The economy of Houston is exploding with a diverse set of industries including Aerospace & Aviation, Manufacturing, Energy (oil has softened but still big), Healthcare, and Digital Tech. Making a good living here is even more compelling when you realize how much less expensive Houston is compared to crazy cities like San Francisco (179% more expensive), New York (94% more expensive), or the other “hotter” cities in Texas, like Austin (19% more expensive).

Speaking of hot cities -- for many from the Great White North the idea of year-round sun sounds awesome. It is critical to know ahead of time though that not only does Houston get HOT, but the fact that it is surrounded by water and low-lying floodlands means it gets HUMID. 



It’s A Rocket Ship (And a Relatively Cheap Ride)

LookyLOO Review of Houston

Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country and this diversity drives a cultural experience unlike many other cities in the country or the world. Inside the 610 loop, which is the “center” of Houston is an incredible concentration of museums, theaters (the cultural kind), art galleries, and a stunning collection of amazing restaurants with food from all over the world. Outside the 610 are more mellow neighborhoods, and then an incredible spread of suburbs that comprise a metroplex that is 15% larger than the entire state of New Jersey. 

What is different about Houston is its working-class spirit and unpretentious behavior that is so different from many of the other major cities. Here you can attend a world-class performance, eat at a five-star restaurant and yet it never feels super-fancy or full of itself. Your life here would more likely be filled with trips to the local coffee shop and neighborhood park than the ballet but good to know you can go if you’d like, right?

If you want to check out the happenings in Houston here is the calendar of events: 
https://www.visithoustontexas.com/events/

One final note: Texas is a concealed-carry state, which means the lifestyle here includes locals packing heat when they are out and about. If that bothers you then perhaps Texas won’t be your cup of tea. 


Lifestyle 

Houston is also diverse in terms of its business opportunities. Presumably, everyone knows that energy is big business here, but Houston also has the largest medical center in the world [(**Texas Medical Center)**](https://www.tmc.edu/). The different industries that are exploding in Houston are referenced above so we’ll stick to other characteristics: 1) The commutes truly suck here. If you can be a wfh’er we’d recommend it. 2) No state income tax!!!! You get to keep more of your dough. 3) Houston has a network of tunnels and sky bridges so if you work downtown you can avoid the icky-sticky when you’re walking around. 

Overall Houston has a great business culture. While Texas in general and Houston in particular have grown, that has largely been on the back of people coming here for jobs. With the rise in wfh’ers who can enjoy what Houston has to offer without any commute, we imagine more growth is on the way. 


Worklife

We know a lot of people are looking to get away from big cities but Houston seems like a place that might receive some of that escaping traffic from the denser cities of the Northeast and Northwest. If you’re moving south but want the diversity, culture & art experiences, food scene and vibrant population of some of those cities but in a more chill, easier to afford package, then Houston’s the spot. 


The City With No Limits

Why You Should Move Here Now? 

**SIR_** / Lives In Houston / Updated 2y ago
✭✭✭✭

It helps to realize that Houston has never had a draw besides $$ and opportunity (In contrast to NYC’s arts & culture, San Diego’s climate and geography, etc.).

What that means is you have a lot of people who came here for jobs (Ranching/Ag at first, then O&G, now healthcare and just about anything else). The weather sucks and the land is a drained swamp, but people have come from all over the world to make a better life. Or they’ve come here because there is family or a community they love.

There’s only one thing that fits the bill: FOOD. I genuinely believe if I had to eat in only one city in the world for the rest of my life, Houston might be it. If you tell me you want Chinese food, I have to ask how much time and $$ you want to spend, plus float a few regional options.

Largest West African population in the world outside of West Africa. A Mecca of BBQ and Tex Mex, to the extent that Bourdain explicitly skipped ALL barbecue and Tex Mex during his episode here because that is so self-evident.

Watch his episode, or the Gulf Coast/Bayou episode of David Chang’s ugly delicious. The food IS the story of Houston. Did you know that the trinity bay has a lot of the same crustaceans as the Mekong River delta, and that Houston was growing rapidly during the time of the Vietnam war. BOOM - Houston has one of the country’s most vibrant Vietnamese communities and Viet Cajun food is an amazing genre unto itself.

Honestly, I don’t like it here. I’m here because we have family, and the food, low cost of living, and fantastic airport make the city work for me.

But no…you’re not really missing anything. Houston is all about living the good life with people you love, one bite at a time.

For more reviews from locals check out: [**reviews section**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/houston/reviews)

Reviews of Houston from Locals

**The Good, The Bad, The Ugly**

**The Best Thing About Houston?**  It’s A Rocket Ship (And a Relatively Cheap Ride)

The economy of Houston is exploding with a diverse set of industries including Aerospace & Aviation, Manufacturing, Energy (oil has softened but still big), Healthcare and Digital Tech. Making a good living here is even more compelling when you realize how much less expensive Houston is compared to crazy cities like San Francisco (179% more expensive), New York (94% more expensive), or the other “hotter” cities in Texas, like Austin (19% more expensive).  


**The Worst Thing About Houston?**  It’s Not A Dry Heat

For many from the Great White North the idea of year round sun sounds awesome. It is critical to know ahead of time though that not only does Houston get HOT, the fact that it is surrounded by water and low-lying flood-lands means it gets HUMID. 


**How You Living?**  However You’d Like

Houston is massive (about 14x bigger than San Francisco), which means that pretty much any kind of housing experience you’d like to have is available. Cool downtown condo buildings with full amenities and walks to the Fortune 500 companies in town? Got ‘em. Hip neighborhoods with cool historic homes and short walks to bars and restaurants? Got ‘em. Fancy neighborhoods with big new homes? Got ‘em. Trust us, you’ll find it here. 


**Why You Should Move Here Now?**  The City With No Limits

We know a lot of people are looking to get away from big cities but Houston seems like a place that might receive some of that escaping traffic from the denser cities of the Northeast and Northwest. If you’re moving south but want the diversity, culture & art experiences, food scene and vibrant population of some of those cities but in a more chill, easier to afford package, then Houston’s the spot. 


The Houston metroplex is massive in ways peeps from the Northeast are going to have a tough time comprehending. At over 10k square miles it is larger than five U.S. states: New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. It lies on the Gulf of Mexico but access to swimmable beaches is tricky. Galveston is a popular destination, particularly East Beach, but the Gulf of Galveston can be hit or miss as a swimmable water source. Generally if you’re looking for a true beach vacation Houstonians head to South Padre Island or across to Destin, Florida. 

One of the great things about Houston is its proximity to other major cities. Dallas, Austin and San Antonio are all ~ 3 hours or less of a drive, and an hour and a few minutes flight time. The icing on the cake is that New Orleans is only a 5 hour drive (or 1 hour flight) in case your craving for Beignets gets out of hand. 


The Area

The Inner Loop is where young professionals want to live in Houston. And while there are plenty of great neighborhoods to choose from there are several that pull in the most young profs and the common characteristic for these neighborhoods is often proximity to “downtown”. Neartown/Montrose is a great example of these: just blocks from the downtown neighborhood it is one of the most walkable areas in Houston. It has a great art scene and is packed with nightlife for those looking to get out and about.  It also has plenty of affordable housing with both purchase and rental apartments available.
Neartown/Montrose
- Downtown
- Fourth Ward
- Midtown
- Upper Kirby
- Medical Center


Young Professionals

Downtown

There is a running gag in Houston that when one of your friends gets married and has kids they start prepping to move to “The Greater Heights” neighborhood in the inner Loop. It’s a bit suburban for an inner city neighborhood but the small town feel inside the city is very cool. Good place to start your search.   
- Greater Heights



DINKs/SINKs

Greater Heights

Houston's LGBTQ+ scene is concentrated in a neighborhood called Montrose. It's a couple miles southwest of downtown, with a mix of historic, early 20th-century homes, cute cottages and condos and apartments for anyone looking for smaller housing options. The center of the community is where Westheimer Road crosses Montrose Boulevard, great walkscore LGBTQ+ bars and restaurants. Also within walking distance are great boutique shops and cafes. 
- Montrose

LGBTQ+

Montrose

Established Families:
There are plenty of neighborhoods and communities for bigger families with more $ under their belts. River Oaks is probably the most famous of these. It has been called the Beverly Hills of Houston, so get that wallet open. The neighborhood is filled with beautiful historic homes that successfully represent the old money of Houston. Just as importantly for those who want the homes AND a fancy commercial district River Oaks has a District (not so creatively called River Oaks District) to rival Rodeo Drive. If you want to live in The Loop and have it all this is your joint. If you crave more of a suburban/rural vibe then look at Piney Point Village. Filled with more modern mega-homes and country club amenities this is where you live if you want it fancy but also want it quiet. 
- River Oaks
- Piney Point Village
- Galleria-Uptown
- West University Place
- Boulevard Oaks


Families

River Oaks

Houston

**Eddie_HTX** / Living in Houston / Updated 2y ago

I moved here from chicago in 18. I’ve never been happier. The biggest difference is that in Chicago downtown is everything, and here downtown is basically nothing. You have to hit the inner loop burbs. The heights, montose, midtown. And even that depends on what you’re into. In chi town we are used to walking from wrigleyville directly into the city and having any gourmet or attractions on the way. Here you have to know the vibe you want and plan accordingly. It’s worth it in the end, at least for us, but everyone is different.

**SIR_** / Living in Houston / Updated 2 yr ago
✭✭✭✭

It helps to realize that Houston has never had a draw besides $$ and opportunity (In contrast to NYC’s arts & culture, San Diego’s climate and geography, etc.).

What that means is you have a lot of people who came here for jobs (Ranching/Ag at first, then O&G, now healthcare and just about anything else). The weather sucks and the land is a drained swamp, but people have come from all over the world to make a better life. Or they’ve come here because there is family or a community they love.

There’s only one thing that fits the bill: FOOD. I genuinely believe if I had to eat in only one city in the world for the rest of my life, Houston might be it. If you tell me you want Chinese food, I have to ask how much time and $$ you want to spend, plus float a few regional options.

Largest West African population in the world outside of West Africa. A Mecca of BBQ and Tex Mex, to the extent that Bourdain explicitly skipped ALL barbecue and Tex Mex during his episode here because that is so self-evident.

Watch his episode, or the Gulf Coast/Bayou episode of David Chang’s ugly delicious. The food IS the story of Houston. Did you know that the trinity bay has a lot of the same crustaceans as the Mekong River delta, and that Houston was growing rapidly during the time of the Vietnam war. BOOM - Houston has one of the country’s most vibrant Vietnamese communities and Viet Cajun food is an amazing genre unto itself.

Honestly, I don’t like it here. I’m here because we have family, and the food, low cost of living, and fantastic airport make the city work for me.

But no…you’re not really missing anything. Houston is all about living the good life with people you love, one bite at a time.


**What is it like to live in Houston, TX?**

**Jon Morris** / Living in Houston / Updated 3yr ago
✭✭✭

There are four things I always tell people about Houston:

Houston is a great place to *live* but a crappy place to visit. Houston has never had the geography or climate to attract people, so Houston has drawn its massive population from making a space where people can create a good life, which depends not on tourist attractions but on all the things that casual passers-through (even frequent business travelers) miss. I’ve lived in London as well and I find it to be the exact opposite—London is a delightful place to visit but a hard place to live. Lots of factors go into making Houston a great place to live: friendly locals, whether someone has lived in Houston their whole life or just a few years, they always make you feel welcome and are happy you’re there; low cost of living and low taxes; great diversity of people and cuisines (see point 4); there is a focus on life and work—people know you’ve come to Houston to make a living, which means both work and life outside of work—if you do your job well people will not get caught up in displays of how long you can stay in the office, because you should go spend time with family and friends; and there’s enough to go around in Houston in terms of prosperity and access to desirable things that people are nice to each other and it’s easy to get what you want, which is probably more fajitas from that restaurant in the strip mall that you found the other day that you would never have known about as a tourist.

**Living in Houston whats it like and any advice for someone relocating there?**

**CupAccomplished3353** / Living in Houston / Updated 7mo ago
✭✭✭✭

First things first, when you get here, buy a car. You cannot live in Houston without a vehicle.

Do you know where you’re working yet? Even if it’s somewhere like up in The Woodlands, I strongly recommend one of these places to live: Montrose area (specifically along Montrose between W Gray and Washington), Downtown in lofts along the light rail, Rice Military area, or Uptown Park area in the Galleria. All of those places will allow you to walk to at least one park for exercise and walk to a handful of restaurants and bars.

All of those places have good food and bars. Specifically, Washington Ave, Midtown, and Rice Village for your age group. The food is good everywhere here - truly. We have amazing authentic food in every cuisine (Korean, Indian, Mexican, French, etc - ex: we even have a Bosnian-specific restaurant!).

If you’re active and into exercise, Memorial Park, Hermann Park, and Eleanor Tinsley park are awesome. We have good bike trails along the bayous. We have almost every type of professional sports team (basketball, football, soccer, baseball).

There’s places like Cidercade, Flight Club, and The Puttery that are fun outings I think.

Also, if you move this time of year you will absolutely love it here. Moving in July just sucks. The summer is hot, yes. Very hot. And it lasts longer than normal. But there are other benefits to living here. Best of luck to you!!

Houston, Texas

The Big Heart

Looklyloo Score: 86