Vancouver To Houston (Galveston, Richmond, Webster: high crime, employment, neighborhoods)
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I'm an 18 year old and living in Vancouver. I am leaving to move to Houston on jun 11th of this year. I am interning at a church in downtown Houston, and I was just wondering what kinda changes I should expect. The address is 1704 Weber Houston, Tx 77007. So if there is anyone who has moved from Vancouver to Houston or who knows this area of Houston who could give me some kind of comparison I would appreciate it. If there is anyone who has been to both Vancouver and Houston and could give me a comparison that would be nice. Also if I could give me some ideas on what to expect that would be great. Things like ethnicity's, violences, gangs, weather and things like that are what I wanna know. Thanks again
I'm an 18 year old and living in Vancouver. I am leaving to move to Houston on jun 11th of this year. I am interning at a church in downtown Houston, and I was just wondering what kinda changes I should expect. The address is 1704 Weber Houston, Tx 77007. So if there is anyone who has moved from Vancouver to Houston or who knows this area of Houston who could give me some kind of comparison I would appreciate it. If there is anyone who has been to both Vancouver and Houston and could give me a comparison that would be nice. Also if I could give me some ideas on what to expect that would be great. Things like ethnicity's, violences, gangs, weather and things like that are what I wanna know. Thanks again
Kyle
Hey. I have been to Vancouver a couple of times while visiting a friend in Seattle and can tell you that Houston and Vancouver are very different. Both have advantages, but they are different.
Houston has more crime than Vancouver, but that's going to be the case with most large American cities when compared to Canadian cities. Basically for large American cities it is pretty average. Gangs are around but no worse than what you get in any large American city.
Ethnically, Vancouver has a much more international feel but surprisingly Houston has a large Asian population. Just nowhere near the Asian influence that Vancouver has. When I first drove into Vancouver and looked at the skyline it immediately made me think of Asia. Houston's just not like that.
Houston is a much bigger city, both population and in total area. But it is also a sun belt city, so it's VERY sprawling; think LA but more spread out. You are not going to get the walkable streets like you do in Vancouver. Not sure if you are going to have a car in Houston but it will be very hard to get around without one. The public transit system in Houston stinks, especially when compared to what you get in Canadian cities. That's a big negative, at least in my book.
The weather, well....during the summer Houston is miserable. Horribly hot and humid. You will be crying for the summer back in the Pacific Northwest. That being said the winters in Houston are extremely mild and most wouldn't call it a winter at all. As far as rain, Houston may get more total rain but it comes in huge downpours not the constant spitting you get in places like Seattle and Vancouver.
The other huge difference is, although Houston is also a port and located on a bay, the city doesn't have anything near the natural beauty or outdoors mentality you get in the Pacific Northwest. Camping, hiking, etc is simply not as popular in Houston. No mountains, very little public land, no wilderness areas, a lot more industry but at least the water is warm enough to swim in! The water is a lot dirtier though but not all of it is man-made pollution (thankfully!). Because of all the rivers dumping silt into the Gulf of Mexico (exhibit A being the Mississippi), the water is brown. Nothing like the blue water you get in Vancouver.
Finally, the people in Texas are of course much different. They are VERY nice and may seem alarmingly nice to the more reserved mentality you get in the Pacific Northwest. Some would even call Texans loud mouths. But they really are nice people and very friendly. There are other differences, like Houston is much less health conscious than Vancouver (more fried foods, grease, beef, etc). As you would expect Houston is MUCH more conservative politically and socially than Vancouver as well. Sometimes they are also a bit provincial and untraveled. You will find people who never have left the State of Texas and will be openly proud of that fact. But again they are very nice and always there for a smile.
Anyway, hope this helps. Sounds like quite an adventure. Good luck! I sure hope to make it up to Vancouver again VERY soon!
Hey. I have been to Vancouver a couple of times while visiting a friend in Seattle and can tell you that Houston and Vancouver are very different. Both have advantages, but they are different.
Houston has more crime than Vancouver, but that's going to be the case with most large American cities when compared to Canadian cities. Basically for large American cities it is pretty average. Gangs are around but no worse than what you get in any large American city.
Ethnically, Vancouver has a much more international feel but surprisingly Houston has a large Asian population. Just nowhere near the Asian influence that Vancouver has. When I first drove into Vancouver and looked at the skyline it immediately made me think of Asia. Houston's just not like that.
Houston is a much bigger city, both population and in total area. But it is also a sun belt city, so it's VERY sprawling; think LA but more spread out. You are not going to get the walkable streets like you do in Vancouver. Not sure if you are going to have a car in Houston but it will be very hard to get around without one. The public transit system in Houston stinks, especially when compared to what you get in Canadian cities. That's a big negative, at least in my book.
The weather, well....during the summer Houston is miserable. Horribly hot and humid. You will be crying for the summer back in the Pacific Northwest. That being said the winters in Houston are extremely mild and most wouldn't call it a winter at all. As far as rain, Houston may get more total rain but it comes in huge downpours not the constant spitting you get in places like Seattle and Vancouver.
The other huge difference is, although Houston is also a port and located on a bay, the city doesn't have anything near the natural beauty or outdoors mentality you get in the Pacific Northwest. Camping, hiking, etc is simply not as popular in Houston. No mountains, very little public land, no wilderness areas, a lot more industry but at least the water is warm enough to swim in! The water is a lot dirtier though but not all of it is man-made pollution (thankfully!). Because of all the rivers dumping silt into the Gulf of Mexico (exhibit A being the Mississippi), the water is brown. Nothing like the blue water you get in Vancouver.
Finally, the people in Texas are of course much different. They are VERY nice and may seem alarmingly nice to the more reserved mentality you get in the Pacific Northwest. Some would even call Texans loud mouths. But they really are nice people and very friendly. There are other differences, like Houston is much less health conscious than Vancouver (more fried foods, grease, beef, etc). As you would expect Houston is MUCH more conservative politically and socially than Vancouver as well. Sometimes they are also a bit provincial and untraveled. You will find people who never have left the State of Texas and will be openly proud of that fact. But again they are very nice and always there for a smile.
Anyway, hope this helps. Sounds like quite an adventure. Good luck! I sure hope to make it up to Vancouver again VERY soon!
Thanks a lot for all the information, sounds like there is quite a difference between here and Houston. Hmm, is the tap water there drinkable? Also what are the main ethnicity's there? Here in Vancouver its mostly all Asian, Hispanics and African Americans are only about 7 or 8 percent of he population. I would guess there is a a lot more Hispanics and African Americans in Houston. Can someone give me a numbers breakdown or percent of the ethnicity's. Also what kind of stuff is there to do for entertainment? I read somewhere about a custom car show that features a ton of wacky cars. Can anyone tell me where that is, and also tell me a little about there area that I will be staying its in the 77007 area code. Thanks again
Thanks a lot for all the information, sounds like there is quite a difference between here and Houston. I would guess there is a a lot more Hispanics and African Americans in Houston. Can someone give me a numbers breakdown or percent of the ethnicity's. Thanks again
The following demographic data for Houston comes from the 2000 census. More complete data are available by consulting the website following the data.
White persons, percent, 2000 49.3%
Black or African American persons, percent, 2000 25.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 0.4%
Asian persons, percent, 2000 5.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 0.1%
Persons reporting some other race, percent, 2000 16.5%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000 3.1%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 37.4%
Source
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4835000.html>
The following demographic data for Houston comes from the 2000 census. More complete data are available by consulting the website following the data.
White persons, percent, 2000 49.3%
Black or African American persons, percent, 2000 25.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 0.4%
Asian persons, percent, 2000 5.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 0.1%
Persons reporting some other race, percent, 2000 16.5%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000 3.1%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 37.4%
Source
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4835000.html>
Thanks that is about as accurate as it gets. I guess my only questions now that are left to be answered are, what kind of entertainment is there in the Houston Area, keep in mind that I am a Christian so bars and clubs aren't the kind of entertainment I am looking for. And what the area of Houston I am staying in is like. It is in the 77007 Zip Code located at 1704 weber st, so if anyone knows this area and could tell me what it is like that would be great.
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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Originally Posted by brattpowered
... be prepared for a lot of aggressively ugly scenery.
What is that supposed to mean? Of course, many cities don't have the beauty of Vancouver, but I wouldn't call Houston "aggressively ugly" unless maybe you're just driving the freeways all day and not looking at anything else...
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingToHouston
Thanks that is about as accurate as it gets. I guess my only questions now that are left to be answered are, what kind of entertainment is there in the Houston Area, keep in mind that I am a Christian so bars and clubs aren't the kind of entertainment I am looking for. And what the area of Houston I am staying in is like. It is in the 77007 Zip Code located at 1704 weber st, so if anyone knows this area and could tell me what it is like that would be great.
Thanks
I looked up 1704 Webster St and it's in the 77003 zip, near midtown which is just southwest of downtown. The 77007 zip is just a bit further west of downtown.
I don't think either area is high crime, but remember most large cities in the US have a lot more crime than Canadian cities. Houston is certainly no exception, you just have to watch out.
For entertainment, downtown has a huge theatre district if you're into that sort of thing -- plays, opera, symphony etc.
Coming from Vancouver, be prepared for a lot of aggressively ugly scenery. Also, be prepared for a high level of crime and oppressive heat.
Coming from San Francsisco I was expecting all the negative Houston stereotypes. I have to say my wife and I were pleasently surprised. True Houston does not have the dramatic coastal sceneray present in B.C. or California, though it is not by any means an ugly crime infested city. The climate is tropical nearly year round meaning there is humidity. However, you often can wear shorts in January and enjoy gardening year round. Palm trees and other tropical vegetation abound. Directly south of the city is an amazing state park (Brazoz state park) where people go to bird watch and enjoy the local aligators in the native habitat. Although Galveston may not offer the most amazing ocean scenary. a little north and south along the coast have amazing wet lands and wild life / fishing, hiking, etc. The city itself is known for having more trees than any other US city. Like any major city, there are ugly parts. Crime in Houston is probably similar to most major US cities, but in general Houston is relatively safe (of course there are certain areas not safe after dark). Houston is a cosmopolitan international city currently in a boom with culture, music, art and fantastic food. Houstson is geographically located such that Southern, Southwestern, Mexican and Cajun combine. Come and check it out, you will be pleasently surprised.
Upthread, someone said that Houston was much more conservative. Compared to downtown Vancouver, yes -- you are not going to have people smoking pot on the street -- but not so much compared to Burnaby or Richmond. The city proper is very moderate politically, because of the wide demographic and political mix. Some of the suburban areas, like Fort Bend, you must be a Republican if you want to hold office.
It's a very diverse city. There are prejudiced, unfriendly people in every city, but Houston seems to have a live and let live attitude for the most part between those of different backgrounds, politics, etc.
I think a lot of Americans overestimate how safe Vancouver and TO are, because they haven't been walking in some of the bad areas, and because Canadian cities tend to be cleaner. I was robbed in Vancouver during one trip, and while you will see poor people on Houston freeway interchanges, selling papers or flowers, you won't be harassed routinely by "squeegee kids". (To people who don't know Vancouver or TO very well: some urban neighborhoods have many runaways and homeless kids living on the streets, and survive by washing cars at intersections. Some of them become very aggressive.) There is a lot more employment here in Houston than in Vancouver, for teenagers and young adults.
I would be especially cautious in Houston's southwest area, which has seen more crime in the last few years.
What you'll probably miss is the easy access by foot, and bus. There are buses in Houston proper, and a new Metrorail, but some areas you'll really need a car to get to.
When you come here, I bet you'd like the Taft Street Coffeehouse. It's co-owned by a church in Montrose, and it sponsors events like swing dancing.
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coming from the west coast...
