A town strictly for business
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10/27/2011
No need to consider Houston unless it is driven by your career choice. Excellent economy, tremendous medical center and obviously the center of the oil & gas industry. Relatively affordable housing if you live in the burbs, but prices inside the 610 "loop" are skewed much higher. The lack of zoning tends to keep real estate prices lower in many parts of the city and the overall urban planning is pathetic. Keep in mind that although TX has no personal income tax, Houston gets you with extremely high property tax rates, somewhat offsetting the often touted cheap real estate. The weather is generally atrocious with a solid 5 months of hot and extremely humid conditions, and awful pollen/ragweed conditions for the couple of nice "shoulder" months. The three winter months tend to be mild with intermittent shots of near freezing temps. The city has plenty of cultural attractions, a near full complement of professional sports teams and an above average restaurant scene. This place is not for those who enjoy the outdoors. It is a business/entrepreneurial city first and foremost and the business climate, like most of texas, is one of the best in the country. It is a very poor choice if you are concerned with climate, pollution, aesthetics, crime & safety, traffic, mass transit, property taxes, and immigration issues.
matthew | Houston, TX