Houston vs Dallas for African Americans (Cedar Hill, Lancaster: mall, to move, nightlife)

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

DFW's economy is too strong and diverse now though, and many of its schools and suburbs are too good for many middle class, professional blacks coming to Texas to just completely ignore and skip over DFW and head straight to Houston like they did in years past, though. That's why more blacks are moving to DFW in "raw numbers" now, as you said.

This

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

This an interesting article. I know it's been posted several times. (I'm posting because of the population data, not because of the opinions.)
Why Young Black Professionals Are Wary of Dallas - D Magazine

It highlights the annual black growth of most of the large metros from 2006-2010. It has Houston at #2 (11,008) and DFW at #4 (7,678). I guess, based on this, DFW gained more raw numbers from 2000-2005 or 2006. Now Houston is second in raw numbers according to this article.

Census count is the most accurate data for black migration patterns. Those numbers seem to be a little on the low side for both metros.

[NoClueWho]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

This an interesting article. I know it's been posted several times. (I'm posting because of the population data, not because of the opinions.)
Why Young Black Professionals Are Wary of Dallas - D Magazine

It highlights the annual black growth of most of the large metros from 2006-2010. It has Houston at #2 (11,008) and DFW at #4 (7,678). I guess, based on this, DFW gained more raw numbers from 2000-2005 or 2006. Now Houston is second in raw numbers according to this article.

I know you are not posting that article for the opinions, just for the numbers, but I always hate when that ONE article gets mentioned or pulled up, because it is such BS. It actually makes me question whether or not the numbers quoted in the article are even correct.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by kdogg817

Census count is the most accurate data for black migration patterns. Those numbers seem to be a little on the low side for both metros.

I thought the same thing at first. That's black migrants, not total black numbers. It excludes natural increases.

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

I'll agree with the main point you are making, that Houston's black demographics tend to skew younger transplant wise and many do end up staying there as they get older to raise families of their own. But I will add that not all the young black folks in DFW leave, either. Especially with all the opportunity and jobs here, and an economy that's more diversified than Houston's. But I will concede that a lot of the YOUNG black DFW residents who do leave tend to head to---again---Houston, because of its party reputation. Many who leave DFW for other places when they are young also come back though when they get older and ready to settle down and start their own families. Even though Houston has a reputation among black folks as more of a party city, let's not act like Houston maintains 100% of its young black population and like DFW loses 100% of it's young black population. Once again, both cities/areas are pretty equal overall and have more similarities than differences. I do see more black transplants of all ages (but mostly 30's and up) moving to DFW now though, even though Houston has historically had the larger black population.

You are leaning way to heavily on this Houston "party city" thing. More than anything, more young Blacks from dfw (and other cities) migrate to Houston for college and the opportunities after. While Houston is easily considered the more "hip" city due to it's better nightlife, thousands move to the city to attend universities that collectively attract alot more Blacks than the schools in the metroplex. Younger Blacks do prefer Houston; BUT those who choose to move there compliment a comparitively larger, family oriented, already established Black middle class. Thats the major difference. There is no advantage for either metro when it comes to families. Both have jobs, the same cheaply built mc mansions and access to good schools.

[majicdonjuan]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

You are leaning way to heavily on this Houston "party city" thing. More than anything, more young Blacks from dfw (and other cities) migrate to Houston for college and the opportunities after. While Houston is easily considered the more "hip" city due to it's better nightlife, thousands move to the city to attend universities that collectively attract alot more Blacks than the schools in the metroplex. Younger Blacks do prefer Houston; BUT those who choose to move there compliment a comparitively larger, family oriented, already established Black middle class. Thats the major difference. There is no advantage for either metro when it comes to families. Both have jobs, the same cheaply built mc mansions and access to good schools.

You said this far better than I was able to.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

You are leaning way to heavily on this Houston "party city" thing. More than anything, more young Blacks from dfw (and other cities) migrate to Houston for college and the opportunities after. While Houston is easily considered the more "hip" city due to it's better nightlife, thousands move to the city to attend universities that collectively attract alot more Blacks than the schools in the metroplex. Younger Blacks do prefer Houston; BUT those who choose to move there compliment a comparitively larger, family oriented, already established Black middle class. Thats the major difference. There is no advantage for either metro when it comes to families. Both have jobs, the same cheaply built mc mansions and access to good schools.

Not only that, but I as said earlier, with Houston hosting the SWAC Championship football and basketball games and the SWAC battle of the bands, the city is being exposed to other young black people outside of Texas.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

This is the most sensible post in this thread so far and it actually raises a great point that no one else has really hit on yet: Instead of arguing over whether Houston or DFW has more blacks living in and moving there and which has more to offer black folks, maybe people should pay more attention to the DEMOGRAPHICS (age, profession, married/single, kids, etc.) of the black people living in and moving to both areas, and what is attracting each demographic of black people to Houston and DFW respectively.

I know personally, my wife and I are a black, educated, professional couple in our early 30's and when looking to move to Texas, we visited and considered both Houston and Dallas. We both agreed that to *us*, Houston is the type of city that is fun to drive down to and visit on weekends, but then go home (and that's not to say that there is not plenty to do and see in DFW, because there is. Just different stuff to do and see in Houston). I even admitted to her that if I was still single and in my 20's, I would probably pick Houston over Dallas. But we both agreed that we liked DFW better to live, work, and raise a family in.

So at this stage in our life, Dallas is hands down the better city and area for us. This is also true of all our black, professional friends---single and married---who are in their early 30's to early 40's. On the flipside, I hear about and know of mostly black college aged and 20's singles moving to Houston since it has more of a reputation for black clubs and nightlife, which is why you hear so many black folks of the same age group and demographic calling Houston "the next Atlanta" so much (yes, they really are mentioning both cities in same breath a lot these days).

The bottom line is both Houston and DFW are roughly even when it comes to black population numbers and the amount of black transplants moving there, so it shouldn't be argued which gets or has more black people and why. What should be discussed is the TYPES of black people who flock to each area most, and why. That will tell you which city and area are better for which TYPES of black folks, and why. That's much better than just having folks just bashing each city/area and their black community, just because they are from the other. We will never get anywhere or learn anything about the black trends in each city/area doing that.

True that Dallas may be attracting a larger number of black professional transplants. What you failed to point out though is that Houston has its own homegrown community of black professionals. This is less true of Dallas who gets a great deal of its professionals from elsewhere. It could be said that Houston simply has more social diversity amongst its black residents. You don't just have the college or party crowd, but you also have your professionals, artists entrepeneurs, and so on.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by mega man

True that Dallas may be attracting a larger number of black professional transplants. What you failed to point out though is that Houston has its own homegrown community of black professionals. This is less true of Dallas who gets a great deal of its professionals from elsewhere. It could be said that Houston simply has more social diversity amongst its black residents. You don't just have the college or party crowd, but you also have your professionals, artists entrepeneurs, and so on.

Wouldn't the fact that Dallas attracts a large portion of it's population from elsewhere lend to more cultural variety within the population than a more homegrown population?

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by R1070

Wouldn't the fact that Dallas attracts a large portion of it's population from elsewhere lend to more cultural variety within the population than a more homegrown population?

No. You totally misunderstood what he's saying. He's saying that not only does Houston attract Black proffesionals from other places; it also has a native Black professional class and a large percentage of Blacks who migrate to the city for college(two areas where Dallas falls short). Then theres the much discussed "party crowd". Its easily more socially diverse. Let some folks in this thread tell it, Dallas is for a bunch of old folks and families while Houston is just a party town....