NYC --> Texas or LA?

Analyst here in NYC contemplating moving after the analyst years. Been in NYC for the past 3 years and there is a chance I stay. However, I am thinking about shipping out when my lease is up later this year and the options are LA or Dallas/Houston. SF is out of the question, so save your energy and go pick up some human shit or needles while you're at it.

Assume pay would be market pay for a first year associate or third year analyst in banking terms.

Looking for: night life, diversity (in thought and people), food options, slower pace, solid weather, MINIMAL traffic - I fucking hate driving, but know I will have to...

I would add in girls, but I have a gf that will come with me. But if there are deciding factors where girls come into play, throw them out there

What would you guys do?

P&L, 2nd Year Analyst in RE - Comm

Edit: Let me caveat this by saying traffic isn't an end all be all. I'm from Philly and the I-76 is a nightmare so that's why I'm not trying to be stuck in a car all the time.

36 Comments
 

LA

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

LA has mostly what you want but traffic there is horrendous, probably ruling it out. I'd rule out Houston too, it's worse than Dallas from what I've heard and the weather is worse. Dallas seems to be your only option but the weather isn't all that great and wouldn't really say there's a lot of diversity (in thought or people) but night life there is good and it's a solid city. Overall, if you're dead set on leaving and those are your only options, I'd pick Dallas

 

Depends on where your office would be and where you would be living. Unless you're living pretty close to your office commuting would be a nightmare in LA. Excluding traffic, LA covers everything on your list but it's also very spread out so factor that in if you plan on going around LA at all. The best bang for your buck would probably be Dallas just because it's so much cheaper than LA, even if offering less.

 

If you can do Orange County, go there. It’s hard to find a better place to live all things considered (assuming you can afford it).

If you don’t have that option, I like it here in LA. Tons to do, lots of places to go, and traffic isn’t too bad if you pick the right place to live. If you’re into outdoors, tons of hiking trails nearby/ mountains/ beach (the obvious selling point). If you’re into nightlife then there’s tons of clubs/ bars/ restaurants/ hotels to visit. If you like peace and quiet there’s Melrose District and Pacific Palisades.

The weather is huge. It’s really damn cold right now for LA. It’s 60°F, that’s freezing here. Sometimes it does get hot, but not so much by the beach.

“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” - Nassim Taleb
 
"DayMan247" Orange County > Dallas > Rest of LA > Houston

Exactly how I would rank it, OP

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
"DayMan247" Orange County > Dallas > Rest of LA > Houston

Are you saying OC but take the train to work in LA everyday?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Not trying to rag on Houston, and for the right person and stage of life it could be a great option. Sounds like you are coming in as an analyst that's great. Have you been there/lived there before?

Objectively, it isn't like other cities, because there is a distinct lack of cohesion, and no natural geography to orient it (lake/river/mountain). There is the medium sized downtown core with skyscrapers, but there are not "communities" within the downtown areas. Midtown maybe the closest you're going to get. The rest is just driving sprawl of neighborhoods and businesses intermixed.

Of course the benefits are the low COL, and people are pretty friendly, weather in the late fall/early spring is solid.

 

Having lived in and grew up around LA and recently moving to Dallas, it's a very big transition. If you like fast, don't go to Dallas. It is growing substantially but it'll never be an LA or NYC. However if you're looking for a change of pace, it's a good option. Significantly less expensive to live and there's a lot of little things to do. I do miss LA at times but it's just so ungodly expensive to live there now, the traffic is awful, the people are mostly uptight now and not laid back like they used to be. But there is nothing better than 70+ degrees and mostly sunshine year around. So it's a tough call. I can't speak to Houston. And to really throw a wrench in the spokes, have you considered San Diego?

 

LA great if you can live near work. If not, hell no because the traffic is no joke. I don't care how nice it is, you're already losing 1/3 of your life sleeping and another 1/3 working, you don't enough left to afford spending a big chunk of it in a car.

I like Dallas a lot more than Houston. They're both too hot but Houston is a few degrees warmer and more humid, it makes a difference. Girls a lot better in Dallas too.

 

There are too many threads like this and I'm running out of witty comments to dunk on the libs.

Never discuss with idiots, first they drag you at their level, then they beat you with experience.
 
Funniest

I'm sorry - that's so fucked up and wrong and I know you are posting that in bad faith to show how awful it is to live in liberal cities or something - but this is one of the funniest things I've ever read:

"NBC"A Bucket of Hot Diarrhea Was Randomly Poured on a Woman by a Homeless Man.

"It was liquid. Hot liquid," she said. "I was soaked. And it was coming off my eyelashes, into my eyes. Paramedics who came to treat me said there was so much of it on me, that it looked like the man was saving it up for a month."

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
"Ricky Sargulesh"
"neink" There are too many threads like this and I'm running out of witty comments to dunk on the libs.

take your damn sb

Your obsession with me is creepy mate.

Never discuss with idiots, first they drag you at their level, then they beat you with experience.
 

Go to LA if you want to continue not being rich when your making a large salary and want to keep overpaying for everything

 

Dallas or Houston, your dollar will go farther, plus a decent night life as well. Plus if your a sports fan you should be satisfied in either city.

 

Not sure who gave you MS but you’re right. It’s great for people who already have a network or are from there. As an outsider moving in, the sprawl can be really isolating. No communities, instead your are driving to meet at specific locations all the time. Few (if any) walkable neighborhoods. And unlike LA, no beach action.

Great COL, nice people and everything but coming in as an outsider would be very tough imo.

 

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