Want to move to Austin Texas (Round Rock, Spring: low income, section 8, high crime)

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by txranger19

I am an Austinite who lives in Round Rock, Tx which is basically a suburb of Austin. I will try and go in order to answer your questions honestly.

As an Austinite who lives in Austin, I'd like to point out that Round Rock is not in Austin. Much of what followed was either misinformed or dishonest. I won't go through it point-by-point...suffice it to say the East/west divide while true in the past, doesn't hold up now. There are some great parts now in East Austin (such as almost all of 78702, Upper Boggy Creek, Mueller) and some area west of I35 you could not pay me to live in (anywher close to William Cannon/Stassney, anything in close proximity to Round Rock)

[chevpu1967]

What is the deal with the interstate splitting apart in the middle of Austin and then coming back together down the road? You know, the part where the 2 outer lanes go down while the 2 inner lanes go over? As a small town fella, it unnerves me whenever I go through there because I think I'm on the wrong road.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by chevpu1967

What is the deal with the interstate splitting apart in the middle of Austin and then coming back together down the road? You know, the part where the 2 outer lanes go down while the 2 inner lanes go over? As a small town fella, it unnerves me whenever I go through there because I think I'm on the wrong road.

Designed by Aggie traffic engineers...somehow the joke is on us. it's a horrible Freeway, one of the very worst in the US.

[Wardendresden]

Jimmy, Austin is going to seem small to you after Chicago. I lived in Naperville for 18 months and rode the metro into the Loop for work. The only thing that was really great about Chicago for me was the best public transportation system I've ever seen in the U.S.-- and I've lived everywhere except in the northeast. Yes, some good, unique food (TX is better IMO), good theatre, nice walks along the lake. But, good lord, the city is in a rush, you almost have to trot to move along the sidewalks which are packed to the gills during rush hour!

I live in Dallas which is probably a little more cosmopolitan than Austin, but still much more laid back than Chicago. And Austin has less crime than Dallas.

You have a compelling reason to live in Texas if it's going to lower your cost of doing business. That is a very important consideration at your young age. I believe you will find the more laid back lifestyle (compared to Chicago) to be less stressful. BUT, the one thing that will require some adjustment is the weather. In July when you open the door of your house early in the morning, you will be hit in the face with a blast furnace of hot air. I'm originally from Alabama and was accustomed to heat, but our first move to Texas was from a six year stint in Colorado where on the hottest days of the year, the mornings are still frequently cool enough to require a light jacket. I no longer handle the heat well!!!

In addition, in the winter, there is very little snow, if any. There are occasional ice storms. The weather does get cold, but nothing like 15 degrees with 30mph wind gusts that hit Chicago.

West and southwest of Austin are some nice little towns in what Texans call Hill country. They are well worth day trips to get a feel for the area outside Austin. I've only driven through Austin but it has more eye appeal to me than Dallas. I'm not positive, but I think the Austin area is a bit more country western in terms of it's music appreciation. Some locals may help you more with cultural aspects. Of course, the University is there, so the ratio of young adults is a bit higher and that may be socially more appealing to you.

Gas is less expensive here. As a guess, I would think auto insurance rates in Austin would be less than Chicago, too, and I'm a retired insurance professional who worked as a rate maker among other things.
No state income tax, so that is very good, but sales tax just over 8%, at least in Dallas. I'm nit sure if municipalities can add a point or two to whatever the state charges. I can't help you on property tax as I'm a renter.

Having given you all I know about Texas / Austin, I have to confess I'm chomping at the bit to follow Ranger19 to Idaho when the wife retires in 16 months. It has a lot more physical beauty than Texas, isn't nearly as crowded, has a lower cost of living ( and TX is hard to beat on that score), and is close to our favorite vacation spot--The Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming!!

But a move by you to Texas based on what you said in your post, seems to make good business sense. Best of luck to you.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by chevpu1967

What is the deal with the interstate splitting apart in the middle of Austin and then coming back together down the road? You know, the part where the 2 outer lanes go down while the 2 inner lanes go over?

It's simple. That is the narrowest part of the entire I-35 right-of-way between Canada and Mexico. Going to two levels was the only way to shoehorn the additional lanes into the narrow space they had available.

As a small town fella, it unnerves me whenever I go through there because I think I'm on the wrong road.

If you are traveling through, it doesn't matter which one you're on, in either direction. It only matters if you want one of the exits for downtown or UT and north Campus areas.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Komeht

As an Austinite who lives in Austin, I'd like to point out that Round Rock is not in Austin. Much of what followed was either misinformed or dishonest.

Agreed, that seemed to me to be a pretty random response, and not what I would call typical. That's why I recommended the OP do some research in the archives, to get a broader, more well balanced picture. One-offs with long laundry lists of general questions rarely seem to draw quality responses.

A good resource for the OP, since he's considering a number of different places to relocate to, are the City-Data profile pages, which pack a lot of data into one place. Here's the one for Austin:

https://www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Our governor may be occasionally embarrassing but he isn't in jail like Illinois' last two.

Made me spit V8 juice all over my keyboard.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by good tchr

I'm a California teacher who wants to relocate to an Austin suburb. Does anyone know what will be happening with hiring in 2013?
I'm planning a visit next month...where should I go and what should I see? Any good restaurants?
How is your economy and what do you love about living there?

Thanks!

Unless you have a bilingual or math/science speciality background, the Austin area teaching prospects are REALLY almost nonexistent for an out-of-stater. The University of Texas plus nearby Texas State churn out large numbers of new teachers every year, and a lot of them want to stay in this area.

My daughter-in-law is in charge of hiring/staffing for Austin ISD high schools - she says her office is continually flooded with thousands of applications every semester.

The more rural school districts are possibly a different story.

School districts such as Round Rock, Leander, & Hayes next to Austin are expanding, so it might behoove you to inquire there.

Good luck.

[centralaustinite]

finding a teaching job in texas is still tough but better than it was two years ago, do you have a Texas certificate?

[CptnRn]

To the OP, to answer most of your questions: https://www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

The rest of your questions can all be answered here: https://www.city-data.com/forum/search.php?f=69

And here...

Austin, TX to Port Aransas, TX - Google Maps