Mobile AL without question.

One last consideration hit me today while I was doing something else. If cost of living is a consideration, Houston is 22-25% more expensive to live than either Mobile or Montgomery.


http://www.bestplaces.net/cost...al/houston-tx/100000

Mobile. Lots to do in Houston but lots or crime and traffic. Montgomery has nothing to offer.

quote:

Montgomery has nothing to offer.

Well let see . . . Golf? Two Robert Trent Jones courses within a hour.

Culture? Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery Performing Arts Center, Davis Theatre.

Sports? Alabama State in town, Auburn University 35 miles up I-85, Minor league baseball right downtown, Faulkner University, .

Hunting: Well, lots o' woods, lots o' turkey, too damn many deer..

Fishing, Alabama, Coosa, Tallapoosa Rivers make up the "River Region, Lakes Martin, Mitchell, Jordan within an hour of MGM.

Vacation:

Beach 3 hours down I-65, Florida or Alabama, take your pick.

Shooting? Central AL Gun Club, Shotgun Sports Club, Lint Hill Farm (LD rifle) Society Hill (LD rifle), Tri-County Gun Range, Some indoor pistol range.

Health care? Baptist South, Baptist East associated with UAB School of Medicine, Jackson Hospital.

The restaurant selection does suck however.

RMD

Houston, hands down, but I am biased since I live NW of town. Houston has great everything, good and bad.

Ad was mentioned first big thing is it is Texas, second is it is only 1.5 hrs from great college football in College Station.

If you like culture, good food and pro and college sports teams then Houston is the obvious choice.

HK Ag

It would not be Houston.

My son lived there for two years, car flooded twice just sitting parked outside his apartment, traffic is awesome, roads are terrible.

Would never choose to live there. So, given your choices, Montgomery or Mobile it would be.

You can live within commuting distance of Houston in some nice places. I did and only went to Houston for entertainment or eating, both of which are first class. Symphony, Opera, theatre , art galleries are excellent and far above any other place in Texas and most of the nation. Shooting options and clubs many. Fantastic medical care. Close access to fishing. Cons are City politicians, heat, traffic. Trick is to live outside city limits. If not for the heat and traffic would be amazing place to live if you like urban environment.

I forgot.Univ of Houston is a highly under rated football team and always exciting to watch. Only problem is old swc teams raiding our coaches (UT, A&m, Baylor). UH is is one of 3 1st Tier Tx Univ. Must be 2nd or 3rd largest state Unv in Tx.

I'd vote for a suburb of Houston, The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, etc..
Even Conroe isn't that far.

But I'll tell you this, the majority of the Texas lottery winners are from the Houston area.
I guess since it is the most populated city of the State.
Also if you speak Spanish, you'll have a huge advantage there..

Mobile and its not close. Houston is an over crowded cess pool. Texas beachs are nasty too. Destin and Orange Beach are so much better than even South Padre.

Apparrently you've never been to beaches In Corpus or south of there.

I spent some time in Mobile when the oilspill was going on....

I had a great time there...and it's handy near the beach...lots of great food/restaurants/anything you may need...

I'd go back there

Now that we have heard from the Chambers of Commerce in all three locales, I think it is time for the OP to reveal his choice. It would be of interest to me if he would share the backstory as well.

Bump

I have lived in all three. In Houston now.

Traffic in Houston is only bad if you want to swim with the 9-5 lay-z-boy crowd. Get a up a little early and it’s the Indy 500. Lots of options, completely safe in >99% of the metro and 100% outside it, and prices are good. No state income tax.

Montgomery is small, parochial and pretty insular Old South with politics and psychology to match. A lot of primadonna attitudes across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. But great access to hunting, 2.5h from Atlanta should the need arise, and some good people. Strong ‘hood vibe in large swaths of the town.

Mobile is great but the most coastal of the three. Eastern Shore is the place to be.

If it were me, I’d go Mobile but be sure to stay high and dry and as far back from Mobile Bay as practical to protect yourself from storm surge and winds.

Considering the events of the past week I regret having spoken up in favor of Houston, and hope OP ignored my advice.

Mobile has a fantastic history and a wonderful culture. Daphne and Fairhope are nice places to live. The pier parties (especially July 4th) are fantastic. Make friends with someone that has a place on the bay.

Montgomery is a very distant 2nd and no way Houston ever...

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Considering the events of the past week I regret having spoken up in favor of Houston, and hope OP ignored my advice.

From what I've read so far, a 1000-year flood event flooded maybe 1% of homes in the area.

It's scary and it adds up to a hell of a lot of money but I don't think it is a compelling reason not to live there.

Plenty of other places have hurricanes or wildfires or tornadoes or earthquakes or tsunamis or whatever.

I'm guessing that Houston is off of the table now?

Looks like Mobile had been getting the most votes. From what I've read: Were it me, being a guy who prefers smaller towns and loves being close to water, I think that's the way I'd be leaning.