Relocation: Phoenix vs San Antonio
Jan 17th, 2006, 02:30 PM
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Relocation: Phoenix vs San Antonio
Hello,
I live on Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest and I love a lot of things here, but my wife is just miserable. She would really like to move somewhere warmer so she wouldn't have to be indoors so much. I have a hard time with the loooong springs here. I've narrowed it down to basically two places because we have family in both cities and we want to be close to some family not all by ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Could people comment on the pros and cons of moving to Phoenix vs San Antonio? Also jobwise, I'm a computer programmer. I'm guessing that Phoenix might be a better choice? Personally I like the idea of San Antonio better since it's a bit greener.
I will have a very hard time letting go of the clean air here, the ocean, mountains, island life, but I think my wife has put up with my way of life enough and maybe she would be happier somewhere warmer.
I live on Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest and I love a lot of things here, but my wife is just miserable. She would really like to move somewhere warmer so she wouldn't have to be indoors so much. I have a hard time with the loooong springs here. I've narrowed it down to basically two places because we have family in both cities and we want to be close to some family not all by ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Could people comment on the pros and cons of moving to Phoenix vs San Antonio? Also jobwise, I'm a computer programmer. I'm guessing that Phoenix might be a better choice? Personally I like the idea of San Antonio better since it's a bit greener.
I will have a very hard time letting go of the clean air here, the ocean, mountains, island life, but I think my wife has put up with my way of life enough and maybe she would be happier somewhere warmer.
Jan 17th, 2006, 02:57 PM
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Have never lived in Phoenix (have friends and reltives there, have visited) and do live in San Antonio so there's probably a bias here. Go for SA! Phoenix is a relatively "new" city, having burgeoned in the last few decades from essentially a large town. Traffic can be fierce. SA, also rapidly growing, has a few hundred years of history as a city behind it. And if you are into green, SA is probably a better option. Don't assume your job prospects would be better in Phoenix, either - there's a lot of scientific/biomedical business in SA and a growing tech sector.
Jan 17th, 2006, 03:57 PM
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I would say, overall, Phoenix weather is better because we have no/very little humidity, but Phoenix has a very large spread-out population, so it's a must to find your home near your employment. I find San Antonio very nice, but I don't do humidity.
Jan 17th, 2006, 05:39 PM
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There are pros and cons for both cities and I do know them fairly well. I grew up in the Phosnix area and went to college in San Antonio. I now live near San Diego. I have family and friends in both cities, visit Phoenix often and have been to San Antonio a few times recently.
Phoenix
Cons-As some have mentioned, the "Valley of the Sun" is huge and sprawled out. Traffic can be bad although not as bad as California. The summers are very hot, you really don't go out much in July, August and September (June & Oct can be warm also). Smog has gotten bad-the last few times I have flown in, there is a brown layer over the city. This seems to be mostly in warmer weather as the heat holds it down in the valley (just like in LA). Housing prices have gone up considerably in the last year but you can still get a home for a decent price.
Pros-Beautiful weather 9 months of the year. Winters are nice, fall and spring are spectacular. Lots of places to hike, golf, and just do any outdoor activity. Moutains are all around you although I know they are different than the type in the PNW. I think Phoenix has a good cultural base. Fairly diverse since people have moved in from other states. The state of Arizona has so much to offer for outdoor activities. In the summer you can be in Prescott or Flagstaff in a few hours. The beach at Rocky Point, Mexico is about a 4 hr drive and San Diego is a 6 hr drive. Pretty good for cultural and sporting events.
San Antonio-I don't know as much about San Antonio in recent years so I am sure others can fill in.
Cons-Hot humid summers. Coming from the desert, I had a difficult time adjusting to the heat and the humidity together. I don't know as much about freeway traffic in San Antonio but the few times I have been there recently, I felt that traffic going across town was very bad. Not enough freeways for the city. No mountains although the Hill Country is nice. San Antonio to me has the feel of a much smaller city not as urban. This can be a pro or a con depending on what you like. To get to other parts of Texas, you will be driving a long, long way! Not as much in the way of cultural or sporting events as Phoenix (but I am sure there is plenty to take advantage of).
Pros - Lots of green trees. The Hill Country around San Antonio is a good area to explore, hike, bike, etc. Housing prices are very low compared to other cities the same size. The beach at Corpus Christi is about a 2-3 hr drive. Lots of history and older parts of town. Diverse population.
I am sure I left out things and my intention is not to insult those living in either Phoenix or SA. This is just my impression. Don't know when you are thinking of making the move. If not for awhile, plan to visit both cities in the summer. I know what it is like to go to Phoenix, coming from someplace with more trees but I think I would still pick Phoenix over SA. I love the state of Arizona and I also have more ties there. That is probably something to consider when you make the move. What family members do you have in each city? How do you get along with them? What do they like or not like about where they live? And of course, what job can you get and how much house can you afford? I will add that SA is my favorite city in Texas (just to add to the confusion). I am sure if I had to move to either city, I would be happy.
Phoenix
Cons-As some have mentioned, the "Valley of the Sun" is huge and sprawled out. Traffic can be bad although not as bad as California. The summers are very hot, you really don't go out much in July, August and September (June & Oct can be warm also). Smog has gotten bad-the last few times I have flown in, there is a brown layer over the city. This seems to be mostly in warmer weather as the heat holds it down in the valley (just like in LA). Housing prices have gone up considerably in the last year but you can still get a home for a decent price.
Pros-Beautiful weather 9 months of the year. Winters are nice, fall and spring are spectacular. Lots of places to hike, golf, and just do any outdoor activity. Moutains are all around you although I know they are different than the type in the PNW. I think Phoenix has a good cultural base. Fairly diverse since people have moved in from other states. The state of Arizona has so much to offer for outdoor activities. In the summer you can be in Prescott or Flagstaff in a few hours. The beach at Rocky Point, Mexico is about a 4 hr drive and San Diego is a 6 hr drive. Pretty good for cultural and sporting events.
San Antonio-I don't know as much about San Antonio in recent years so I am sure others can fill in.
Cons-Hot humid summers. Coming from the desert, I had a difficult time adjusting to the heat and the humidity together. I don't know as much about freeway traffic in San Antonio but the few times I have been there recently, I felt that traffic going across town was very bad. Not enough freeways for the city. No mountains although the Hill Country is nice. San Antonio to me has the feel of a much smaller city not as urban. This can be a pro or a con depending on what you like. To get to other parts of Texas, you will be driving a long, long way! Not as much in the way of cultural or sporting events as Phoenix (but I am sure there is plenty to take advantage of).
Pros - Lots of green trees. The Hill Country around San Antonio is a good area to explore, hike, bike, etc. Housing prices are very low compared to other cities the same size. The beach at Corpus Christi is about a 2-3 hr drive. Lots of history and older parts of town. Diverse population.
I am sure I left out things and my intention is not to insult those living in either Phoenix or SA. This is just my impression. Don't know when you are thinking of making the move. If not for awhile, plan to visit both cities in the summer. I know what it is like to go to Phoenix, coming from someplace with more trees but I think I would still pick Phoenix over SA. I love the state of Arizona and I also have more ties there. That is probably something to consider when you make the move. What family members do you have in each city? How do you get along with them? What do they like or not like about where they live? And of course, what job can you get and how much house can you afford? I will add that SA is my favorite city in Texas (just to add to the confusion). I am sure if I had to move to either city, I would be happy.
Jan 18th, 2006, 07:52 AM
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Anonther pro for SA is its proximity to Austin which is my other favorite Texas city. Maybe you should consider Austin. You would still be pretty close to family members. Not sure about housing but I think it's more expensive than SA.
Jan 18th, 2006, 08:58 AM
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Housing in Austin is DEFINITELY higher than in San Antonio. However, the OP mentions he's a computer programmer. He will have a LOT easier time finding a job in Austin than in San Antonio. There are TONS of tech companies (Dell, AMD, etc.) in Austin, but very few in San Antonio.
