When referencing "bad", I mean unsafe, or high crime areas.

It's hard to believe that I started this thread over a year ago!! :eek: My, how time flew by in my last year of law school!!!

Anyway, I'm bak with the same question, but this time, it's a little more tailored. I have narrowed down my cities for relocation and would appreciate it if anyone would throw some info my way if they happen to live ther. I know that the Houston folks have been DEEP in the thread!! Feel free to renew your "push" to get people to move there.

Here's my list (in no particular order):

1. Dallas, TX
2. Houston, TX
3. Charlotte, NC
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Washington, DC
6. Chicago, IL

I just did a search of the top (10) cities for African-Americans and 5/6 of my cities were on the list, with the exception of Chicago. Therefore, I think that they all are great choices! :D

The front runner at the moment is Dallas because I thought it was really nice when I went there a few months back for a trial competition. Houston is running a very close second because I know a few folks there, including Soror D (and I can finally get to meet Rita!) and it's not that long of a drive back to N.O. Both are good cities and I'm sure I'd have better luck finding a job than I am here. Texas seems to be the "safest" place for my first attempt at relocation, but my options are DEFINITELY open to all possibilites. At best, I'm looking to move my January/February '09.

So, hit me with all the info you have. Everything is up for discussion: Economy, weather, job market, standard of living, availability of housing, hot spots, crime, etc. If you don't feel like typing, just direct me to a helpful website.

Thanks for your help! :D

I didn't know until recently that Charlotte was a major financial district. So if your legal interests lay in that area, that could be a good choice. Charlotte and Atlanta have no major airline delays. Housing is relatively reasonable in Dallas.

Aww Soror, your e-stalker loves to post after you. :D

I say either Houston or Dallas. I haven't been in Houston long enough to give you any real reasons, but I like it!

Houston is soooooooo awsome. The shopping is re-dik-u-lus. For Real.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...8123456789.jpg

Top 5 Reasons to Move to Charlotte

1. I live here :D

2. The Cookout ~ Ask your Soror D about the milkshakes

3. Beautiful city that has so much on the horizon in terms of construction, a lot of people are coming here, so clients galore are here

4. Great weather, semi high cost of living. We seldom get hurricanes. We're in a semi-drought right now. If it snows, you get the day off from work. You're minutes away from South Carolina.

5. Hang out with me from time to time.

There are either 2 or 3 AKA alumnae chapters here. I forget. LOL
http://www.rhopsiomega.org/

Don't move here if you cannot live without Popeye's chicken :(

http://www.charmeck.nc.us/living/home.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte,_North_Carolina
http://www.charlottechamber.com/
http://legacy.charlotteobserver.com/livinghere/

If I ever leave Charlotte, I'm headed to Houston though.:)

I've been to all of those places and lived in 2 (Dallas and DC) -- I think they're all great places for AAs to live.

I'll speak on Dallas, though, since I'm living here "grown" :p

I'm not sure if you want to live in Dallas proper or one of the surrounding cities. If you want to live in Dallas, it can get pretty expensive. When I was looking for an apartment (maybe 2 years ago?), the cheapest place that I found was Deep Ellum (they're trying to revitalize the downtown area). If you're wanting to live around the area, check out Irving, Arlington, Fort Worth, Addison, or Grand Prairie. They'll keep you close to everything, but far enough away to chill out.

You're also going to need a car. Downtown Dallas and Fort Worth have mass transit, but some of the midcities don't. The only mass transit that goes to and from both cities is the train. And because everyone has a car, traffic is horrendous. There seems to be permanent construction on the highways, and now with the new Cowboys stadium being built in Arlington, I-30 (major highway) has lane closures.

DFW Airport is right in the middle of the metroplex, so getting into and out of the region is very easy (there are also several smaller airports that can get you directly into Dallas or Fort Worth if you don't want to go to the main airport).

Economy: I read somewhere that North Texas is "recession proof" because of the types of jobs available up here. There's a lot of drilling going on with the Barnett Shale, and that's expected to pump some money into the economy.

Weather: "If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait 5 minutes and it'll change." Very true. Texas weather is odd and takes some getting used to. There are really no "seasons" -- just hot and cold. People from out of state are also concerned about the tornadoes. They come pretty frequently at the end of spring, but once you've been here for a while, you can kind of gauge when they're serious. Summer = very hot. This summer we had something like 20 days of 100+ degree heat.

Job Market: There are several Fortune 500 companies in the area. AT+T is also moving here from San Antonio in the near future. It shouldn't be too difficult to find something.

Standard of Living: The majority of the region is pretty normal. You have a pretty good mix of people with different incomes. Dallas (and Addison, for that matter) is known, though, for "$30,000 millionaires" -- people who front like they have money but are really not making that much and are racking up debt. There is a lot of money in the region (aside from the $30K people) so there are several sections that reflect that (Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow, etc).

Housing: Cost of living and housing is pretty low. Like I said earlier, downtown Dallas is trying to revitalize so it isn't THAT expensive. The midcities are reasonably priced as well. The very expensive sections are near Uptown, Turtle Creek, Park Cities, and Preston. If you check out rent.com or something, you can quickly find something that fits your budget.

Hot Spots: I'm not sure how old you are, but there are a few "party" areas depending on what you're into. Lower Greenville -- mostly 20-somethings and SMU students. It's situated near a neighborhood, though, so parking is TERRIBLE. Deep Ellum -- 18/19 year olds and artsy types frequent DE. About 5 or 6 years ago, there was a lot going on in the area. Crime increase and it's kind of slowed down, but there are several groups trying to revitalize the area. Uptown/Knox Henderson -- The "trendy" area with ultra lounges and private clubs. Stockyards (Fort Worth) -- More country/western (if you're into that), but there are some places that play top 40/dance. Addison -- Another trendy area. I usually run into people trying to impress everyone by throwing money around.

If you're into sports, you have the Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers, and Stars all playing in the area. There's also UTA, SMU, TCU, UTD, and UNT athletics. Several of the cities have minor league teams as well. If you're into museums/art, there are several galleries to visit.

Crime: It's pretty comparable to other large cities. Don't find yourself in the wrong part of Oak Cliff (south Dallas) or Stop Six (Fort Worth) unless you know where you're going.

I've lived here (Arlington) for about 6 years and have enjoyed it. I've lived in several big cities, so I like the pace of the area. It's the 4th largest metropolitan area in the US, so there's really ALWAYS something going on.

Check out these pages:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Dallas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas%...orth_Metroplex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas,_Texas
http://wikitravel.org/en/Fort_Worth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Worth,_Texas

And sorry, I didn't mean for this to turn into a novel :p

That is cruel and unusual punishment!!! There is NO WAY a girl that was born and raised in New Orleans -- hometown of Al Copeland (R.I.P), founder and creator of Popeye's Famous Chicken and Biscuit -- can live with an original two-piece white, spicy, with red beans and a biscuit!! AAHHHHHHH!!!! My stomach and taste buds are in mourning right now!

CT4, I totally forgot that you lived in Charlotte. I'm happy to know that you are there and that I will ahve someone to hang out with occasionally. I just found out that one of my classmates is there as well. For some reason, I thought she was going to South Carolina, but she's in Charlotte. So, I'll put her on my Charlotte job search team. I'll keep you posted if I head that way.

Knight_Shadow, thank you SOOOOOO much for all that info on Dallas!!! I have a former classmate/Soror that is from Dallas and she loves it, but she has never provided me with that much info. All she can tell me is that it's great. LOL!

I'm a very young and chic 28 year old and I don't really do the club thing. I do like wine/martini bars, poetry readings, jazz clubs, etc. I wouldn't actually consider myself "artsy," but I'm pretty laid back and enjoy conversation more than sweating in clubs. Now, I can get down with the best of them, but at my age and with my career, I'd rather hang out in more classy, upscale, sophisticated type spots.

In terms of housing, I did look at apartments.com and I saw a few spots that I like. Of course, some of the places that I LOOOOOVE are ultra-expensive, but if I get a good enough job.... LOL! No, with all my bills, I must be realistic. However, there are great apartments in my price range, so I'll be OK.

I look forward to getting out of this apartment so that I can get settled and start searching for my new job. It's going to be fun deciding on a city to relocate to. I'm ready for a new beginning!!! :D :D

Oh, and our Copeland's closed too. :(

Anyone who currently lives in Newark, NJ or nearby cities in Jersey, please PM me. I would REALLY appreciate it!

OK, Charlotte has GOT to do better!! :mad: :(

Believe it or not, I research restaurants too when I think about moving. When I thought I was going to get that job recently, I searched the internet to see if some of my favorite restaurants/foods were there.

Anyone have any info on Memphis? I hear that it's really nice... in certain parts. I mean, I have to keep in perspective that Three 6 Mafia is from there. :side eye: One of my classmates worked there last summer. She loved it and took a permanent position there. I need to send her a message to get more info, but wanted to check with my GC fam first.

I've never lived there, but I've visited a few times (I have some family there). I hated it. There was never anything to do and it's so far removed from anything I considered fun/interesting. Plus, they have that annoying pyramid in the middle of the city.

you are a mess!!!!! but yes, that is reason enough. :)

I love Copelands. The red beans and rice was just about the best I ever tasted. I prefer cities with good airports and adequate jet service. With Delta and Northwest merging, any of their hub cities will likely have great air service at high prices.

I agree about the club thing. I'm 23 and I've gotten over it. There used to be several "grown and sexy" places, but they've transitioned into regular 18+ clubs. Addison or Uptown might be what you're into. There's also a place in south Dallas called Brooklyn's that's supposed to be nice.

Redefined...I really liked your breakdown of Texas....can you do the same for Charlotte.... :D

Your personal narrative is the best that I have read about a city.

Also, if anyone else have any more info on Charlotte, NC..please share...thanks.

I've learned a ton in 10 pages...

LOL!

I am trying to figure something out. I hope I can get things to work in my favor so that I can move forward with my life. I think a move will do me some good! :D

^^^^I understand...Good Luck.

Ok Houston GC'ers....I know y'all are going through a few things right now, with Hurricane Ike (Turner :p) coming through a few days ago, but I may be moving there! :D

Take me with you!!!

/\/\/\ lol I can TOTALLY relate RD! I'm just TI-RED of Kansas. Maybe it's my adult ADD kickin' in or an early pre-mid life crisis, but I'm ready for a change and to start someone place new. So I'm hoping this serious job prospect works out. :)

I said a prayer for you!

I am sending out resumes today and I'm headed back to the coffeeshop to use the internet and search some more. I found a few jobs in Houston and Dallas. SOMETHING has to pan out. I'd even take a job here for a while if it was required. I'd just use that time to keep looking!

I'll be on my way soon enough!

Edited for clarity.. lol..
Your new job is right around the corner.. :)

Soror RD: I got a two bedroom and a sunroom. You know I got you if you need some place to lay your head in Houston.

Soror Unspokenone

And just what are you implying, Nikki? ;) LOL! OK, perhaps I should say become a GC regular again. LOL! Since I've figured out how to see GC better on my phone, I can visit more. However, when I did log on a few days ago, I had that little message up top telling me that I hadn't in a few weeks. So unlike me! But, I'm somewhat back now!

Thanks for the offer D!! I'm sure I'll be taking you up on that offer. I'm sending out some resumes on tomorrow. I'm spending today to look for more jobs and find out all the MPRE, bar, etc. requirements for TX.

Something is on the way!!

Needed advice from Residents of Charlotte, NC
 

My family and I are visiting Charlotte next month for possible relocation. I am wondering which neighborhoods in charlotte and surrounding area should I check out while I am there. I have a middle school aged son so I am looking for a neighborhood with a great school.

Also, we wanted to check a HBCU game while we were there. During that weekend, North Carolina Central (homecoming) v.s. Edward Waters in Durham or Johnson C. Smith vs. Shaw in Charlotte, which one should we plan to go to?

hello? no contest! Come on down to HOMECOMING at central. we'd love to have you.

I have a seperate question (that I should probably create a separate thread for) if you could move anywhere outside the US: Where???

I have a few places in mind, I will name one and then reserve the rest for later:

Belize....

Well, kids. A decision has been made and the city is:

*drumroll*

ATLANTA!!!

I gave it A LOT of thought and I prayed about it. Then, one day, the answer was clear. I decided on Atlanta. I've always loved the city and have been wanting to move there. It truly feels right.

So, if you have any further input on the city for me, please let me know. I won't me moving until May/June 09.

It's a wonderful city. Don't know what your relationship outlook is, but I'm sure you're aware that is the gay, black man capital, but there are plenty of straight men there as well. I'm sure you'll be just fine.
Check out this website.

www.city-data.com