Opinions on Austin, TX, anyone?

[kmd24]

Background:
A couple of years ago I started doing freelance mobile development. Last year I quit my job, and I'm working remotely developing iOS and Android apps. I live in a technical backwater, and I'm considering a move to a location with a better tech scene and more programmers to work with. I know that the SF Bay area is tops when it comes to tech scene, but I'm not interested in moving out there for a few reasons, most notably the cost of living.

Some of the places I'm currently considering are Austin, TX; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Boulder, CO; and Portland, OR.

I figure there must be some folks here that spent time in Austin - either at UT or otherwise.

I'd be interested in your take on the city. In particular, I'd appreciate answers to any of the following questions:

• How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?
• What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?
• What are some fun activities for families in Austin?
• What do you like best about living in the city?
• What do you dislike the most about living in the city?
• What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?
• Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
• Any other comments you feel like adding.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Background:
A couple of years ago I started doing freelance mobile development. Last year I quit my job, and I'm working remotely developing iOS and Android apps. I live in a technical backwater, and I'm considering a move to a location with a better tech scene and more programmers to work with. I know that the SF Bay area is tops when it comes to tech scene, but I'm not interested in moving out there for a few reasons, most notably the cost of living.

Some of the places I'm currently considering are Austin, TX; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Boulder, CO; and Portland, OR.

I figure there must be some folks here that spent time in Austin - either at UT or otherwise.

I'd be interested in your take on the city. In particular, I'd appreciate answers to any of the following questions:

• How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?
• What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?
• What are some fun activities for families in Austin?
• What do you like best about living in the city?
• What do you dislike the most about living in the city?
• What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?
• Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
• Any other comments you feel like adding.

*]How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?

It's sunny most days even during the winter. It gets cold and rarely snows. last year we hit a record of how many days consecutive it reached over 100 degrees.
[*]What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?


It all depends on where you go in terms of demographics. Mostly the better socio-economic areas you live in, the better the schools.... just like anywhere else. I will say some of the public schools, scratch that, most of them are not very good. I would do vast research in this area if it were me.

[*]What are some fun activities for families in Austin?


We eat out more than any other city. Downtown is always a nice place to visit parks and walk around town lake. There is just as much here as almost any other city that isn't land locked.

[*]What do you like best about living in the city?


Hawt wimmen.

[*]What do you dislike the most about living in the city?

The police are corrupt... at least I feel our police chief is a scumbag.
[*]What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?

It's like being overwhelmed by UT fans.
[*]Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.

You can't compare these cities... very different. Just like DFW is different from Houston. Or even FW is different from dallas, etc.
[*]Any other comments you feel like adding.


You guys are driving up the cost of living.

 

[Kangaroo]

Background:
A couple of years ago I started doing freelance mobile development. Last year I quit my job, and I'm working remotely developing iOS and Android apps. I live in a technical backwater, and I'm considering a move to a location with a better tech scene and more programmers to work with. I know that the SF Bay area is tops when it comes to tech scene, but I'm not interested in moving out there for a few reasons, most notably the cost of living.

Some of the places I'm currently considering are Austin, TX; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Boulder, CO; and Portland, OR.

I figure there must be some folks here that spent time in Austin - either at UT or otherwise.

I'd be interested in your take on the city. In particular, I'd appreciate answers to any of the following questions:

• How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?
• What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?
• What are some fun activities for families in Austin?
• What do you like best about living in the city?
• What do you dislike the most about living in the city?
• What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?
• Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
• Any other comments you feel like adding.

Ok I did not live in Austin I had some friends that did and I spent my first 5 years of my Army reserve career making that 1+ hour drive and i go through the area still to see my parents. So I know some things about the area.

• How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny? Sunny a lot Hot dry most the time have a 50% chance of wearing shorts in Dec
• What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?
• This deepnds on where you move when you say Austin there is a lot of cities include in that area much like Houston/DFW so it depends on where you live.
• What are some fun activities for families in Austin?
• Round rock express, short drives to some great camping area and hiking trails, near buy caves, 5 lakes in Austin area
• What do you like best about living in the city?
• It is kind of a Big city but also has a more laid back feel to it because you have the State Capital and UT their kind of hard to say but way different than Houston (I have lived here like 15 years now) or visiting Dallas.
• What do you dislike the most about living in the city?
• Traffic can be bad but that has gotten better with the toll roads and some roads that took them 20 years to build.
• What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area? That is generally Cowboy Country
• Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
• I say it has an almost laid back feel to Austin at times compared to the hustle of Houston or Dallas. Also they have more Bike friendly roads in the city (not all but more than I have seen anywhere else)
• Any other comments you feel like adding.
• Some of the nicer areas of Austin you may want to check out is Round Rock, Georgetown, Flugerville, Manor are some burb places to check out for housing etc. Some commute from smaller places like Leander more country like (But even they have grown a lot over the last 15 years)

Hope that helps

 

[rkell87]

How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?

sunny most of the time, rains rarely, gets cold but not for long
What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?

can't comment
What are some fun activities for families in Austin?

so many things especially if you are out doors type, the bats under the bridge, the lake, so many parks, go float the river in san marcos is 30 minutes away, new braunfels and schlitterbahn is 45 minutes away and so much more
What do you like best about living in the city?

just about everything, the night life, the people, the sights, the food and more
What do you dislike the most about living in the city?

traffic at rush hour, the city wasn't designed to be as big as it is, also it rains so rarely that everybody seems to be afraid of it, everybody forgets how to drive.
What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?

it's nice, because of its proximity to san antonio and they have a huge cowboys fan base, plus it isn't too far to go see training camp if it is in san antonio
Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
Any other comments you feel like adding.


well both of those places are in the top fattest cities in america while austin is one of the fittest(UT co-eds really help here) along with one of the greenest. I lived in all three places now and I can honestly say that austin is the place I want to be if I had a choice. it is obvious you have done your homework on which cities are tops in the tech industry so I won't comment there. DFW has pretty places but it doesn't compare to austin, houston isn't even in the discussion on that one

 

[kmp77]

Background:
A couple of years ago I started doing freelance mobile development. Last year I quit my job, and I'm working remotely developing iOS and Android apps. I live in a technical backwater, and I'm considering a move to a location with a better tech scene and more programmers to work with. I know that the SF Bay area is tops when it comes to tech scene, but I'm not interested in moving out there for a few reasons, most notably the cost of living.

Some of the places I'm currently considering are Austin, TX; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Boulder, CO; and Portland, OR.

I figure there must be some folks here that spent time in Austin - either at UT or otherwise.

I'd be interested in your take on the city. In particular, I'd appreciate answers to any of the following questions:

• How's the weather? In particular, how often is it sunny?
• What's your opinion on the elementary and secondary schools?
• What are some fun activities for families in Austin?
• What do you like best about living in the city?
• What do you dislike the most about living in the city?
• What's it like being a Cowboys fan in the area?
• Comparisons to Houston/DFW welcome. I've lived significant stretches in both.
• Any other comments you feel like adding.

I work for one of the largest mobile developers in the world here in Austin. I love Austin. I just wish it was more affordable to live close to downtown though Food here is great and crime is relatively low.

Weather? Record days at 100+ last year Winter is 'cool'...didn't really get that cold this year. I'm scared what summer is bringing.

Schools? No idea on secondary schools. I don't have kids.

Family fun? Schliterbaun (sp) is down I 35. Huge waterpark. Hiking, biking, etc. is big here.

Dislike? Traffic is bad. Just because the town is so small but with a million people...the roads get jammed. But not really THAT bad if you can live within a few miles of work.

Cowboys fan? Way too many "cool" people here. I haven't meet another Cowboys fan in the 6 years I've been here. I've barely meet any other football fans. I work in the tech industry so mostly nerdy or cool types which don't usually follow sports.

Houston? I moved here from Houston. I'd never move back to Houston. I love Austin (Big town with small town feel).

Cost of living? It's the same about any other place in Texas. If you live away from downtown it's average. My apt is pretty nice, 2 br/2 bth, garage, w/d....$1k month. Living in newer places closer to town will be $1,500 ish.

 

[kmd24]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Lived in Houston for a year about a decade ago and nearly ended up separated because my wife hated it so much. Really appreciate the comparison there.

 

[kmp77]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Lived in Houston for a year about a decade ago and nearly ended up separated because my wife hated it so much. Really appreciate the comparison there.

Houston and Austin are totally different. Austin has that small town vibe but with the big city advantages. Can't really compare the two.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Houston and Austin are totally different. Austin has that small town vibe but with the big city advantages. Can't really compare the two.

Austin is where hippies and Cowboys intersect, and even hang out together.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Lived in Houston for a year about a decade ago and nearly ended up separated because my wife hated it so much. Really appreciate the comparison there.

Sorry Houstonians, but Austin has way more class that your city.

 

[Rynie]

Go eat at Hoppdoddy's Burger Bar on Congress. Get a fried-egg on your burger. That is my only contribution.

 

[DFWJC]

That's a cool list of cities. You'd probably enjoy any of them.
Portland doesn't get much sunshine though.

Austin, Raleigh-Durham, and Boulder.....not bad! They definintely have some simularities.
I have friends that have lived in all four and I lived in R-D for a good while.
I'm a bit envious.