Can anyone tell me what the major differences are between The Bay Area and Austin, Tx?

Question

Born and raised in San Jose, Ca. Love being close to camping, skiing, beaches, San Francisco and Napa. Husband and I are still young (at least we feel young) and like to go out dancing from time to time.
We own a home and are making it, but we can't seem to get ahead financially. We are thinking of selling our home, taking the equity we make to Round Rock and buying a house cash. My husbands salary will go from about $140 a year to about $60 a year, but we will have no mortgage in Texas.
I am looking for the pros and cons about Austin/Round Rock. I have done quite a bit of research and know about the obvious cons like the weather, property taxes are higher, no mountains/hills and it's not as diverse as the Bay Area. I am ok with all of that but don't want to be shocked by any major differences.

I would really appreciate any helpful feedback! Thanks.

Answer 1

I was born and raised in the Bay Area and now live in Austin. The two areas are quite similar in that they are liberal, have a nice environment, and have a big high tech scene. Plus, there are tons of people from the Bay Area here. In fact, there's even an official group of transplants here.

What I like more about Austin?
1. They are more down to Earth here. Has a lot of the positives of the South--- polite, kind, easy-going.
2. It's smaller, and while traffic is a problem, you can still get to anywhere quickly. Bay Area isn't San Francisco. And the distance from Fremont to San Francisco is the same distance as going from ranch land to downtown Austin.
3. It's much cheaper.
4. There's better live music. It's not a myth. You get spoiled here when you can see great music with less than 100 people in each venue-- there are dozens playing EVERY NIGHT.
5. It's relatively close to New Orleans and Santa Fe, which is a treat in itself.

What I like more about the Bay Area?
1. Ocean
2. Asian Food
3. Bigger Airport
4. My extended family

Answer 2

i was born and raised in the bay area, and only visited austin for about 2 weeks, so i am not an expert, but my observations are: austin is the most liberal part of rexas, but it's still texas, and you will have to get used to some rednecks, cowboys and that type of people. it didn't seem nearly as liberal, or diverse, as the bay. it is mostly white and mexican people, with some blacks. there didn't seem to be much to do in austin, besides the music scene there. there are hundreds of different bands paying every night there, so if you love music, it may be a good place. the bay area is much prettier and less polluted. and a lot more educated and liberal, in general. i would say the only thing better about austin is the people there seem a little more outgoing and nice than san francisco. but, that's just how they seemed on the surface. the texans i met seemed a little phony, being that they were a little too friendly and nosy. they want to know everything about you right when they meet you. and, i don't trust anyone who has a big smile on their face all the time. so, the people in texas are definitely something different, and the weather is much hotter, with more pollution.

Answer 3

The property taxes are based on the appraised value, so since you will be buying a less expensive home, you might find that your taxes are actually lower. Also, Texas has NO state income tax, which is the reason for a higher per centage on the property tax. Round Rock is more conservative than Austin and the life styles are quite different, especially if you live in the more urban area's of Austin. Austin takes pride in its diversity. Round Round is much less expensive. As far as weather goes, it's very pleasant here except for a few months in the summer, once you get used to it, you will probably find the Bay Area a bit chilly. West of Austin is the Texas Hill Country, which has a chain of lake's that stretches for about 75 mile. There are a lot of festivals and out door activities. Also, many of good area's for hiking, camping etc. The Mexican culture is a little stronger here, probably more like San Diego, but without the border problems. Lot's good Mexican Restaurant's. Texans, are generally, very friendly people. You should find it easy to make friends. I've lived here since 1978 and really love it. My only complaint would be allergies to cedar pollen.

Answer 4

Austin is beautiful. It's on the edge of the hill country. It's a very hilly area. Hot and humid in summertime. Differences would be I suppose the fact that Texas has a much lower cost of living. Austin is probably hotter than Southern California. The Coast is about 2 1/2 hours away from Austin, depending on where you go. Traffic is bad at rush hour, like any big city really. Hope I was helpful

Answer 5

Im from northern california and recently moved to Austin. Saying there is nothing to do here is rediculous, Austin is also extremely liberal there arent rednecks here. Our house is 2500SF and cost $200k and would be worth about 700k in the bay area. However to be honest, why don't you just sell your house and rent in the bay area? $140 to $60 that is a big hit. That said, Austin is on fire, people can't stop moving here and the bay area isnt getting any bigger so all those people can't be wrong.

http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/resources/austin/rankings.asp