Florida vs. Texas

[Texas Proud]

DW and I spent a lot of time discussing and visiting potential retirement locations until the first grandbaby was born. After that, it was where to live to be close. I wouldn't be surprised that your DW makes the same transition. I have trouble getting her out of the area for more than 2 weeks at a shot.

That is what I am hoping, but she insists not....

Then again, my sons has talked about moving to Europe... his first 8 years he lived there.... DW does not remember any of it....

 

[meierlde]

Texas however is a huge state that has wide climate variation. In the east you have essentially the Climate of Florida (Houston), Houston gets 46 inches of precip a year, San Antonio around 28, El Paso under 14, Dallas around 30 Lubbock and Amarillo around 18. With the amount of rainfall you have different vegetation ranging from Pine Trees in the east to no trees just grass in Notrees (near Midland). Here is a link to the precipitation map:texas precipitation map
Note also as you go northwest from the coast the amount of winter weather increases to a max in the Panhandle and Mountains. But to view Texas weather as that of Houston is not correct.

 

[Ally]

There are lots more places to consider in TX than Houston. If you are seriously comparing the two states, you might check out other areas.


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[Looking4Ward]

If you come, bring water. We're almost out.

+1

We had what we considered to be our "forever home" at the time - waterfront home at the foot of the hill country complete with boat dock and cruiser.

Then the lake dried up, the boat dock sat on dry ground, and I was lucky enough to find a buyer who was satisfied with the thought that the water will someday come back.

Now we live in a large home in a development 12 minutes from downtown Austin.

We spent a lot of time looking at Florida. Found the overall cost of living to be much higher than central Texas. There's something about being on a major interstate a few hours from Mexico that keeps produce prices down, meat and other staples are cheaper, insurance is cheaper, gas is cheaper, and while property taxes are roughly 50% higher in Texas another poster already pointed out how that can be rationalized.

We are water people, so lakes/ocean are a big thing for us. We've found that while Texas Gulf Coast waters are not the most pristine in the nation, you can drive, camp, park an RV, build campfires, etc. on Texas beaches for literally no cost besides a $12 annual parking permit. Not so in Florida.

Then there is something I heard mentioned on the radio the other day how large Texas cities are very distinctly "economically segregated". Not to start any discussions on the pros and cons of that, but I thought at the time how that is very much true and I didn't see that to the same extent in Florida.

So we've decided to stay in Texas and when we get the itch for some Florida we'll fly there for a couple of weeks or take a road trip.

 

[Silver]

We live in central Florida just outside of Orlando, about 20 minutes to Walt Disney World. Have been in this area for 18 years. I grew up in Chicago and then lived in Philadelphia for 20 years. Florida seems like a huge step up because of the weather, but also a huge step down because of the culture. Depends on what you are wanting to gain as well as willing to give up.

I have been to Jacksonville several times, and it's nice. Gainesville and the St. Augustine area are nicer in my opinion, and have similar weather as Jacksonville. The entire state is pretty hot in the summers, but the more northern counties are slightly cooler in the winters.

We have had a lovely winter....mostly 60's-70's and sunny, which is typical. Only occasionally does it get colder than 50's even at night.

I have been to San Antonio, Texas in July....and it seemed hotter to me than it was in Florida. But that is a one-time anecdotal experience.

 

[Looking4Ward]

I have been to San Antonio, Texas in July....and it seemed hotter to me than it was in Florida. But that is a one-time anecdotal experience.

I was in Miami and then Islamorada/Key West last August and thought that it actually felt cooler there then it did in Austin.

I'll be back in Orlando next week for a couple of weeks, then for three weeks in June and a couple more trips before the end of the year. We have AP's to both WDW and USO and those attractions as well as proximity to either coast were a big reason we considered moving to your area.

 

[H2ODude]

Lived in Jax 18 years; while the weather was better than inland FL the summers still seemed awfully long for us midwesterners. Would never consider it again as it's too big and crowded, although might consider the beach communities.

Since leaving visited DD and her family several times when they were in Houston. It seemed the summers were more oppressive there, plus it's got the same bigness problem Jax has IMO. And the beach? Wouldn't consider it a beach.

 

[ERTX]

Texas has extremely high property taxes and they seem to go up above inflation every year no matter if your assessment stays flat or down.

Florida the humidity is unpleasant and having to evacuate during the hurricane season is a major hassle (to say the least).

You may want to look at Tucson (lots of good health care, nice winters) or Las Cruces (close to good health care, decent winters).

 

[mickeyd]

i have spent 20+ years living in each state and I found joy in living in each place. Flip a coin and vacation in the other place.

 

[ERTX]

i have spent 20+ years living in each state and I found joy in living in each place. Flip a coin and vacation in the other place.

Or create a spreadsheet and figure out which one makes the most sense financially to have residency in.

 

[MBAustin]

Comparison: Climate Jacksonville, FL - Houston, TX

On the BestPlaces comfort index, Jacksonville scores 18.9% better than Houston
.

Interesting site - thanks for posting.

Just for grins, I put in Austin instead of Houston and it says that Austin climate is worse that Houston. Having lived in both cities, I beg to differ. Even though Austin is hotter in the summer and colder in the winter, the Houston summer humidity is oppressive. At least in Austin some of the summer days are tolerable if you are in the shade - doesn't make any difference in Houston.

 

[JPatrick]

Florida is your best choice.

Beware of REWahoo. I'm fairly certain the state pays him a commission for every person he dissuades from moving to Texas.
Several years ago all the talk about scorpions, snakes, and water shortages drove us out of San Antonio--Now I have 8 inches of snow on my driveway.

Move to Texas--It's paradise...

 

[aja8888]

Beware of REWahoo. I'm fairly certain the state pays him a commission for every person he dissuades from moving to Texas.
Several years ago all the talk about scorpions, snakes, and water shortages drove us out of San Antonio--Now I have 8 inches of snow on my driveway.

Move to Texas--It's paradise...

....and no snakes or scorpions..... and you can covert that snow to water!

 

[Texas Proud]

Not sure of the timeframe, but they were talking about Texas on one of those financial cable shows.... said that 23% of all jobs created over the past few years were in Texas...

So, it is a requirement for you to work if you come...

 

[audreyh1]

Interesting site - thanks for posting.

Just for grins, I put in Austin instead of Houston and it says that Austin climate is worse that Houston. Having lived in both cities, I beg to differ. Even though Austin is hotter in the summer and colder in the winter, the Houston summer humidity is oppressive. At least in Austin some of the summer days are tolerable if you are in the shade - doesn't make any difference in Houston.

Having lived in both cities, I agree that Houston weather is worse than Austin. My experience of Austin and eastern hill country locations is that the humidity can be oppressive in the summer. Houston humidity is oppressive more months than that! We live 350 miles south of Austin, and our summers are much drier even though the thermometer climbs pretty high in the summer.

 

[Car-Guy]

I lived and worked in Houston for over 50 years and moved away as soon as I retired. For me, it was a great place to work but that's about it. I've never been anywhere that is consistently as hot and humid. The only place I've been that has traffic as bad is LA. And Houston has to be in the top 10 US cities for the % of rude people. Someone would have to pay me (a lot) to move back.....

I been thru Jacksonville a few times but haven't stayed there long enough to really comment on the pros or cons.

If it's an option, you might want to try to live in each city a few months before settling down on your retirement choice. If you do that, try living in Houston during July and August.

 

[harley]

Florida is your best choice.

I'm pretty sure you'd be happier in TX. There's a lot more room there. The drivers here in FL are even worse than the stories make them sound. When we moved down here we went in to get our drivers licenses. After doing the eye test and filling out the forms we were waiting for them to print out. Meanwhile a woman came to get her license. She failed the eye test 3 times using the same machine DW and I had used. She was getting upset, but the clerk just said "try it on this one" and took her to a different machine, where she passed easily. I assume that machine was using the 2" letters.

I've spent some time in DFW, and the only drivers you have to contend with in TX are Texans. As long as it doesn't snow they're fairly good drivers. In FL you get people from everywhere, including Canada. And they're all really old. As my friend says when we get stuck behind someone doing 20 mph below the speed limit in the left hand lane, "don't get mad. They're planning on turning somewhere in the next 10 miles or so".

And we have fire ants too.

 

[REWahoo]

Sorry harley. Florida doesn't even make the top 10:

 

[Silver]

In Florida, if you have white hair it's a god-given right to pull out of your driveway without looking first.

I'm not kidding.

 

[REWahoo]

In Florida, if you have white hair it's a god-given right to pull out of your driveway without looking first.

I'm not kidding.

Reminds me of the fender-bender my dad was involved in back when I was a teen. We weere on a rural two-lane road behind an old guy going about 30 in a 55 MPH zone. Dad pulled out to pass him and the old guy, without signalling, suddenly turned left into a driveway, hitting the right side of our car.

Fortunately there was little in the way of damage, but I'll never forget what the old guy told the State Trooper who took the accident report. "I've lived here for more than 50 years - everyone knows that's my driveway. It's his fault for getting in my way!"

 

[MichaelB]

Really bad drivers are not in accidents, they cause them.

There is no doubt in my mind Florida drivers are more dangerous than anywhere else I have driven, and that includes plenty of Latin America. It is not statewide, though, instead heavily concentrated in South Florida. It is also not specific to any gender, age, or ethnic origin (although I do agree with Silver's post on backing out of driveways). Driving around Atlanta is also pretty bad.

 

[harley]

Sorry harley. Florida doesn't even make the top 10:

That's because they're only here 6 months/year. If you extrapolate Dec-May into a 12 month period we'd win for sure.

Surprised to see TX at #3, though. I guess maybe outlawing the open container in the front seat caused problems. Now the drivers have to turn around and reach under the rifle rack to get their beers. Probably causes quite a few accidents.

 

[aja8888]

Sorry harley. Florida doesn't even make the top 10:

Looks like when you numbered the chart, you forgot No. 2 and 7, and used No. 1 and 6 twice.

 

[REWahoo]

Looks like when you numbered the chart, you forgot No. 2 and 7, and used No. 1 and 6 twice.

Read my sig line...

 

[ERTX]

In Florida, if you have white hair it's a god-given right to pull out of your driveway without looking first.

I'm not kidding.

Drive 25mph below the speed limit in the fast lane without having to move over for faster traffic.