The real votes between San Francisco's and Dallas' desirability are summed up by the Census growth numbers...

Between 1990 and 2000...

Greater Dallas gained 1,172,250 people
Greater San Francisco gained 437,148 people

(http://www.census.gov/population/cen...t29/tab01a.xls)

This means that more people moved to Dallas, and chose to stay in Dallas. Some people moved to San Francisco and chose to stay there. Dallas was almost 3 times as popular as San Francisco.

Does San Francisco offer a better "quality of life"?

Not according to the numbers.

My vote is for San Fran. Beautiful one-of-a-kind city. I know it costs more, but I believe you get what you pay for. Same goes for other expensive cities like NYC and DC. Expensive, but worth it if you can pull it off.

Nothing wrong with Dallas, but also nothing particularly distinguishing about it.

Hope this helps, Notsure. Looks like you've gotten alot of response to this thread!

Notsure,

Ultimately the choice comes down to family. You will personally adapt to Dallas if you choose to go there. But which side of the family is tighter, yours or his? Are your children close to cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents? Can the same closeness be achieved in Dallas? These are some things that no one on this thread can decide but you.

Cargillman, in the case of San Francisco city, you don't get what you pay for. Sure, there are some people who are emotionally commited to living there, but it's not that popular with Americans, and not even popular in the Bay Area. The vast majority (90%) live in the bland San Francisco suburbs.

You can think of San Francisco city's high prices like the high price for heroin. A few people will pay anything to get it... the rest avoid it as an abomination.

Comparing urban areas of Dallas city, like Uptown Dallas, to San Francisco, Dallas wins hands down, with newer and better housing, more pleasant walking streets and hike-bike trails, better shops. Comparing the Dallas suburbs, with its easier traffic, cleaner appearance, vastly better housing and shopping, and its growing number of urban pedestrian villages, it's no wonder that metro Dallas attracts 2-3 times as many residents as metro San Francisco.