i would like. thanks so much.

I wasn't gonna post on here cuz of the predictable TX hate from folks who don't live here (except myfavorite but she just spayshul ) but I loves me some Kimmie so I'm happy to help.

I LOVE Miami but I'm single and child-free so what I like about it may not be what you're looking for.

But even as a single gal as much as I adore MIA I wouldn't live there. In a nutshell, too expensive, high crime rate, high unemployment, high foreclosures, bad schools, and almost yearly hurricanes. My mother was the HR Director for a city not too far from MIA for about 15 years and she hated it. And she's from Panama and an international traveler so she fit right in with S Florida culture but it still didn't draw her in. She was in her 60s and complained it was too many old people outside of MIA for her tastes. She built a house in TX and traveled back and forth even before retiring 2 years ago.

As for Dallas, IMO it offers a PERFECT balance of quality of life, especially in the 'burbs. Just look at the fact that Texas leads the nation in folks relocating here and North Texas, where Dallas is, has been among THE fastest growing area in the country for the last decade. However, I personally wouldn't live in Dallas proper if I had kids cuz that school district sucks but most of the surrounding districts are exceptional.

The DISD and a lot of districts are suffering from the same thing every other state in the country is: tight budgets due to collecting less property tax cuz folks don't have jobs or lost their homes. However, our dumb ass gov made things worse by LOWERING property taxes and refusing Obamas money 2 years ago. That aside, the suburbs are doing a lot better.

For me the pros are NO STATE TAX and relatively low property taxes. Lots of space, big houses for low prices. Great weather we've been in 60s/70s since Feb and I don't mind the heat of the summer cuz all buildings have AC and I don't do outside anyway. Regarding utility costs it TOTALLY depends on if you have a newer construction. I own a 4000sq ft home with electricty and gas. Electric bills in winter avg $80 and go as high $300 the 2-3 hottest months of the year which is less than I paid in a 750 sq ft apt.

Good job market cuz TX is very pro-business so lots of headquarters have moved here because there's an educated labor force and low operating costs. LOTS to do, world class shopping, great arts scene, all major/minor music acts pass thru here, lots of sports, lots to do outside if that's your thing.

Many self-contained neighborhoods depending on where you live so you don't have to go far but you WILL need a car we don't have a lot of public transport cuz the city and burbs are HUGE and spread out. Also, Dallas is the hub/headquarters for Southwest and American Airlines and being in the middle of the country you can be in NYC, LA or Jamaica in 3 hrs or Las Vegas, Miami, or Cancun in 2.5 hours.

As for the redneck thing, Dallas although it has its pockets of conservatives (I put that largely on the ultra-rich folks) I've never encountered a redneck or blatant, systemic racism in my decades here. I got nothing but love for the genuinely sweet people here EVEN if you don't agree with their politics. Matter of fact, Obama took Dallas, Collin (where I live), Travis (Austin), and Harris (Houston) counties during the election. These counties are where the majority of the people in the state live and are a more accurate representation of the average Texas rather than the redneck image folks love to cling to. Austin and Houston are much more liberal and I've lived there too, but I'd never move back to either.

So, for me, there are no cons. My money goes further here than it could anywhere else. For example, in 99 I bought a brand new house at the age of 26 when making only 30k a year. You can't do that everywhere. I now work at home and have for the last 10 years so I could easily pick up and move if I felt the need. Matter of fact, I had a job offer to relocate to Miami but turned it down. If you look on any best place to live type list cities in the Dallas area are regularly in the top 10.

Hope this helps!

[Edited 3/31/11 16:40pm]

kimrachell said:

Cerebus said:

San Diego is awesome. I have close friends in La Jolla and its one of my favorite places to visit. But like Stoned said, its expensive. Plus, its hot. Plus, depending on where you are in Cali, the demographic is TOTALLY different. As a person who never plans on leaving the Bay Area, the San Diego area as whole is just WAY too SoCal for me. I'm not sure its really any more expensive than many parts of the Bay Area, though. And maaaaan there are some beautiful areas down there (and close by). But the heat and the different vibe are just too noticeable for me to ever move there.

I never been to Des Moine and haven't visited Dallas or Miami in over a decade, so I don't really have anything to say for or against those choices.

Oh, why are you leaving the Bay Area? I've lived a lot of places and I can say with CONFIDENCE that there is no place like it.

OK, I read a little more. First, I don't have kids so I can't judge cities in that regard. Second, SD has quite a few great "scenes" (or terrible ones if you ask one of my friends ). In other words, they have things for adults to go out and do at night. A lot of them.

the bay area is very beautiful, i love it here, you can never get bored living here, because there is always some place you can go for entertainment. so many fun places to take kids. it's really a perfect area for us. but the cost is just too much. we can't afford it here.

I know the bay area is not inexpensive, but it makes me sad that it could be expensive as to cause people to leave. I've lived in ten different states and I've visited all of them. I'm not just being a homer when I saw I really don't think there's anyplace better than the Bay Area. We have everything either at our fingertips or a short drive away. .... OK, I wish I could have stayed living in Hawaii, but that place really IS expensive.

kimrachell said:

help me decide, we might have the chance to move to one of these cities Miami Florida, Dallas Texas, Des Moines Iowa, San Diego California. If you could/had to pick one to live in for the next several years which one would you choose? and why? i've been looking up info. about each place, such as crime rate, cost of living, schools, etc...but can't seem to decide. right now we live in the bay area of california.

i'd choose san diego. you already live in san fran so you already know about high costs of san diego. but, you also probably know it's a total blast of a city. i lived in san francisco and loved it but would choose san diego over there. after that, i've heard dallas is pretty cool. i've been to des moines, imo it is not exciting, but it's a good solid place to work and raise a family. miami would scare me with the crime rate, but i bet it's a total blast of a city. just my 2c. good luck!

I will say again, San Diego/lower SoCal and San Francisco/the Bay Area are NOTHING alike. They are two completely different universes.

Best Places to Live

5 of 100

5. McKinney, TX

WINNER Top 100 rank: 5 Population: 125,000 Unemployment: 7.8% Compare McKinney to Top 10 Best Places Lots of towns near Dallas have low crime, affordable homes, and good jobs; McKinney is no exception. What makes it stand out is its gem of a downtown. Lovingly restored 19th-century buildings house restaurants, boutiques, and galleries; the 1875 courthouse contains a new performing-arts center. McKinney's employment opportunities are robust, sparing many residents a rush-hour drive of up to an hour to Dallas. Defense contractor Raytheon has a 3,700-person division here, and a mix of businesses in financial services, medical technology, and eco-friendly manufacturing are moving in. Though McKinney has grown like mad over the past decade, you'd never suspect it when driving through its tree-filled communities surrounded by ponds, parks, and hiking trails. --Vanessa Richardson I've lived in Allen for 12 years and LOVE it. McKinney is next to Allen. Great place to raise kids or dogs. 16. Allen, TX WINNER Top 100 rank: 16 Population: 84,000 Compare Allen to Top 10 Best Places This town is a 30-minute drive from downtown Dallas, so it's no surprise that many residents work in the big city. When not at the office, they have plenty to do right at home; Allen has a symphony, a ballet, malls, and even its own minor league hockey team. Parents appreciate the top-rated school system and low crime rate. Their children appreciate MTV-featured "The Edge" -- one of the largest outdoor skate parks in the nation. --J.S.

Texas is often listed as one of the best states to live in and work in. It has a low tax rate, is home to several major companies, has affordable housing, has a good climate, and beautiful and diverse landscape. It is no wonder then, that many people are opting to move to the state. So which are some of the cities that have become the center of an influx of people? We take a look at these cities in this article.

Best Cities to Live in Texas

Every year there are many lists that announce which are the best places to visit in Texas but what if you want to know which city you should move to on a more permanent basis. Given below is a list of six cities that we think are the best places to live in Texas.

Austin
One of the best known cities in Texas, Austin is definitely one of the finest cities that you can move to if you are planning to shift to Texas. Not only is Austin a great place to study, but it has a great job market and is a perfect place for entrepreneurs who want to start their own business. It is also one of those few cities in the country which can boast of a pretty much classless society with hippie communes and capitalist mindset co-existing. It is also often known as the live music capital of the world, and is home to one of the best places for live concerts, independent film screenings, and music festivals.

McKinney
With a small town feel to it, it is no wonder that it is often rated as one of the best cities to live not only in Texas but the entire country. With beautiful nineteenth century architecture dotting the city and amazing galleries to visit, it is a beautiful city that benefits even more, thanks to its proximity to Dallas which is merely an hour's drive away. So if you are looking out for a rush of the big city, you always have the option of driving there. It has a low crime rate, a great downtown, affordable housing, and many jobs.

Houston
The largest city in the state of Texas is also one of the best cities to live in, especially if you are a young professional. Attribute this to the fact that this city is affordable, has many upcoming job prospects, a great employment market, and usually provides you with incomes that are above average. This is also thanks to the fact that some of the biggest companies in the country have their headquarters based in Houston which makes it an ideal place for young people to start hunting for jobs.

Dallas
Some of the best known companies in the world and we are talking about Fortune 500 companies like AT&T and Texas Instruments headquartered in Dallas, which makes it extremely popular amongst executives and entrepreneurs looking for a start up. It is also home to the Dallas Cowboys, has a huge sports base and is definitely one of the most well known cities in the state of Texas. Dallas is also known for its arts and culture scene that is rich and is home to some extremely well known museums and art centers. Its cuisine is also very well known and is popular across the country.

San Antonio
If you love your history, then you should definitely consider moving to San Antonio. It is home to the National Historic District of La Vilita, Alama, and the San Antonio River Walk. It is the second largest city in the state, and has an economy which is the envy of some of its neighbors. It has as many as four military bases located there. It is situated extremely close to the Guadalupe river and is home to 35 golf courses and 100 parks. It is one of those cities that is extremely popular with families because it has everything that a big city has to offer while retaining its small town charm.

El Paso
A city that has been awarded the All America City Award, it is a city that is beautiful to live in, and has a diverse background. Residents of El Paso have very little to complain about thanks to the extremely low crime rate, the beautiful landscapes and the lovely Mexican heritage that it encompasses. It is situated along the Rio Grande river that has contributed to its natural beauty and diversity in a huge manner. The city is a haven for party animals and there is almost always a cultural festival going on in the city.

These are some of the best places to live in Texas according to us. The other popular cities that people often choose to migrate to are Arlington, Allen, Flower Mound, Frisco, Carrollton, The Woodlands, Round Rock, and Plano. So, if you are planning on moving to the wonderful state of Texas, do think of the options that we have given you in this article.

[Edited 3/31/11 16:50pm]

Cerebus said:

I will say again, San Diego/lower SoCal and San Francisco/the Bay Area are NOTHING alike. They are two completely different universes.

I can vouch for that. Living in San Diego i have never seen a guy dressed with his upper half in regular men's dress attire and his lower half in ballerina outfit, and be treated like it's completely normal like i saw in San Fran.

The best thing about Dallas tonite is that the Mavericks are playing the Lakers and I'm going.

The best thing about Texas this weekend is that the Final Four is Houston and I'm going.

I've just about managed to parlay sports into a reason for living.

Actually, turns out my scalper had a brainfart and the Mavs aren't here they're IN LA. That fucka!

[Edited 3/31/11 17:13pm]

oceancrayon said:

Cerebus said:

I will say again, San Diego/lower SoCal and San Francisco/the Bay Area are NOTHING alike. They are two completely different universes.

I can vouch for that. Living in San Diego i have never seen a guy dressed with his upper half in regular men's dress attire and his lower half in ballerina outfit, and be treated like it's completely normal like i saw in San Fran.

Well, yeah, there is that. But I was referring to things like weather, geography and demographics across the board. Even the ocean is different there. Cut Cali in half right around Monterey and you've got a pretty good split for two completely different states.

Cerebus said:

oceancrayon said:

I can vouch for that. Living in San Diego i have never seen a guy dressed with his upper half in regular men's dress attire and his lower half in ballerina outfit, and be treated like it's completely normal like i saw in San Fran.

Well, yeah, there is that. But I was referring to things like weather, geography and demographics across the board. Even the ocean is different there. Cut Cali in half right around Monterey and you've got a pretty good split for two completely different states.

yeah but WE got dibs on Monterey... that place is too cool for SoCal...

RenHoek said:

Cerebus said:

Well, yeah, there is that. But I was referring to things like weather, geography and demographics across the board. Even the ocean is different there. Cut Cali in half right around Monterey and you've got a pretty good split for two completely different states.

yeah but WE got dibs on Monterey... that place is too cool for SoCal...

monterey is beautiful, one of my fave. places to go!

Cerebus said:

oceancrayon said:

I can vouch for that. Living in San Diego i have never seen a guy dressed with his upper half in regular men's dress attire and his lower half in ballerina outfit, and be treated like it's completely normal like i saw in San Fran.

Well, yeah, there is that. But I was referring to things like weather, geography and demographics across the board. Even the ocean is different there. Cut Cali in half right around Monterey and you've got a pretty good split for two completely different states.

i agree, so cal, and nor cal are very different!

oceancrayon said:

Cerebus said:

I will say again, San Diego/lower SoCal and San Francisco/the Bay Area are NOTHING alike. They are two completely different universes.

I can vouch for that. Living in San Diego i have never seen a guy dressed with his upper half in regular men's dress attire and his lower half in ballerina outfit, and be treated like it's completely normal like i saw in San Fran.

my very first time in san fran i went for a walk on market street to go to a brazilian place to eat. i couldn't believe my eyes when i saw a giant dancing penis coming my way! i was passing right by a strip club and there was a person dressed up in a penis costume. i will never forget that.

SCNDLS said:

kimrachell said:

SCNDLS, what do you thank of miami? it seems that you get to travel a lot, so i would love to know what you think of miami. also what are the things you love about dallas. i haven't had as much feedback on dallas yet as i would like. thanks so much.

I wasn't gonna post on here cuz of the predictable TX hate from folks who don't live here (except myfavorite but she just spayshul ) but I loves me some Kimmie so I'm happy to help.

I LOVE Miami but I'm single and child-free so what I like about it may not be what you're looking for.

But even as a single gal as much as I adore MIA I wouldn't live there. In a nutshell, too expensive, high crime rate, high unemployment, high foreclosures, bad schools, and almost yearly hurricanes. My mother was the HR Director for a city not too far from MIA for about 15 years and she hated it. And she's from Panama and an international traveler so she fit right in with S Florida culture but it still didn't draw her in. She was in her 60s and complained it was too many old people outside of MIA for her tastes. She built a house in TX and traveled back and forth even before retiring 2 years ago.

As for Dallas, IMO it offers a PERFECT balance of quality of life, especially in the 'burbs. Just look at the fact that Texas leads the nation in folks relocating here and North Texas, where Dallas is, has been among THE fastest growing area in the country for the last decade. However, I personally wouldn't live in Dallas proper if I had kids cuz that school district sucks but most of the surrounding districts are exceptional.

The DISD and a lot of districts are suffering from the same thing every other state in the country is: tight budgets due to collecting less property tax cuz folks don't have jobs or lost their homes. However, our dumb ass gov made things worse by LOWERING property taxes and refusing Obamas money 2 years ago. That aside, the suburbs are doing a lot better.

For me the pros are NO STATE TAX and relatively low property taxes. Lots of space, big houses for low prices. Great weather we've been in 60s/70s since Feb and I don't mind the heat of the summer cuz all buildings have AC and I don't do outside anyway. Regarding utility costs it TOTALLY depends on if you have a newer construction. I own a 4000sq ft home with electricty and gas. Electric bills in winter avg $80 and go as high $300 the 2-3 hottest months of the year which is less than I paid in a 750 sq ft apt.

Good job market cuz TX is very pro-business so lots of headquarters have moved here because there's an educated labor force and low operating costs. LOTS to do, world class shopping, great arts scene, all major/minor music acts pass thru here, lots of sports, lots to do outside if that's your thing.

Many self-contained neighborhoods depending on where you live so you don't have to go far but you WILL need a car we don't have a lot of public transport cuz the city and burbs are HUGE and spread out. Also, Dallas is the hub/headquarters for Southwest and American Airlines and being in the middle of the country you can be in NYC, LA or Jamaica in 3 hrs or Las Vegas, Miami, or Cancun in 2.5 hours.

As for the redneck thing, Dallas although it has its pockets of conservatives (I put that largely on the ultra-rich folks) I've never encountered a redneck or blatant, systemic racism in my decades here. I got nothing but love for the genuinely sweet people here EVEN if you don't agree with their politics. Matter of fact, Obama took Dallas, Collin (where I live), Travis (Austin), and Harris (Houston) counties during the election. These counties are where the majority of the people in the state live and are a more accurate representation of the average Texas rather than the redneck image folks love to cling to. Austin and Houston are much more liberal and I've lived there too, but I'd never move back to either.

So, for me, there are no cons. My money goes further here than it could anywhere else. For example, in 99 I bought a brand new house at the age of 26 when making only 30k a year. You can't do that everywhere. I now work at home and have for the last 10 years so I could easily pick up and move if I felt the need. Matter of fact, I had a job offer to relocate to Miami but turned it down. If you look on any best place to live type list cities in the Dallas area are regularly in the top 10.

Hope this helps!

[Edited 3/31/11 16:40pm]

thank you so much for all of the info.! dallas just might be the place for us. hoping to go visit in june and check things out.

Cerebus said:

Oh for sure we get Monterey. We get Carmel, too. And we should probably keep Big Sur. But they can have everything South of that.

i'm in love with carmel, if i could move there i would! that place is so pretty!

XxAxX said:

kimrachell said:

help me decide, we might have the chance to move to one of these cities Miami Florida, Dallas Texas, Des Moines Iowa, San Diego California. If you could/had to pick one to live in for the next several years which one would you choose? and why? i've been looking up info. about each place, such as crime rate, cost of living, schools, etc...but can't seem to decide. right now we live in the bay area of california.

i'd choose san diego. you already live in san fran so you already know about high costs of san diego. but, you also probably know it's a total blast of a city. i lived in san francisco and loved it but would choose san diego over there. after that, i've heard dallas is pretty cool. i've been to des moines, imo it is not exciting, but it's a good solid place to work and raise a family. miami would scare me with the crime rate, but i bet it's a total blast of a city. just my 2c. good luck!

yeah, i agree....not sure that miami would be the best place to raise our son. the crime seems pretty bad there! i wonder if orlando florida would be better, his job just gave us that option as well.

kimrachell said:

XxAxX said:

i'd choose san diego. you already live in san fran so you already know about high costs of san diego. but, you also probably know it's a total blast of a city. i lived in san francisco and loved it but would choose san diego over there. after that, i've heard dallas is pretty cool. i've been to des moines, imo it is not exciting, but it's a good solid place to work and raise a family. miami would scare me with the crime rate, but i bet it's a total blast of a city. just my 2c. good luck!

yeah, i agree....not sure that miami would be the best place to raise our son. the crime seems pretty bad there! i wonder if orlando florida would be better, his job just gave us that option as well.

At least you'd have a Dinsneyland(world)! Orlando does seem like it might be a good choice for you if its more affordable. I'll not speak on Dallas. I'll only say I'm not a big fan of Texas.

I would move to Carmel if they had jobs and stuff to do there that I liked. The beauty is awesome, but its not quite enough for me at this point in my life.

Cerebus said:

kimrachell said:

the bay area is very beautiful, i love it here, you can never get bored living here, because there is always some place you can go for entertainment. so many fun places to take kids. it's really a perfect area for us. but the cost is just too much. we can't afford it here.

I know the bay area is not inexpensive, but it makes me sad that it could be expensive as to cause people to leave. I've lived in ten different states and I've visited all of them. I'm not just being a homer when I saw I really don't think there's anyplace better than the Bay Area. We have everything either at our fingertips or a short drive away. .... OK, I wish I could have stayed living in Hawaii, but that place really IS expensive.

i wish we could stay in the bay area, but for the same price or several hundred dollars cheaper per month than we pay here we could live a lot better quality of life some place else.

kimrachell said:

Cerebus said:

I know the bay area is not inexpensive, but it makes me sad that it could be expensive as to cause people to leave. I've lived in ten different states and I've visited all of them. I'm not just being a homer when I saw I really don't think there's anyplace better than the Bay Area. We have everything either at our fingertips or a short drive away. .... OK, I wish I could have stayed living in Hawaii, but that place really IS expensive.

i wish we could stay in the bay area, but for the same price or several hundred dollars cheaper per month than we pay here we could live a lot better quality of life some place else.

If this is something you guys are set on, or that you have to do, I don't want to get into a debate about it, or be negative. I'd rather focus on just chatting about the places you could end up. But I will say that less rent or lower monthly bills do not necessarily equal better quality of life.

Cerebus said:

kimrachell said:

yeah, i agree....not sure that miami would be the best place to raise our son. the crime seems pretty bad there! i wonder if orlando florida would be better, his job just gave us that option as well.

At least you'd have a Dinsneyland(world)! Orlando does seem like it might be a good choice for you if its more affordable. I'll not speak on Dallas. I'll only say I'm not a big fan of Texas.

I would move to Carmel if they had jobs and stuff to do there that I liked. The beauty is awesome, but its not quite enough for me at this point in my life.

carmel would be perfect for me, maybe one day we can retire there if we hit the lottery?

orlando looks like a good option, i don't know much about it, so i need to look more into the area.

right now i'm really split between texas and florida. we are going to visit both places during the summer and then make up our minds.

Cerebus said:

kimrachell said:

i wish we could stay in the bay area, but for the same price or several hundred dollars cheaper per month than we pay here we could live a lot better quality of life some place else.

If this is something you guys are set on, or that you have to do, I don't want to get into a debate about it, or be negative. I'd rather focus on just chatting about the places you could end up. But I will say that less rent or lower monthly bills do not necessarily equal better quality of life.

this is true,

kimrachell said:

SCNDLS said:

I wasn't gonna post on here cuz of the predictable TX hate from folks who don't live here (except myfavorite but she just spayshul ) but I loves me some Kimmie so I'm happy to help.

I LOVE Miami but I'm single and child-free so what I like about it may not be what you're looking for.

But even as a single gal as much as I adore MIA I wouldn't live there. In a nutshell, too expensive, high crime rate, high unemployment, high foreclosures, bad schools, and almost yearly hurricanes. My mother was the HR Director for a city not too far from MIA for about 15 years and she hated it. And she's from Panama and an international traveler so she fit right in with S Florida culture but it still didn't draw her in. She was in her 60s and complained it was too many old people outside of MIA for her tastes. She built a house in TX and traveled back and forth even before retiring 2 years ago.

As for Dallas, IMO it offers a PERFECT balance of quality of life, especially in the 'burbs. Just look at the fact that Texas leads the nation in folks relocating here and North Texas, where Dallas is, has been among THE fastest growing area in the country for the last decade. However, I personally wouldn't live in Dallas proper if I had kids cuz that school district sucks but most of the surrounding districts are exceptional.

The DISD and a lot of districts are suffering from the same thing every other state in the country is: tight budgets due to collecting less property tax cuz folks don't have jobs or lost their homes. However, our dumb ass gov made things worse by LOWERING property taxes and refusing Obamas money 2 years ago. That aside, the suburbs are doing a lot better.

For me the pros are NO STATE TAX and relatively low property taxes. Lots of space, big houses for low prices. Great weather we've been in 60s/70s since Feb and I don't mind the heat of the summer cuz all buildings have AC and I don't do outside anyway. Regarding utility costs it TOTALLY depends on if you have a newer construction. I own a 4000sq ft home with electricty and gas. Electric bills in winter avg $80 and go as high $300 the 2-3 hottest months of the year which is less than I paid in a 750 sq ft apt.

Good job market cuz TX is very pro-business so lots of headquarters have moved here because there's an educated labor force and low operating costs. LOTS to do, world class shopping, great arts scene, all major/minor music acts pass thru here, lots of sports, lots to do outside if that's your thing.

Many self-contained neighborhoods depending on where you live so you don't have to go far but you WILL need a car we don't have a lot of public transport cuz the city and burbs are HUGE and spread out. Also, Dallas is the hub/headquarters for Southwest and American Airlines and being in the middle of the country you can be in NYC, LA or Jamaica in 3 hrs or Las Vegas, Miami, or Cancun in 2.5 hours.

As for the redneck thing, Dallas although it has its pockets of conservatives (I put that largely on the ultra-rich folks) I've never encountered a redneck or blatant, systemic racism in my decades here. I got nothing but love for the genuinely sweet people here EVEN if you don't agree with their politics. Matter of fact, Obama took Dallas, Collin (where I live), Travis (Austin), and Harris (Houston) counties during the election. These counties are where the majority of the people in the state live and are a more accurate representation of the average Texas rather than the redneck image folks love to cling to. Austin and Houston are much more liberal and I've lived there too, but I'd never move back to either.

So, for me, there are no cons. My money goes further here than it could anywhere else. For example, in 99 I bought a brand new house at the age of 26 when making only 30k a year. You can't do that everywhere. I now work at home and have for the last 10 years so I could easily pick up and move if I felt the need. Matter of fact, I had a job offer to relocate to Miami but turned it down. If you look on any best place to live type list cities in the Dallas area are regularly in the top 10.

Hope this helps!

[Edited 3/31/11 16:40pm]

thank you so much for all of the info.! dallas just might be the place for us. hoping to go visit in june and check things out.

No problem. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Here's a site with some comments about my hometown. I think you can also lookup different cities to get demographics and relocation info.

http://www.bestplaces.net...p=54801924

One mo thing: It seems like almost every day on the news, some city/town in North Texas is getting some new accolade or mention on Best list. This was the latest one I heard that was kinda funny but I guess would be kinda important to parents. Frisco is North of Dallas and right next to Allen.

Frisco gets another national nod for its sports offerings. The April issue of Men's Journal, which hits newsstands on Friday, includes our fair city in its annual list of Best Places to Live. Frisco is named as the Best Place to Raise an Athlete.

According to a news release, "the editors selected 18 towns that they believed have mastered the art of living well in the 21st century by prioritizing localism, sustainability and conservation. They also took into account other factors, such as cost of living and the number of sunny days per year." On Frisco, the magazine writes:

One of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. hit its stride via an ingenious formula: Build state-of-the-art sports venues to attract professional teams, then use the tax boon to create a fi scally healthy paradise for jocks. The result: a booming and hyper active community of soccer moms and baseball dads whose offspring are involved in countless athletic programs and have superb places to play. Frisco, 25 miles north of Dallas, soared from 33,000 to 110,000 and has a median age of 32. Revenue from the minor-league ballpark, hockey arena, and MLS soccer stadium gets recycled to benefit parks, bike paths, public art and a historic downtown.

[Edited 3/31/11 23:55pm]

SCNDLS said:

Best Places to Live

I'd like to point out that Ames, Iowa (which I mentioned being very close to Des Moines) is #9 on that list.

If the people who live here get bored, they have only themselves to blame. Besides Iowa State's cultural and athletic offerings, Ames boasts 36 parks, a bustling shopping district, and a new aquatic center.

Sports are big in this town: The high school boys basketball team, girls tennis team, and girls golf team are state champions. But the friendliness of the community is what newcomers tend to remark upon most.

Says Craig McFarland, 55, a financial adviser who moved here with his family in 2006: "Our first day, a neighbor came over with cookies." --Anne Lee

kimrachell said:

Cerebus said:

At least you'd have a Dinsneyland(world)! Orlando does seem like it might be a good choice for you if its more affordable. I'll not speak on Dallas. I'll only say I'm not a big fan of Texas.

I would move to Carmel if they had jobs and stuff to do there that I liked. The beauty is awesome, but its not quite enough for me at this point in my life.

carmel would be perfect for me, maybe one day we can retire there if we hit the lottery?

orlando looks like a good option, i don't know much about it, so i need to look more into the area.

right now i'm really split between texas and florida. we are going to visit both places during the summer and then make up our minds.

sorry but the thing that keeps us from moving to Florida is it's Florida...

It would appear that every time some crazy ass news story comes out about some shockingly depraved criminal shit goin' down there is always a higher proportion of that stuff going down in Florida...

Truly the ONLY good thing I can think of in Florida is JerseyKRS, PunkMistress and that soon the Mdiver/Shanti clan will be moving there... (sorry if I forgot anyone...)

This is, of course, all tempered by the fact that it's also the former home of Sagsway2low/TheVoid/Imago and he may return someday...