MovingSouth

I currently live in the Northeast and I'm looking to relocate. I'm looking for a strong economy. I'm moving without a job lined up, so I want a place where I can find a job quickly. I'm also looking for a place where I can live as a non-driver. I don't drive (medical reasons, will never be able to drive). And I want a low cost of living. I've narrowed it down to these 3 cities and I'm looking for advice.

Phoenix is my dream city. But the unemployment rate (just below 7%) is the highest out of the 3 cities I listed. However, the unemployment rate is much lower in Phoenix compared to where I currently live. I also prefer a desert climate, so Phoenix wins in that category. Phoenix has the light rail. They also have buses on all the arterial streets that run every 15 or 30 minutes.

Houston has the strongest economy. The current unemployment rate is just below 6%. They also have a lot of jobs in my field. Like I said, I prefer a desert climate. But I wouldn't mind Houston's humid climate either. My biggest thing is wanting a warm climate.

Dallas: At 6.3% unemployment, the economy is somewhere between Houston and Phoenix.

As far as the Texas cities are concerned, Dallas has a better rail system. But it appears Houston has the better bus system.

tomfuller

You might want to add Albuquerque to your list. (5.8%).
They also have a good bus system and the UNM is along Central Avenue which was the old Rt. 66. http://www.bestplaces.net/city/new_mexico/albuquerque
My advice would be to spend 4 days M-Th in each city looking for a job. Sometime Friday head for the next city whether by bus or Amtrak.
The drawback to Phoenix is that it no longer has a direct Amtrak connection. The Amtrak trains pick up and discharge in AZ in the middle of the night.
Good luck on your job hunt.

DebitNM

What is your profession? That may make a big difference.

Albuquerque has high rates of unemployment for most types of workers - I don't care about published % since that doesn't include people who have given up looking for work and are underemployed. aAlbuquerque has a definite winter, with cold but sunny days, very cold, below freezing nights and we do get snow.

If you need medical care, ABQ isn't the best place for it. Not enough doctors and waits to see the ones that accept new patients.

travelgourmet

Between Dallas and Houston, I would choose Houston every time. More down-to-earth. Cost of living should be broadly comparable between all 3 cities.

Agree that profession may be the deciding factor.

MovingSouth

The field I'm hoping to get into is GIS, and I also have some experience with urban planning. I recently graduated college and I'm not currently working in my field. I'm doing unrelated temp work through a temp agency right now. But I'm waiting to hear back about an internship in my field (the internship is up north, where I currently live).

I'm not moving immediately, but I plan on moving in the near future. And I'm willing to work outside my field. I'm even willing to work a minimum wage job while I get on my feet in a new city.

It's ironic that someone mentioned Albuquerque. I went to college in New Mexico (but my college was in Las Cruces). I realize none of the cities I listed are known for their public transportation. But I got by in Las Cruces without a car. If I could live without a car in Las Cruces, it would be a cakewalk to live without a car in Phoenix/Houston/Dallas.

travelgourmet

Well, there is certainly a lot of GIS work in the Houston area.

Personally, I wouldn't even entertain the thought of living in any of those cities without a car.

sf7307

What is GIS?

travelgourmet

What is GIS?

Geographic Information System. Basically mapping on steroids that integrates a lot of data, using the location (both in space and time) as the key variable upon which everything else revolves. Useful for things like urban (or rural) planning, space exploration, pollution remediation, and mineral extraction.

BigRuss

>

Sheeyoot, between Dallas and Houston, I'd take Dallas every time and twice on Sundays. Houston is just an unholy transportation and urban planning mess (no zoning) and the humidity makes it a hellhole in the summer - 98 in Houston is worse than 103 in Dallas (although 110 in Phoenix is another story). The whole "uptight/laid back" issue is just nonsense. Houston also gets hurricanes on occasion, Dallas doesn't. And Houston's violent crime rate is 43% higher than Dallas'.

No Southern city of significant size has transportation options equivalent to NY, Chicago, Boston, Philly or DC, and none of the places you're considering are equivalent to Las Cruces - they're all far larger and you likely won't be concentrating your activities in the area of a college campus. If you have time, travel to each this summer and spend a few days. Start in Phoenix or Dallas with Houston in the middle (thinking Southwest flights - from Dallas you can't go nonstop to Phoenix, from Houston you can).

MovingSouth

There's something else that might be worth mentioning: Even though I'm from the Northeast, I haven't been "spoiled" by NYC or Boston's public transportation system. My time in the Northeast has been spent exclusively in small towns.

bigtyke

As the father of a son looking for GIS work, I would select Houston

MovingSouth

Oh and I've visited Phoenix twice. Only been to the airport in Dallas and Houston.

maryanntex

Having lived in both Dallas and Houston, I've got to chime in here and say that I think Big Russ's assessment is waaaaay off base. I'm not sure why he's so negative about Houston, but I absolutely love it here. Granted, we have humidity that Dallas doesn't--not that Dallas's weather is all that great in the summer, either--but apart from that, it's no contest. Houston wins over Dallas by a landslide!

sheri_lp

Yeah I was trying to think about public transport. Phoenix has been developing it, but I think that would be so important to you.

I lived there for several years, and it's not for everyone - the heat finally drove me out.

I was never quite the same after it was 120 degrees on the same day that my car AC broke. Having a swimming pool saved me that day...

MovingSouth

^

Regarding the heat in Phoenix: I think I should be able to handle it. I spent a couple of summers in Las Cruces. Granted, the summers in Phoenix last longer and get hotter. But I think the hottest day in Las Cruces is comparable to an average day in Phoenix. Las Cruces is typically in the 90s during the summer, but it gets into the triple digits on the hottest days. There was a time when I spent the entire day at an outdoor concert when it was 102 in Las Cruces. From what I've read online, it looks like the average high in Phoenix is around 104 in the summer.

DebitNM

If Las Cruces is like ABQ, we get hot during the day but once the sun goes down, the temps drop 30 degrees. , Phoenix doesn't cool off at night during the hottest months. I have been in PHX when it was still high 90s at midnight. And the hot lasts a lot longer in PHX.

WhereAreWe

Las Cruces is a higher elevation and not nearly as big as Phoenix so yes, it cools off a lot more than Phoenix at night.

Denver is warmer than you might think in winter, and it has a good light rail system.

Rich

Depending on where you work and where you choose to live, Houston has a growing metrorail system and decent bus service in the Downtown/Medical Center areas . . outlying suburbs would require driveing.

MovingSouth

I like the heat, so I don't foresee any trouble in Phoenix (if I end up choosing Phoenix). But I guess only time will tell.

As for Houston, I've pretty much written off the suburbs. If I moved to Houston, I'd most likely live in the city limits. Even if I didn't live downtown, I hear Westheimer has good and frequent bus service. I've also researched some other pockets of Houston with good bus service.

Someone mentioned Denver. I actually looked into Denver. But I ultimately decided it might not be best for me. I know the winters are relatively mild, but they still get 53 inches of snow. And I've read stories (from reputable sources) about bus stops getting snowed in. That's a concern to me since I'd be relying on the public transit system.

Denver has a lot of opportunity for my career. But they also have a high unemployment rate compared to the other cities I'm considering. So I might have a hard time finding a job. Their cost of living is also higher than the other cities on my list.

forreal

I'm in Phoenix now and you really don't want to do the summers here. They run from like mid April to mid October and are hot, very hot. You open your front door to walk out and feels like your walking into an oven. The hottest part of day is around 4 pm. It's been getting to be around 107 or higher as an average and this lasts for most of the summer months. It doesn't cool off at night. For counting on public transportation don't count on it to highly buses never run on time so if you hope to get a 6 am bus you might get it by 6:30. They also don't connect with each other very well. You'll probably miss your connection and have to wait another 30 minutes for the next one. They aren't scheduled to connect. They also keep cutting service and routes while raising the fare. The light rail goes no where so if your counting on that be aware it doesn't take you anywhere. Think about doing all this in the HEAT that never ends. I am stating this from experience. And yes you do sweat out here too. I also believe the wages are less than in Texas. One last thing, you can talk to a lot of people out here and you won't find many that are happy being here. Not sure if this helped but hopefully gives you something to think about.