As the first step in my search for a livable place across the US, I took a trip to Texas a week before Labor Day. I'd heard so many stories about Texas and decided to experience it for myself. The itinerary was: Dallas/Fort Worth -> Austin -> San Antonio -> Houston.
Overall, my biggest impression was how good the food was! Ah~, Dallas and Houston have so many delicious restaurants, it felt like being back in China. Personally, I felt it was much better than Seattle, and even better than the Bay Area and LA. Most of the Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, and eateries are located in one plaza, which is very convenient and convenient. Especially in Dallas, they are not only clustered together but also very spacious and close to residential areas.
Another feeling was the heat. Although the latitude is similar to Hangzhou, it felt like tropical heat. While it wasn't unbearable, it was basically impossible to do any outdoor activities during the day. However, almost every household has a swimming pool. I asked some locals, and they said that building a pool in the yard isn't very expensive, so I guess people just sunbathe and soak in the water during the summer.
Another characteristic of Texas is that it's quite boring. There are basically no mountains or rivers, and not much to do. Austin has a river, but it's just a river. The Hills are just ordinary mountains, but they're considered quite special by locals. San Antonio also has a canal similar to the Hangzhou Canal, but it's not very long. It's a nice place for tourism, but you'd probably get tired of it if you lived there long-term. Other than that, it feels like there's nothing else.
If you don't mind the heat and boredom, Texas is indeed a great state. It has no income tax, and housing prices aren't high. Although it has extremely high property taxes, the low housing prices make it manageable; you can basically buy a very nice house for 0k, compared to about .5 million for a house in the Bay Area or Seattle. Since the property tax includes an education tax, its schools are generally good.
In my opinion, Dallas > Houston > Austin; San Antonio is completely out of the question. The characteristics of these cities are as follows:
Dallas
Dallas should be the top choice in Texas. Firstly, housing prices haven't skyrocketed yet, and secondly, the food is truly excellent and convenient, probably among the best in the US. Schools and other facilities are also very good. While driving, I noticed many plots of land were being planned for housing development, suggesting that housing prices won't skyrocket in the short term, given the sufficient supply and high property taxes.
Another reason to recommend Dallas is that it offers many non-IT job opportunities in industries such as banking and telecommunications. It's also unaffected by hurricanes.
Houston
The reason I put Houston second is because there are many Chinese supermarkets and restaurants, but Houston is really too big. It takes 30 minutes to get anywhere, and the traffic is very bad, which is very inconvenient. In addition, you can feel that driving in Houston is particularly difficult. First, the local roads are narrow and not very smooth, and second, the drivers are very aggressive and often squeeze in and out of traffic.
Houston has top-notch medical care in the US, so it seems like a good place to retire. However, hurricanes do come every year.
Austin
I had heard many stories about Austin before, how various tech companies moved there, how it was a great place to live, etc., but I was very disappointed after coming here this time.
The city is very small; you can drive out of town in 10 minutes, and once you leave, it's quite dilapidated. There are almost no Chinese restaurants, so life there seems very inconvenient. Also, Austin's housing prices have gone up; a decent apartment would cost around million, which doesn't seem very cost-effective.
Austin is more suitable for young people, with several universities and some bars along the river, but bars in the US are really not suitable for Chinese people, so it's not a plus for me at all.
postscript
I had a pretty good impression of Texas overall, but aside from the food, I didn't feel a strong urge to move there. Later, I'll visit Raleigh in North Carolina and Denver. Right now, my ideal place is basically: Seattle, Virginia, Texas, and Denver. However, housing prices in Denver and Seattle are already very high, and Texas and Virginia are too boring. It's a tough decision!
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Original author:Jake Tao,source:"A week in Texas"
Comment list (6 items)
We've been searching for a suitable place to live across the US. We lived in the Bay Area for five years; it was incredibly crowded and smoky. In 2020, we lived in Austin for a year; the summers were humid and hot all day, making outdoor activities almost impossible, and there were tons of mosquitoes and severe street noise. We bought property in New Hampshire and lived there for a year. We've been living in Raleigh for six months now; the trees are very tall, limiting the view, but otherwise it's fine. We haven't experienced a summer yet.
In my opinion, high housing prices aren't a big deal; finding a suitable place is already a good thing. The road noise, car speeds, and housing design concepts in the US make me want to go back to China. Also, starting a business—I believe that a native language is essential for a successful business environment. Mainland immigrants learn English too late.
My rankings are generally consistent, except for Houston, which I consider number one because it's just an hour away with abundant (saltwater) fishing resources. However, I've also heard from friends about their terrifying experiences in Houston.
NoVA is great! It feels like tech companies are slowly taking off, and it's just one step away from becoming the #1 nightclub in America.
Just finished visiting Houston; Chinatown was amazing, and the nearby bay with its abundant fishing spots was just an hour away. However, I've also heard from a friend about his terrifying experience in Houston. So far, I feel Nova is better; it's not as boring. DC has the #1 nightclub in the US! That's a reason for this Hangzhou native to be here.
@York ：Hurricanes are so common in Texas, it feels like there are more than typhoons in Hangzhou, and Houston is the most affected. Nova is currently the most suitable place to live overall, but the problem is job opportunities and population structure. Several western cities are much better in this regard, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Welcome to Texas. I genuinely love Colorado. Snow-capped mountains are everywhere. The high-altitude air is refreshingly cool. The beauty is breathtaking. Especially driving from neighboring Utah, once you enter Colorado, the fertile soil and lush vegetation immediately come into view. There are also many outdoor activities. It's not as vast as Alaska. Denver wasn't that great, but some of the surrounding smaller towns, like Bolder and Colorado Springs, were much better. Just my personal opinion.
@Ting ：Housing prices near Denver are a bit too high. That makes it less worthwhile.