More Conservative: East Texas (Tyler/Longview/Texarkana) or West Texas (Amarillo/Lubbock/Midland)? (Houston: live, metro)

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

East Texas is more diverse, so I would imagine that it would be a bit more tolerant when it comes to race.

Maybe, but not by much of it is. East Texas is very white/black and west Texas is very white/Hispanic.

You have a few overlaps in Tyler, Lubbock, and Amarillo, but otherwise that's the way it is.

Also West Texas has more Asians.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Maybe, but not by much of it is. East Texas is very white/black and west Texas is very white/Hispanic.

You have a few overlaps in Tyler, Lubbock, and Amarillo, but otherwise that's the way it is.

Also West Texas has more Asians.

Most East Texas towns of significant size have notable Mexican populations that are only growing. The Hispanic population in Tyler is close to eclipsing the black population if it hasn't already.

In other words, you'll have a much easier time finding Mexican food in East Texas then you will with soul food in West Texas.

I wasn't aware West Texas had more Asians. Do you have a source for this?

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Most East Texas towns of significant size have notable Mexican populations that are only growing. The Hispanic population in Tyler is close to eclipsing the black population if it hasn't already.

In other words, you'll have a much easier time finding Mexican food in East Texas then you will with soul food in West Texas.

I wasn't aware West Texas had more Asians. Do you have a source for this?

Not sure thats an accurate comparrison. Mexican food is available everywhere because its a much more popular type of cuisine than Soul Food. You can find Mexican food in places where there are no Mexicans whereas its very difficult to find Soul Food anywhere where there isnt a sizable black community.

I do have numbers for Asians in both:

Amarillio Metro Area: 6,620 - 2.7%
Lubbock Metro Area: 6,368 - 2.2%
Midland/Odessa Area: 3,176 - 1.1%

Tyler Metro Area: 2,546 - 1.2%
Longview Metro Area: 2,154 - 1.0%

Given the small sizes of both, good sized difference:

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[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Not sure thats an accurate comparrison. Mexican food is available everywhere because its a much more popular type of cuisine than Soul Food. You can find Mexican food in places where there are no Mexicans whereas its very difficult to find Soul Food anywhere where there isnt a sizable black community.

Okay, I'll rephrase it for you: authentic Mexican food made by Mexicans, along with Mexican culture in general, will be easier to come by in East Texas than soul food or black culture in general will be in West Texas.

And since there doesn't seem to be an extreme difference in the percentage of Asian residents, I think it's clear that ET is, in fact, considerably more diverse. I'm also assuming that the region has more ethnic whites as well; more Germans, French, Italians etc.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Okay, I'll rephrase it for you: authentic Mexican food made by Mexicans, along with Mexican culture in general, will be easier to come by in East Texas than soul food or black culture in general will be in West Texas.

And since there doesn't seem to be an extreme difference in the percentage of Asian residents, I think it's clear that ET is, in fact, considerably more diverse. I'm also assuming that the region has more ethnic whites as well; more Germans, French, Italians etc.

You dont think triple the amount of Asians is a big difference?

[rr2005]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

East Texas is more diverse, so I would imagine that it would be a bit more tolerant when it comes to race.

I disagree with this. East Texas seems to hold more "Deep South" attitudes toward race. West Texas leans more libertarian/southwestern in culture, as was previously mentioned here. Further, people keep saying west Texas is "white". In reality, it has a huge Hispanic population, with a majority of counties being "minority-majority" in population.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

You dont think triple the amount of Asians is a big difference?

Not when there's only an average of 1 percentage point increase.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by rr2005

I disagree with this. East Texas seems to hold more "Deep South" attitudes toward race. West Texas leans more libertarian/southwestern in culture, as was previously mentioned here. Further, people keep saying west Texas is "white". In reality, it has a huge Hispanic population, with a majority of counties being "minority-majority" in population.

This is my opinion as well. In my experience, West Texas was more tolerant of different ethnicities.

Outside Tyler, I don't think East Texas is very accepting.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by rr2005

I disagree with this. East Texas seems to hold more "Deep South" attitudes toward race. West Texas leans more libertarian/southwestern in culture, as was previously mentioned here. Further, people keep saying west Texas is "white". In reality, it has a huge Hispanic population, with a majority of counties being "minority-majority" in population.

Even in the deepest parts of the Deep South you will see plenty of interracial harmony. Sure there are lots of bigots, but you can find them anywhere, including West Texas.

So whether West Texas or East Texas is the most tolerant would depend on who you ask, I guess, but we know which is more diverse.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

but we know which is more diverse.

We do?

Lets put your theory to the test. Below are the diversity index's of each metro area. For comparison a perfectly diverse metro area would be 100. Houston is just over 79 and Dallas is just under 77. NYC is the most diverse with an index of 81.

Tyler: 64.0
Lubbock: 63.8
Midland: 61.9
Amarillo: 60.6
Longview: 60

I wouldn't say that you could definitively say that one is more diverse than the other. If you're black, you would be more likely to say East Texas is more diverse. If you're Hispanic, you're more likely to say West Texas is more diverse.