Dallas vs Houston: Which Place is Better for Young Professionals?

Texas is a large state, and it offers plenty of career opportunities and adventures for a young professional. Not only is it a place of consistent economic growth, it is also home to culturally diverse communities.

The state, however, has many good cities in their metropolitan area. So if you’re torn between choosing Dallas and Houston, read on because we have some tips for you.

In this quick guide, we’ll have a comparison between these cities in terms of climate, career opportunities, area, transportation, and cost of living.

Jobs and careers

When it comes to career opportunities, Dallas is a great place if you work in finance, banking, tech and airline industries.

On the other hand, most of the economic boost that Houston experiences is dependent on the energy and oil sector. So if you’re working for this industry, there is a guarantee that you can easily find a job here.

That said, both cities are top locations of positive job growth, considering that many Fortune 500 companies are based here.

Climate

Because these cities are both in Texas, most people think there isn’t a noticeable difference in climate between them. There is.

In Dallas, we have three seasons; namely summer, fall, winter. Houston, on the other hand, pretty much has the start of summer and the end of summer.

Moreover, Houston is significantly more humid than Dallas because of its close proximity to beaches and the coast. So if you’re not exactly a fan of the heat, then Dallas is your best choice.

Then again, both cities come with their own spades. With that, Houston is the usual target for hurricanes, while Dallas has to deal with tornadoes.

Area and Transportation

If you yearn for the city life, we can easily recommend Houston to you. 

Not only is it a large place, it is also home to diverse communities with varying interests. The city also has a plethora of landmarks, museums , recreation sites, and nature sites to spend your free time at.

While Dallas offers those as well, the communities here are smaller and not as expansive.

Furthermore, because Houston is significantly bigger, it may take you a while to go from one place to another, even with efficient public transportation. It’s a given that both cities have bad traffic, but because Dallas is smaller, you can certainly get to your destination faster.

Cost of Living

In general, Dallas is 5% more expensive than Houston. When it comes to housing, Dallas is also 15% more expensive.

This means that as a young professional, your money can get you further and longer in Houston, especially when you’re renting an apartment. 

We can attribute this to Dallas being one of the fastest growing locations for real estate. But because they cannot supply the growing demand for properties, the cost of the land tends to increase in cost.