Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Florida vs Texas - Jobs, Crime, etc?

Looking at Dallas, perhaps Austin, Tx. Also, Tampa Area, perhaps the panhandle of Florida.

Anyone want to comment - Pros/Cons? Thanks.

You need to work?

Love the Panhandle, but things can be slow.

Tampa is not my favorite

Austin is liberal.

Dallas/FW not bad, but big and beaucoup traffic.


Give us your criteria.

Yes, looking to relo for work. Criteria: A good paying stable career would be nice. Is Austin as bad as say CA? Yes, traffic in Dallas is nuts, but if I lived close the commute might not be too bad. What's the scoop on Tampa area? Thanks much.

I am an hour N of the Tampa airport in Homosassa. Depends on where you want to be. Dunedin is nice but a hot spot now. Are you looking for beaches or hunting and fishing? What do you do for work?

If you currently live in a metropolitan area, Austin won't seem that bad. There is a lot going on there, both economically and culturally. If you currently live in a rural or semi-rural area, it will probably be a bit overwhelming. My only brush with the Panhandle of Florida was Pensacola back when I was in the Navy--no current info or insight. Probably should PM some of the campfire members that live in both areas and ask specific questions. If I were looking to relocate to Texas, I would take a hard look at San Antonio. It is a culturally diverse city with a lot of charm and amenities. Both of my daughters and their families migrated there, by their own choice.

PM me if you have specific questions about the Austin area.

Yes, it's run by a bunch of liberal fruitcakes. It's also got more jobs than you can shake a stick at and nearly noncrime that you'll notice.

No but it's probably 60%. Traffic is terrible. Summer lasts 6 months and it's really hot. Property taxes have skyrocketed as have housing prices. Politics are ridiculous at the city level for liberal reasons and ridiculous at the state level for conservative reasons. Despite these things the absolute worst thing about Austin is the allergies. Something caustic blooms 9 months of the year(Ragweed in the fall, Cedar in the winter, Oak and Grasses in the spring, and mold year round) and if you have a small allergy it will become debilitating.

The good things are crime is very low, there are lots of jobs, lots of single women, the people are polite and friendly(compared to where I came from), there are lots of restaurants, and it's fairly scenic...for Texas.

Austin is a pretty cool town and the panhandle of Florida is one of my favorite areas in the south east.

Austin will have more jobs, entertainment, restaurants, etc......The panhandle has great beaches and is pretty relaxed. Definitely more "southern".

Austin is FUBAR for traffic. The I 35 parking lot, MO-PAC or more-pac. Williamson and Travis counties are getting expensive i.e. Rent, taxes. Hey, but it is weird and I guess people love that.

I'm 25 miles east of Austin. We are becoming extremely cosmopolitan here in the creek bottom so you get the mix of say Los Angeles with just the right touch of banjo pickin' inbreds to make it all interesting!!!

The panhandle is nice. Plenty of work, especially if you like building / fixing stuff. World class fishing, and the hunting is better in N. Fl. than most who live there realize. We go to P'cola on a regular basis and are headed that way today. Quite a bit of retired military in the area "with just the right touch of banjo pickin' inbreds to make it all interesting!!!" Thanks kaywoodie!

Anytime Bama! 😁

Spend a long evening down on 6th street in Austin before you make up your mind...

Everyone in town who owns a guitar is a musician! Even if they really can play it!!

The rooster heads come out of the woodworks after dark there on 6th street...

Some of the "musicians" only play a meat flute...

And we ALL know about the piccolo player!!!!

😉

I think it depends on what you are looking for. You should have good access to deer hunting in any part of Texas. You can also do that in the Panhandle of Florida, either in Florida proper or into Alabama. Great saltwater fishing along the panhandle. I have caught big azz Red Snapper six miles off the beach.

Tampa will have good saltwater fishing and good fresh water fishing near-by, but you will be a long ways from any really good deer hunting. I had a guy in my deer club in SC last year that lived in Tampa and drove 9 hours up on the weekends to hunt deer.

Remember, if you have kids and move to Austin, they will be exposed to all the liberal kids.....I'd not want that.

Go to Florida

If it's any kind of barometer, there is no one from the south moving here to this county. Excluding Mexico. Whole Lots From there. Three top states appear to be California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Least that's where they tell me where the're from. Smartest ones I know who moved here like 15-35 years ago are all the retired Air Force staff NCO's from just about all over who stayed here after Bergstrom AFB shut down. Reason I know they are smart is because they have no issues telling you just how damn smart they are! 😂

Good stuff, a little amusement as well. Work - Past mostly healthcare sales, stint as a Financial Consultant that began the week before 9 11.........and an MBA in 2014 that I want to put to good use. As much as I like hunting, work is the primary consideration, single ladies next. My children are grown so it's just me looking to make a change.

Saltwater fishing is very alluring, and might trump deer hunting. Crime, as in low crime is important. As to the heat, well being here in La, it's what I know, though have entertained moving to northwest Ar, Bentonville/Rogers, Fayetteville area where the Ozarks helps to qwell the summer heat. Traffic will be an adjustment in a metro, been thru Dallas not long ago, and heard about Austin. Yes, it seems Taxes keep increasing, but the property values do to, I guess it's a by-product, perhaps a wash if you don't sell in a downturn. That said, not keen of paying MORE taxes, but if the salary offset...........and the Music piece of Austin would be nice. Not looking for trouble on 6th but here it's something to see. Perhaps I need to make a trip to Austin just to take a look.

Appreciate the input by all, enjoyed the info, and a few laughs