Which is the better city to live in: Dallas or Houston?
Here are a few quick facts about each city.
Quick Dallas Facts
In 2018, Dallas’ estimated population was said to be 1,345,047 (Bureau of U.S. Census).
That makes Dallas the third most populous city in Texas, Houston and San Antonio being first and second. It’s also the ninth most populous city in the U.S.
The City is described as a “beta(+)” global city. The economy is highly diverse, while the main sectors are defense, information technology, financial services, transportation and telecommunications.
Quick Houston Facts
The estimated population of Houston as of 2018 was said to be 2,325,502 (Bureau of U.S. Census). This makes it the most populous city in the state of Texas. It’s also the fourth most populous city in the U.S.
The City was founded in 1836 by land speculators.
The name is taken from the former General – Sam Houston.
Sam Houston won independence from Mexico for Texas at the Battle of San Jacinto on 21 April, 1836.
Advantages of Living in Dallas
It is said that in Texas, everything is bigger and everything is better. Well, you could say that they are right about the first part – in Texas, everything is BIG. The homes, the cars, the personalities: BIG.
When you come to Dallas, it’s all about full-swing Southern charm. It’s a great city, with plenty to love about it.
1 City of opportunity
There is consistent job growth in Dallas.
A number of the largest companies worldwide are headquartered in the City, inclusive of ExxonMobil, AT&T, Southwest Airlines, and JCPenny.
2 Cost of living
According to bestplaces.com, the cost of living in Dallas, on average, is quite a bit above the national average.
So, how can this possibly be an advantage with regards to living here?
Essentially, on the bestplaces.com scale, the average cost of living for the U.S. is 100. The average for the state of Texas is 101.8. The average for Dallas is 107.7.
It’s not so much about the cost of housing that is high in Dallas in comparison to the national average. The cost of housing is almost the same as the U.S. national average.
The cost of groceries are quite a bit cheaper in Dallas than the national average and the state average.
Have a look at bestplaces for more info.
3 Top schools
Education is taken seriously here.
As such, for families that are relocating to Dallas, you can be assured that in Dallas, there’s some of the best education available in the entire country.
Here is a list of the best elementary, middle and high schools in Dallas.
4 Southern hospitality
People that live in Dallas tend to have a laid-back and friendly attitude to life.
It’s easy to make friends here.
The general rule is that Southerners enjoy being sociable. Regardless that Dallas is a big city, there’s still plenty of “neighborliness.”
5 Famous sports teams and things to do and see in Dallas
There are always plenty of things to do and see in any sizable city, and Dallas, like Houston, is no different.
In terms of sports and famous teams belonging to Dallas, there’s the Dallas Cowboys (football), Dallas Mavericks (basketball), FC Dallas (soccer), Dallas Stars (ice hockey).
Otherwise, here is an extensive list of things to see and do in Dallas.
Disadvantages of Living in Dallas
No city life is without some disadvantages. And it’s no different in Dallas.
Here are a few of the major disadvantages of living in Dallas.
1 The traffic
Most cities suffer from traffic congestion. And Dallas is no different.
The City may have some of the best in terms of highways and roadway systems nationwide, but the congestion problem doesn’t just go away.
Regardless of how good your traffic system, as one of the largest cities in the U.S., traffic congestion is always going to be a problem. At least for the foreseeable future.
2 Public transport
Dallas, as a city, is not walkable. But that doesn’t mean that public transport is good. It’s not.
Public transport in this city is not very reliable.
There’s the Area Rapid Transport light rail system, otherwise known as DART.
This, the DART light rail, is ideal for commuters and for tourists. It runs every 10 minutes throughout rush-hour time. However, outside of rush hours, the DART journeys at only twice per hour.
Buses in Dallas are pretty decent. But if you’re traveling across City, chances are you’ll have to change a few times.
3 Crime rate
According to bestplaces.net, when it comes to crime stats, Dallas isn’t looking too good. Though it pales in comparison to Houston.
On a scale where one is extremely low and 100 is extremely high, property crime for Dallas currently stands at 50.7. The national average for property crimes is 35.4.
Violent crime? Dallas stands at 37.0 on the scale for violent crime. The national average for violent crime is 22.7.
4 Tropical storms
The state of Texas experiences the most tropical storms in all of the U.S.
5 Mosquitoes
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas’ mosquito problem is among the worst in the entire country.
Advantages of Living in Houston
Along with its sprawling 627 square miles, the Bayou City is still growing. It’s a very ethnically-diverse city with a highly thriving job market, an affordable cost of living, an eclectic food scene, and a whole lot to do.
1 Thriving job market
For many of its new residents, it’s the thriving job market that is the biggest draw.
The major industries here are oil and gas, healthcare, aerospace and manufacturing. But there are many other big-industry players, too.
2 Cost of living
Though the overall cost of living here, according to bestplaces.net, is, in fact, a little higher than the national average, and ever so slightly higher than the state average, we’ve included the cost of living in Houston as being an advantage.
Why an advantage?
Because the cost of housing is actually lower than the national average and lower than the state average.
The cost of groceries in Houston, on average, are quite a bit cheaper than elsewhere, too.
Cost of utilities – again, cheaper in Houston than the national and the state averages.
3 Green
Houston is a “green” city. It has more than 50,000 acres of park land, and that’s inside the city limits.
More recently, the City has seen an extensive transformation in terms of its green spaces. They’ve added new parks and beautified older ones.
There are more biking and nature trails now, too – more than at anytime previously.
4 Sports teams and things to do and see in Houston
There are always plenty of things to do and see in any sizable city, and Houston is no different.
In terms of sports and famous teams belonging to Houston, there’s the Houston Rockets (NBA), the Astros (MLB), the Houston Rockets (NBA), and the Houston Dynamo (soccer).
Otherwise, here is an extensive list of things to see and do in Houston.
Disadvantages of Living in Houston, Texas
1 The traffic
Houston suffers from traffic congestion, as does Dallas.
Houston, as is Dallas, is a sprawling metropolis. There are bound to be traffic-congestion problems.
The freeway system in Houston (and Dallas) is already huge, and it constantly expands. However, you can say the same about the population.
2 Public transport
It’s a major city, and yet, just like Dallas, it’s well behind in terms of public transportation.
Fortuitously, in recent years, there have been some improvements – namely, the METRORail light rail system.
This light rail system offers park and ride services for downtown commuters.
All the same, with a couple of major airports, it’s easy to travel domestically and internationally.
There’s the George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport to the north of Houston. This is a hub for United Airlines.
And there’s the William P. Hobby International Airport to the southeast of central Houston. This airport serves as a hub for Southwest Airlines.
3 Tropical storms
The state of Texas is regarded as being the worst state in the U.S. in terms of the amount of tropical storms experienced.
4 Crime rate
According to bestplaces.net, when it comes to crime stats, Houston, like Dallas, isn’t looking too good.
On a scale where one is extremely low and 100 is extremely high, property crime for Houston currently stands at 63.2. The national average for property crimes is 35.4.
Violent crime? Dallas stands at 37.0 on the scale for violent crime. Houston, though, is rated at 50.4 on the scale for violent crime. The national average for violent crime is 22.7.
5 Mosquitoes
With heat and humidity comes an ideal breeding ground for the mosquitoes.
Image by David Mark from Pixabay