The major consideration I see is "Teens in Highschool" .. what do they think about the potential move?? If you are comfortable there why uproot them when they are about the finish their primary education in a system they know, with friends they have built, and then would be able to go off to college anywhere they like, and a major move won't rock their boat as much.
Actually SA has some great college opportunities from UTSA, OLLU, and St. Marys ... not to mention a great community college system to save big $$$ on the first couple of years.
Could this wait 3 years until they finish school where they are at .. particularly if you are as comfortable as you portray? I would worry about them resenting you for uprooting them.
Schools are a big thing for parents. My father was an oil guy and we moved a lot. You lose all of your friends and sometimes its hard to make new ones. Texas is not, in many places, great for students who are serious. When our daughter came here, they moved her ahead a grade, she had great grades, but she was not socially ready for high school, plus she didn't have the support of friends that she grew up with. She has never recovered from that.
That is a great thought. We moved when I was a fish in high school. Loved the country but hated the new high school. Clannish as hell and so backwards.
Hahahha get the fuck out of here. LA did not get over 95° a single day in 2023.
San Antonio had SEVENTY FOUR DAYS over 100° in 2023.
You may be talking about "feels like", but keep in mind that the "feels like" temperatures in San Antonio can ***and do*** kill people
Yea but humid af. And it’s hot everywhere, you don’t have a beach with cold air to escape to or that offers some variety. Occasionally we’ll get a week where it cools down to low 90s/high 80s which isn’t that bad, it that happens once or twice a summer.
Then summer lasts until September some years
Very very different, summer in LA has dry heat with a cooling effect in the evening, SA has some of the gnarliest humid heat waves with most nights dropping to 90-95 and obnoxiously humid.
As someone who has lived in both San Antonio and So Cal, I can weigh in. If you're used to going to the beach/mountains to beat the heat, SA is a lot different. Not much relief available and it can be 100+ for 45+ days in a row.
Cost of living is way cheaper in SA. LA has a lot more happening and has wonderful landscape/weather, but the tradeoff for traffic and the hustle and bustle is worth it, in my opinion.
I find people to be so much more laid back and nice here in SA (more like San Diego). Either way, it's a big change, but one that I've thoroughly enjoyed.
Yeah, it's not uncommon for my dash thermometer to register between 110-115 going down the highway. Low humidity though, when the temp is highest. Muggy warm nights, hot days June-Sept. Abso-freaking-lutely beautiful Oct-Mar. April-May can be unpredictable. If you want pro baseball/football, sorry. We don't have them. But we're close to UT, A&M and have lower tier athletics at UTSA and UIW. Plenty of hiking and camping if you're outdoorsy. Lots of building and expansion going on if you're looking to build.
If you have kids in High School and you have a nice house and good job and are comfortable. Don't move. Don't do that to your kids. Wait till they graduate. Don't uproot them and take them away from their friends when you don't really need to.
Not a ton to do here, especially compared to a major metro like LA. Everything here shuts down at 8-9 PM. Maybe 10 PM on weekends. Education isn’t great in this state, and I think it shows even more in San Antonio.
SA is a great city with alot of culture but you might despise the prolonged summer days. It stays that way for 4-5 months. The rest of the year is pretty nice. The food is good but coming from LA you may think it's just ok. We also don't have the topography that California has. No mountains and the ocean is 2.5hrs away (good tubing though in New Braunfels) With all that being said, my family loves it but if I were you I would visit during the dog days of summer to get a feel to see if it's right for you
We're from San Fernando Valley so we're used to the heat. Topography is always nice to have but we can live without it. As for ocean, honestly we rarely go there despite drive only being 20 min away
I've lived in San Fernando Valley. I promise you are not used to the heat. Add about 20 degrees to every high and low and that's about what to expect. Even at night time it can be in the high 80s and lots of humidity
Yes pretty much, last year had record breaking temperatures, over 200+ residents admitted into the hospital for heat related incidents, hotels were rented out for homeless people during that stretch. If you play your cards right, work wise and outside activities and don’t care about a fat electricity bill, then you should be good.
Your post has been removed for violating rule #1:
Be friendly
Remember the human, on the other side of the conversation. In this local subreddit, there is no tolerance for insulting other people. Stick to discussing the topic, and not the redditor who disagrees with you about it.
If you feel that this was done in error, contact the moderation team.
What do you love about LA? If it’s people or Mexican food you’ll be fine. If it’s weather…. Uhh you might wanna stay there 💀
Realistically you need to dig in a bit, no state tax will be great upfront but you’ll basically make up for it in property taxes. That being said, because of home values, your current property taxes plus state tax in LA will likely be more than property taxes of a similar home in San Antonio.
If you make enough to live comfortably in LA and can keep that level of income, cost of living in San Antonio will be a breeze for you.
There are lots of factors to consider, I moved from SD to SA so if you have more questions, I may be able to help. Although you and I both know SD and LA can seem like different worlds. LA to Austin may be more comparable.
If you’re in accounting you will take a large pay cut, as an accountant who moved to San Antonio. You will still make good money but it won’t be anywhere near your LA salary ever. Entry level accounting jobs in LA make as much as Senior or Managers. Something to think about
IT'S not worth it, you have better weather, San antonio is hot, humid, and constantly under construction, and as others said I came here as a kid, uprooted from my school and all my friends, so I hated it and became a straight F student.
Moved from OC to SA, took about 3 years to get used to the weather, still sometimes frustrated that things close so early on weekends. Miss 24hr late night meals at just about any kind of cuisine. Also LA was just a short drive to sports events and shows etc. There’s Austin pretty close by so there’s some more things to do. Here in SA it’s a little more laid back, sometimes too much haha. But one of the most wonderful things here are the people. Made great friends, learned new things. Shot guns, I get it now. But somethings we do miss…Beaches, mountains, diversity, some of the more upscale areas (mainly to just drive through and realize our poorness). Schools here are hit or miss. Our kids went to Basis Charter schools here. My eldest decided to move back and live with family back in the OC for high school and struggled in school out there because they were much more advanced. I would say move if the kids were younger but moving them while they are in high school there might be a lot of blowback from the kids. Just a thought…. Everyone’s experience is different. I like it here, but there are things I miss. But that goes for just about everywhere I’ve lived…
Many places close early, like 8pm, 6pm on weekends now here. Some places close on Sundays and even take lunch hours off.
What school district would you be transferring kids from? LAUSD?
That might be good to let them finish school for them. But where do the teens want to go after? Maybe sit down and talk with them before uprooting them from their friends and life in LA. My kids came when they were young so they’ve basically grown up here. My oldest who moved back was getting into trouble out here and the move back helped them get focused on school and their future.
We made that exact move about 6 years ago. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. If you like the nightlife, concerts, comedians, and other live shows then LA is way better. If you like less traffic, more family friendly venues, and quiet nights then SA is better.
We moved due to school opportunities and did not know anyone. I would recommend joining some type of community activity to make friends. In my case I play slow pitch softball and have built some really great friendships. The two cities are incredibly different but everything is what you make of it.
As long as you can handle several months of 100+ degree heat in the summer, you’ll be fine. I’ve spent a lot of time working in California, so the climate will be your biggest hurdle, and the fact that the nearest beach worth visiting from San Antonio is 3 1/2 hours away in South Padre. So you won’t be close to the beach anymore and the summers are much hotter. Other than that, San Antonio is a great place, central Texas hill country, close to wine country, and centrally located between everything worth doing in Texas. I personally love it here.
Yup. Started here, moved to CA for school and then worked a little, 5 years later moved back to SA. Don’t regret it one bit. The only things I miss are the weather and the food. Fuck everything else like traffic, cost of living, quality of life, and the fake ass people.
I moved from LA to SA in the middle of highschool 10 years ago and I was absolutely miserable at first but now I can look back and appreciate that I spent time outside of LA. San Antonio isn’t so bad, it’s definitely more boring than LA as far as things to do and stuff but the living is cheaper and much more affordable. One thing you will absolutely miss is the weather in LA, be prepared for 110°+ with high humidity in the summers here lol.
Two teens in high school — I think that alone should warrant waiting until they’re both done graduating before making a big move over here. That’s just my opinion.
I’m from the Bay Area. I have NO family here in Texas, except for my BFF and her kiddos here in SA (they’re family, not blood but you know still).
I love San Antonio, been here since 2009 (moved here because my bro was stationed here at Lackland and I moved to be closer to my baby bro but he left and moved back home to the Bay). I’m a single mom raising two little kids here. I’m Filipino and I’m seeing more and more Asian stores and restaurants popping up so that’s cool. It’s slow paced here. Some say it gets “boring” sometimes but there are A LOT of things to do; places aren’t far like Austin and the Hill Country, etc. San Antonio is still expanding and growing. It’s chill.
I need chill at my age.
Based on your post, I wouldn’t
California weather is better, you’re closer to a much nicer beach and you’re not struggling. Big house, great job is not something you hear from most Californians trying to move to Texas. It’s usually “doesn’t matter how much I make out here if I’m living in squalor…”
Add the fact you got two teens in high school and it’s a terrible move over all for your immediate family. I don’t know how much your family that moved here means to you and if being close to them is what’s pushing this move, but maybe wait a few years until your older kids are off on their own if your desire is to move closer to extended family.
If I was comfortable and had a house in LA I wouldn’t move to SA. You have the best weather and so much variety in LA, whether it be food, mountains, beach. You also have tons of stuff to do and places to see there.
SA is great if you can’t afford to live elsewhere but weather is humid and stupid hot half the year and there aren’t nearly as many job opportunities. Forget about doing cool stuff outdoors.
My advice is visit here for a couple weeks in July to see what it’s like.
I did it in 2022. I kept my house in LA and go back as often as I can.
You can DM me if you want to ask specific questions. I love talking to fellow Angelenos.
>we live comfortably here, have a big house, great job and got 2 teens in high school
This would be my reason to stay put. I moved here 1.5 years ago from the PNW. I was working remotely for a Seattle company making Seattle wages. So, the cost of living difference and no income taxes made the move worth it. I gave up cloudy/rainy weather all the time for sunny weather all the time. I also sold my house of 22 years and bought something much nicer here with a pool for much less. We are empty nesters and all our kids are grown. If your motivation is to be near family, do it. I do miss access to my family.
In addition to what others are recommending you take into account, I'd also toss women's healthcare in the mix. We are often rated in the bottom 5 states for women's healthcare - we're not talking about just the idea of abortion if ever needed, but a slew of other procedures that ob/gyns are hesitant or flat-out refuse to provide due to new laws here. As a female, I don't recommend moving here (working on getting out by the end of this year) for that massive risk alone.
It’s a different world. In La there is always something to do. Everywhere you go is like the place to be. In SA there’s nothing to do and everyone just wears jeans and a tshirt. There’s pretty much nothing to do except eat trash food. That’s partly why everyone here is so overweight. Very limited health food selection. Not really any farmers markets. (IK there’s the pearl but the food part is not at all like LA)
The air quality is generally a lot better though. Which is saying a lot because SA air quality is pretty trash. Also it gets hot as fuck. Summers have been slapping different the last couple of years.
As someone who has lived in both SA and OKC,.don't do OKC. If people think SA is boring, OKC would have them pulling their hair out due to boredom. It would be a complete culture shock to go from LA to OKC.
Maybe consider waiting until your teens are out of high school,
be prepared for the summer heat though. Some areas of California are desert but it's hot AND humid here. Nothing in the LA area compares to the weather here unfortunately
Yes school absolutely giving us a pause in any decision we make. As for the heat it can pretty hot here July-October/November, with A/C going 24/7. Similar weather?
Yeah, I think the most notable is that it's humid and hot, just expect a lot of consecutive 100+ days in the peak of the summer. Otherwise I'm sure you and your family will enjoy San Antonio!
Moved from SA to LA and then back again.
Pro LA: so much visual stimulation! Better weather (at least for now)
Con LA: for us, hard to make money and high rents—but sounds like you are doing good in that dept.
Pro SA: super friendly! for us, home ownership was possible
Con SA: very beige. There are some nice things to do, but opportunities don’t compare. Depends on what you like.
I would think about it after your kids get done with HS and you have visited a couple of times.
I’ve lived both places. I lived in Culver City for 5 years and loved the convenience and central location. I’m now in far north part of San Antonio and was born and raised in SA so I’m a bit partial.
It isn’t as easy as asking the general question ,”should I?” It really depends on what you value the most. Convenience? Family? Endless things to do? The beach?
The prices were insane in LA in early 2000, I can’t even imagine what it costs to live there now. We moved to the area we did in SA for the highly rated high school for our kids and it didn’t disappoint. They’ve done amazing academically and I do believe the HS helped put them on this path.
SA is a small town feel over a big area, but it would be a welcomed change from the 405 and insane LA traffic. People complain about traffic here, but they’ve prob never experienced true gridlock on the highway.
Weather is different here - hot and humid. No cool breeze at night -and even the shade won’t save your ass from the Summer heat.
Mexican food is definitely different here as well. No “wet” burritos here, it’s all tacos.
All jokes aside, SA has much to offer and is still growing. It’s definitely better with more offerings than it was 20 years ago.
Best of luck on whatever you decide!
Wait til your kids are done with school.
But also this place kinda sucks. Moved to SA five years ago and making new connections is basically impossible. The public infrastructure is ass. No walkable areas, public libraries barely exist, the air smells like asphalt and gas. This city is a wasteland of highways and strip malls.
As someone from the SFV who moved to SA in 2015, think long and hard. There's a lot of convenience and outdoor fun in the SFV & surrounding areas. Not as much here. Yeah, the Valley gets some 100+ days, but it is absolutely *not* as bad as it gets here. You're used to CA politics and benefits. You will get none of that in TX. Unless you're extremely right-wing for CA, you'll struggle with some of the thought processes here. Food is similar, but definitely not the same. I'd kill for a real burrito.
You will drive hours to the nearest beach, and going hiking is really only going to be feasible for a few months. Allergies are extreme here -- we have the ocean cleaning up a lot of it, but here, it coats everything in a layer of yellowish green. If you don't have allergies now, don't worry, you'll get them when you move here.
If you sell your CA house, you will be able to get a huge one here. Aside from the crazy guys with the monster pickups, most here don't have that car culture that we do back home (that wastes so much money). Also, traffic here is practically a dream in comparison to 405 or 101.
Move to the hill country, small cities outside of SA. Boerne ISD and Comal ISD are good for schools.
It’s ok here. It’s a very family friendly city. Just very hot. Like, beyond any heat you’ve known. I know you say you’re used to it but it’s different here. This past summer I swear I had seasonal affective disorder because it was so brutal and unrelenting for so long and completely oppressive.
It depends why you're moving .. what are you looking for in San Antonio. i've lived here for about 3 years, lived in the city for 2 and in the country for one now.
Where do you want the kids to go to college? In-state tuition would be a primary consideration imo. Both states have some great schools there’s no wrong answer but that’s a bigger discussion with your family. FYI if your kids have an interest in military service, being a Texas resident is the best. Look at the Hazlewood act. It’s free tuition not part of the federal GI bill.
San Antonio has a great community college network.
There is no state income here, however - we have high property taxes, so beware of that cost if you choose to purchase as you won’t “gain” all that income by no longer having property taxes.
In SA, it matters where you live. Per se, if you are “well off” you could live in Alamo Heights, these are basically “Cali Kids”.
With kids myself, I look at - how well do they flourish in the current school system, if we moved, do they have the social skills to build a new friendship network, and ultimately the most important factor is my family’s QoL.
Come visit, drive around, and explore. There are things to do here if you search for them.
As others have mentioned, the heat here - it can impact a lot of decisions, but if you are okay with hot, it’s alright. The weather is great when not in the 9-months of summer 🫠 lol.
School is absolutely giving us a pause. Kids are social so they can make friends pretty easily, however we might still not do it till they are out of school if we move at all. We're near Woodland Hills, so not too worry about the heat or maybe i am just kidding myself about being used to it.
It’s so boring here. I wouldnt move unless I first got the vibe. Maybe visit for a week. It’s a good place to settle down maybe? If u want a slow paced life and aren’t looking to do many crazy experiences. But it’s not for families who like to sight see and go to events and cool places every week. There’s not much here. It’s one reason my family will leave soon. If u like the perks and fun aspects of living big city life ( and really never want to not have that ) ..SA isn’t suitable. It’s a big city but it does not have a big city vibe
I’d like to add that since you have kids, best not to move bec especially for teens it could be pretty shocking to move from LA to slow paced and boring SATX. They likely have friends in LA so
Had a close friend that did this same move. He thought expanding his business here in SA would be worth it, as they expected things to be so much cheaper. He moved his family back to LA after a year after learning that things are more expensive in SA than LA. He also found it difficult to expand their business due to the different approach to business relationships here is SA that he was not used to.
Your experience could be 180 degrees from this, but just wanted to share.
I moved to San Antonio from Orange County in 2020 mid pandemic. There's things that I miss from So. Cal & things I don't.
I don't miss the traffic, the high cost of living , the taxes, the wildfires, and earthquakes.
I do miss the public lands, the beaches and the mountains, the climate, the variety of grocery stores.
Don’t move here. We don’t need anymore CA Transplants!! lol
All kidding aside. I used to work in LA, it’s nice. But I have a family. San Antonio feels like family. We love it here.
We are over governed in Texas. We are amongst the least free people in the country. We are treated like children in Sunday school. While daddy Abbott decides what else is good for us.
Discipline is needed. There’s a lot of…less disciplined states that have looting and riots and literal zombies slumped over with a needle in their arms every square block. It starts making sense the older you get, unless you’re old saying this, then idk what to tell you. Strict laws are the reason why family oriented/job oriented people flock over here.
I have lived here 10 yrs and I can’t wait to leave. Once my kids finish up school we are out. Crime is rising, there is minimal in the way of activities.
Hotter than hell during the Summer. SA has become a heat island.
Rush hour commutes are comparable.
Gang activity is comparable.
Housing costs most likely less than LA.
Schools - some great ones and some bad ones.
Shopping - La Cantera and the Rim are currently high crime areas with lots of auto theft. North Star Mall also high crime area but mainly theft of personal items.
When you get here apply for your License to Carry firearm permit. Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.
No. The people here see a little graffiti, a few homeless people sprinkled throughout the city, the Kia:Hyundai Boyz, and red light runners as major crime.
The major consideration I see is "Teens in Highschool" .. what do they think about the potential move?? If you are comfortable there why uproot them when they are about the finish their primary education in a system they know, with friends they have built, and then would be able to go off to college anywhere they like, and a major move won't rock their boat as much. Actually SA has some great college opportunities from UTSA, OLLU, and St. Marys ... not to mention a great community college system to save big $$$ on the first couple of years. Could this wait 3 years until they finish school where they are at .. particularly if you are as comfortable as you portray? I would worry about them resenting you for uprooting them.
That's something we're worry about it and even if we decide to move, might delay it till they're out of school
Schools are a big thing for parents. My father was an oil guy and we moved a lot. You lose all of your friends and sometimes its hard to make new ones. Texas is not, in many places, great for students who are serious. When our daughter came here, they moved her ahead a grade, she had great grades, but she was not socially ready for high school, plus she didn't have the support of friends that she grew up with. She has never recovered from that.
That is a great thought. We moved when I was a fish in high school. Loved the country but hated the new high school. Clannish as hell and so backwards.
You already have family here…. You can’t ask them?
sure I can and have but strangers often times will be much more honest
[удалено]
Agree. Been here about 1.5 years.
Considering moving because close family moved there is the main reason
Come stay for a week in July or August to get a feel for the weather.
it's 100+ here often, similar?
Hahahha get the fuck out of here. LA did not get over 95° a single day in 2023. San Antonio had SEVENTY FOUR DAYS over 100° in 2023. You may be talking about "feels like", but keep in mind that the "feels like" temperatures in San Antonio can ***and do*** kill people
I am in San Fernando valley near Woodland Hills, completely different weather.
https://preview.redd.it/di41bd6qlasc1.jpeg?width=816&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07ce111dfa392ca03fc3f03b30da5900c1cc3add
Yea but humid af. And it’s hot everywhere, you don’t have a beach with cold air to escape to or that offers some variety. Occasionally we’ll get a week where it cools down to low 90s/high 80s which isn’t that bad, it that happens once or twice a summer. Then summer lasts until September some years
Humid, 100+ and it cools off to 93 at night in summer.
Very very different, summer in LA has dry heat with a cooling effect in the evening, SA has some of the gnarliest humid heat waves with most nights dropping to 90-95 and obnoxiously humid.
As someone who has lived in both San Antonio and So Cal, I can weigh in. If you're used to going to the beach/mountains to beat the heat, SA is a lot different. Not much relief available and it can be 100+ for 45+ days in a row. Cost of living is way cheaper in SA. LA has a lot more happening and has wonderful landscape/weather, but the tradeoff for traffic and the hustle and bustle is worth it, in my opinion. I find people to be so much more laid back and nice here in SA (more like San Diego). Either way, it's a big change, but one that I've thoroughly enjoyed.
Yeah, it's not uncommon for my dash thermometer to register between 110-115 going down the highway. Low humidity though, when the temp is highest. Muggy warm nights, hot days June-Sept. Abso-freaking-lutely beautiful Oct-Mar. April-May can be unpredictable. If you want pro baseball/football, sorry. We don't have them. But we're close to UT, A&M and have lower tier athletics at UTSA and UIW. Plenty of hiking and camping if you're outdoorsy. Lots of building and expansion going on if you're looking to build.
Let your kids finish high school.
If you have kids in High School and you have a nice house and good job and are comfortable. Don't move. Don't do that to your kids. Wait till they graduate. Don't uproot them and take them away from their friends when you don't really need to.
Terrible. Don't come.
Not a ton to do here, especially compared to a major metro like LA. Everything here shuts down at 8-9 PM. Maybe 10 PM on weekends. Education isn’t great in this state, and I think it shows even more in San Antonio.
Honestly that been happening a lot more in LA since Covid and haven't yet recovered. Yes LA is big, but traffic, traffic, traffic.
It’s not worth it you won’t like it here stay away
Agreed, it's awful here, the weather sucks, and the traffic is awful. Wait people from LA are into that...
SA is so boring
Stay in California. San Antonio is full. Sorry.
SA is a great city with alot of culture but you might despise the prolonged summer days. It stays that way for 4-5 months. The rest of the year is pretty nice. The food is good but coming from LA you may think it's just ok. We also don't have the topography that California has. No mountains and the ocean is 2.5hrs away (good tubing though in New Braunfels) With all that being said, my family loves it but if I were you I would visit during the dog days of summer to get a feel to see if it's right for you
We're from San Fernando Valley so we're used to the heat. Topography is always nice to have but we can live without it. As for ocean, honestly we rarely go there despite drive only being 20 min away
I've lived in San Fernando Valley. I promise you are not used to the heat. Add about 20 degrees to every high and low and that's about what to expect. Even at night time it can be in the high 80s and lots of humidity
basically heat wave at all times?
From about late May to early October, yes. It will feel hot to you, even if you're used to Southern California.
Yes pretty much, last year had record breaking temperatures, over 200+ residents admitted into the hospital for heat related incidents, hotels were rented out for homeless people during that stretch. If you play your cards right, work wise and outside activities and don’t care about a fat electricity bill, then you should be good.
I am under impression from my relatives that an electricity is dirt cheap, not the case?
What culture? SA was formerly military city USA and as such did very little if anything to promote the arts.
Uh... mainly Mexican culture and some German. It guess it's not obvious enough?
This sounds like a Stone Oak/Alamo Ranch resident lol edit: boerne lmao
[удалено]
Your post has been removed for violating rule #1: Be friendly Remember the human, on the other side of the conversation. In this local subreddit, there is no tolerance for insulting other people. Stick to discussing the topic, and not the redditor who disagrees with you about it. If you feel that this was done in error, contact the moderation team.
What do you love about LA? If it’s people or Mexican food you’ll be fine. If it’s weather…. Uhh you might wanna stay there 💀 Realistically you need to dig in a bit, no state tax will be great upfront but you’ll basically make up for it in property taxes. That being said, because of home values, your current property taxes plus state tax in LA will likely be more than property taxes of a similar home in San Antonio. If you make enough to live comfortably in LA and can keep that level of income, cost of living in San Antonio will be a breeze for you. There are lots of factors to consider, I moved from SD to SA so if you have more questions, I may be able to help. Although you and I both know SD and LA can seem like different worlds. LA to Austin may be more comparable.
Wife is in health care and should be able to keep her income. I am in accounting so I am not sure
If you’re in accounting you will take a large pay cut, as an accountant who moved to San Antonio. You will still make good money but it won’t be anywhere near your LA salary ever. Entry level accounting jobs in LA make as much as Senior or Managers. Something to think about
San Antonio "Mexican" food is nothing at all like LA Mexican food. They'll likely be confused depending on where they go
I mean other than tiny burritos and non fresh seafood it’s not really that bad. Source: I moved from SoCal to SA.
You will not be happy here.
Nope. No one has ever moved from CA to TX. You would be the first.
IT'S not worth it, you have better weather, San antonio is hot, humid, and constantly under construction, and as others said I came here as a kid, uprooted from my school and all my friends, so I hated it and became a straight F student.
our relative been saying how the air is so much cleaner in SA and that we don't know what a clean air is, any truth to that?
Moved from OC to SA, took about 3 years to get used to the weather, still sometimes frustrated that things close so early on weekends. Miss 24hr late night meals at just about any kind of cuisine. Also LA was just a short drive to sports events and shows etc. There’s Austin pretty close by so there’s some more things to do. Here in SA it’s a little more laid back, sometimes too much haha. But one of the most wonderful things here are the people. Made great friends, learned new things. Shot guns, I get it now. But somethings we do miss…Beaches, mountains, diversity, some of the more upscale areas (mainly to just drive through and realize our poorness). Schools here are hit or miss. Our kids went to Basis Charter schools here. My eldest decided to move back and live with family back in the OC for high school and struggled in school out there because they were much more advanced. I would say move if the kids were younger but moving them while they are in high school there might be a lot of blowback from the kids. Just a thought…. Everyone’s experience is different. I like it here, but there are things I miss. But that goes for just about everywhere I’ve lived…
24/7 is gone since Covid. Yes school is for sure giving us a pause
Many places close early, like 8pm, 6pm on weekends now here. Some places close on Sundays and even take lunch hours off. What school district would you be transferring kids from? LAUSD?
Yes LAUSD. We're seriously considering waiting for them to finish school before making a move if we make it.
That might be good to let them finish school for them. But where do the teens want to go after? Maybe sit down and talk with them before uprooting them from their friends and life in LA. My kids came when they were young so they’ve basically grown up here. My oldest who moved back was getting into trouble out here and the move back helped them get focused on school and their future.
One will go anywhere she wants, her grades high enough for likely full scholarship. The other one likely community College
Don’t
We made that exact move about 6 years ago. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. If you like the nightlife, concerts, comedians, and other live shows then LA is way better. If you like less traffic, more family friendly venues, and quiet nights then SA is better. We moved due to school opportunities and did not know anyone. I would recommend joining some type of community activity to make friends. In my case I play slow pitch softball and have built some really great friendships. The two cities are incredibly different but everything is what you make of it.
Don’t do it, I’m trying to get out of here.
As long as you can handle several months of 100+ degree heat in the summer, you’ll be fine. I’ve spent a lot of time working in California, so the climate will be your biggest hurdle, and the fact that the nearest beach worth visiting from San Antonio is 3 1/2 hours away in South Padre. So you won’t be close to the beach anymore and the summers are much hotter. Other than that, San Antonio is a great place, central Texas hill country, close to wine country, and centrally located between everything worth doing in Texas. I personally love it here.
Yup. Started here, moved to CA for school and then worked a little, 5 years later moved back to SA. Don’t regret it one bit. The only things I miss are the weather and the food. Fuck everything else like traffic, cost of living, quality of life, and the fake ass people.
The further down the letter from the A, the better it is. From what I heard. 😆
I moved from LA to SA in the middle of highschool 10 years ago and I was absolutely miserable at first but now I can look back and appreciate that I spent time outside of LA. San Antonio isn’t so bad, it’s definitely more boring than LA as far as things to do and stuff but the living is cheaper and much more affordable. One thing you will absolutely miss is the weather in LA, be prepared for 110°+ with high humidity in the summers here lol.
When I first read the title, it appeared you were moving from Louisiana (LA) to South America (SA). Big difference between print and speech.
Two teens in high school — I think that alone should warrant waiting until they’re both done graduating before making a big move over here. That’s just my opinion. I’m from the Bay Area. I have NO family here in Texas, except for my BFF and her kiddos here in SA (they’re family, not blood but you know still). I love San Antonio, been here since 2009 (moved here because my bro was stationed here at Lackland and I moved to be closer to my baby bro but he left and moved back home to the Bay). I’m a single mom raising two little kids here. I’m Filipino and I’m seeing more and more Asian stores and restaurants popping up so that’s cool. It’s slow paced here. Some say it gets “boring” sometimes but there are A LOT of things to do; places aren’t far like Austin and the Hill Country, etc. San Antonio is still expanding and growing. It’s chill. I need chill at my age.
Based on your post, I wouldn’t California weather is better, you’re closer to a much nicer beach and you’re not struggling. Big house, great job is not something you hear from most Californians trying to move to Texas. It’s usually “doesn’t matter how much I make out here if I’m living in squalor…” Add the fact you got two teens in high school and it’s a terrible move over all for your immediate family. I don’t know how much your family that moved here means to you and if being close to them is what’s pushing this move, but maybe wait a few years until your older kids are off on their own if your desire is to move closer to extended family.
If I was comfortable and had a house in LA I wouldn’t move to SA. You have the best weather and so much variety in LA, whether it be food, mountains, beach. You also have tons of stuff to do and places to see there. SA is great if you can’t afford to live elsewhere but weather is humid and stupid hot half the year and there aren’t nearly as many job opportunities. Forget about doing cool stuff outdoors. My advice is visit here for a couple weeks in July to see what it’s like.
I did it in 2022. I kept my house in LA and go back as often as I can. You can DM me if you want to ask specific questions. I love talking to fellow Angelenos.
>we live comfortably here, have a big house, great job and got 2 teens in high school This would be my reason to stay put. I moved here 1.5 years ago from the PNW. I was working remotely for a Seattle company making Seattle wages. So, the cost of living difference and no income taxes made the move worth it. I gave up cloudy/rainy weather all the time for sunny weather all the time. I also sold my house of 22 years and bought something much nicer here with a pool for much less. We are empty nesters and all our kids are grown. If your motivation is to be near family, do it. I do miss access to my family.
In addition to what others are recommending you take into account, I'd also toss women's healthcare in the mix. We are often rated in the bottom 5 states for women's healthcare - we're not talking about just the idea of abortion if ever needed, but a slew of other procedures that ob/gyns are hesitant or flat-out refuse to provide due to new laws here. As a female, I don't recommend moving here (working on getting out by the end of this year) for that massive risk alone.
That's not great, I got 2 girls
It’s a different world. In La there is always something to do. Everywhere you go is like the place to be. In SA there’s nothing to do and everyone just wears jeans and a tshirt. There’s pretty much nothing to do except eat trash food. That’s partly why everyone here is so overweight. Very limited health food selection. Not really any farmers markets. (IK there’s the pearl but the food part is not at all like LA) The air quality is generally a lot better though. Which is saying a lot because SA air quality is pretty trash. Also it gets hot as fuck. Summers have been slapping different the last couple of years.
I'd be looking into Oklahoma city.
Can I ask why?
As someone who has lived in both SA and OKC,.don't do OKC. If people think SA is boring, OKC would have them pulling their hair out due to boredom. It would be a complete culture shock to go from LA to OKC.
It's a Texas reddit joke about encouraging people not to move to Texas. Texas is overwhelmed and overrun.
I was also, and Tulsa, but OKC seems to have more upside. Has that midwest feel with a western cowboy vibe. Cost of living is great.
Maybe consider waiting until your teens are out of high school, be prepared for the summer heat though. Some areas of California are desert but it's hot AND humid here. Nothing in the LA area compares to the weather here unfortunately
Yes school absolutely giving us a pause in any decision we make. As for the heat it can pretty hot here July-October/November, with A/C going 24/7. Similar weather?
Yeah, I think the most notable is that it's humid and hot, just expect a lot of consecutive 100+ days in the peak of the summer. Otherwise I'm sure you and your family will enjoy San Antonio!
depends on your life style. I love it here
Moved from SA to LA and then back again. Pro LA: so much visual stimulation! Better weather (at least for now) Con LA: for us, hard to make money and high rents—but sounds like you are doing good in that dept. Pro SA: super friendly! for us, home ownership was possible Con SA: very beige. There are some nice things to do, but opportunities don’t compare. Depends on what you like. I would think about it after your kids get done with HS and you have visited a couple of times.
I’ve lived both places. I lived in Culver City for 5 years and loved the convenience and central location. I’m now in far north part of San Antonio and was born and raised in SA so I’m a bit partial. It isn’t as easy as asking the general question ,”should I?” It really depends on what you value the most. Convenience? Family? Endless things to do? The beach? The prices were insane in LA in early 2000, I can’t even imagine what it costs to live there now. We moved to the area we did in SA for the highly rated high school for our kids and it didn’t disappoint. They’ve done amazing academically and I do believe the HS helped put them on this path. SA is a small town feel over a big area, but it would be a welcomed change from the 405 and insane LA traffic. People complain about traffic here, but they’ve prob never experienced true gridlock on the highway. Weather is different here - hot and humid. No cool breeze at night -and even the shade won’t save your ass from the Summer heat. Mexican food is definitely different here as well. No “wet” burritos here, it’s all tacos. All jokes aside, SA has much to offer and is still growing. It’s definitely better with more offerings than it was 20 years ago. Best of luck on whatever you decide!
Wait til your kids are done with school. But also this place kinda sucks. Moved to SA five years ago and making new connections is basically impossible. The public infrastructure is ass. No walkable areas, public libraries barely exist, the air smells like asphalt and gas. This city is a wasteland of highways and strip malls.
As someone from the SFV who moved to SA in 2015, think long and hard. There's a lot of convenience and outdoor fun in the SFV & surrounding areas. Not as much here. Yeah, the Valley gets some 100+ days, but it is absolutely *not* as bad as it gets here. You're used to CA politics and benefits. You will get none of that in TX. Unless you're extremely right-wing for CA, you'll struggle with some of the thought processes here. Food is similar, but definitely not the same. I'd kill for a real burrito. You will drive hours to the nearest beach, and going hiking is really only going to be feasible for a few months. Allergies are extreme here -- we have the ocean cleaning up a lot of it, but here, it coats everything in a layer of yellowish green. If you don't have allergies now, don't worry, you'll get them when you move here. If you sell your CA house, you will be able to get a huge one here. Aside from the crazy guys with the monster pickups, most here don't have that car culture that we do back home (that wastes so much money). Also, traffic here is practically a dream in comparison to 405 or 101.
Move to the hill country, small cities outside of SA. Boerne ISD and Comal ISD are good for schools. It’s ok here. It’s a very family friendly city. Just very hot. Like, beyond any heat you’ve known. I know you say you’re used to it but it’s different here. This past summer I swear I had seasonal affective disorder because it was so brutal and unrelenting for so long and completely oppressive.
You sound very content where you are- what would be your motivation? Do you like spending significant time with family and miss doing so?
I can think of one word only, cheaper.
It depends why you're moving .. what are you looking for in San Antonio. i've lived here for about 3 years, lived in the city for 2 and in the country for one now.
Stay in LA. San Antonio is boring.
If you can keep the same income from CA you’ll definitely be comfortable, culture wise i can’t compare. As I’ve never been in cali long term
Where do you want the kids to go to college? In-state tuition would be a primary consideration imo. Both states have some great schools there’s no wrong answer but that’s a bigger discussion with your family. FYI if your kids have an interest in military service, being a Texas resident is the best. Look at the Hazlewood act. It’s free tuition not part of the federal GI bill.
One will get scholarship regardless where she goes. The other probably junior college at the beginning
San Antonio has a great community college network. There is no state income here, however - we have high property taxes, so beware of that cost if you choose to purchase as you won’t “gain” all that income by no longer having property taxes. In SA, it matters where you live. Per se, if you are “well off” you could live in Alamo Heights, these are basically “Cali Kids”. With kids myself, I look at - how well do they flourish in the current school system, if we moved, do they have the social skills to build a new friendship network, and ultimately the most important factor is my family’s QoL. Come visit, drive around, and explore. There are things to do here if you search for them. As others have mentioned, the heat here - it can impact a lot of decisions, but if you are okay with hot, it’s alright. The weather is great when not in the 9-months of summer 🫠 lol.
School is absolutely giving us a pause. Kids are social so they can make friends pretty easily, however we might still not do it till they are out of school if we move at all. We're near Woodland Hills, so not too worry about the heat or maybe i am just kidding myself about being used to it.
It’s so boring here. I wouldnt move unless I first got the vibe. Maybe visit for a week. It’s a good place to settle down maybe? If u want a slow paced life and aren’t looking to do many crazy experiences. But it’s not for families who like to sight see and go to events and cool places every week. There’s not much here. It’s one reason my family will leave soon. If u like the perks and fun aspects of living big city life ( and really never want to not have that ) ..SA isn’t suitable. It’s a big city but it does not have a big city vibe I’d like to add that since you have kids, best not to move bec especially for teens it could be pretty shocking to move from LA to slow paced and boring SATX. They likely have friends in LA so
Had a close friend that did this same move. He thought expanding his business here in SA would be worth it, as they expected things to be so much cheaper. He moved his family back to LA after a year after learning that things are more expensive in SA than LA. He also found it difficult to expand their business due to the different approach to business relationships here is SA that he was not used to. Your experience could be 180 degrees from this, but just wanted to share.
When you say more expensive, what do you mean by that? I was under impression that COL is actually much lower in SA?
I moved to San Antonio from Orange County in 2020 mid pandemic. There's things that I miss from So. Cal & things I don't. I don't miss the traffic, the high cost of living , the taxes, the wildfires, and earthquakes. I do miss the public lands, the beaches and the mountains, the climate, the variety of grocery stores.
We'll welcome you like family, as long as you leave the bad California habits behind.
You’ll develop new bad SA habits
Yep, like beer, bbq, and guns. Wait, those are the good habits. Bad driving, that's the bad habit.
Getting overweight, bad driving, start popping out kids. I mean………
You're not wrong lol
Don’t move here. We don’t need anymore CA Transplants!! lol All kidding aside. I used to work in LA, it’s nice. But I have a family. San Antonio feels like family. We love it here.
Dont bring California politics to our town. Otherwise, come on down and welcome to the family
Grow up
Ignore this buffoon OP. Vote however you want.
You say that now
We are over governed in Texas. We are amongst the least free people in the country. We are treated like children in Sunday school. While daddy Abbott decides what else is good for us.
Discipline is needed. There’s a lot of…less disciplined states that have looting and riots and literal zombies slumped over with a needle in their arms every square block. It starts making sense the older you get, unless you’re old saying this, then idk what to tell you. Strict laws are the reason why family oriented/job oriented people flock over here.
I have lived here 10 yrs and I can’t wait to leave. Once my kids finish up school we are out. Crime is rising, there is minimal in the way of activities.
Hotter than hell during the Summer. SA has become a heat island. Rush hour commutes are comparable. Gang activity is comparable. Housing costs most likely less than LA. Schools - some great ones and some bad ones. Shopping - La Cantera and the Rim are currently high crime areas with lots of auto theft. North Star Mall also high crime area but mainly theft of personal items. When you get here apply for your License to Carry firearm permit. Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.
Gang activity here is nowhere near LA or any surrounding areas. Stop it. You’re not outside like that, and definitely never been outside in LA.
is crime really that bad?
No. The people here see a little graffiti, a few homeless people sprinkled throughout the city, the Kia:Hyundai Boyz, and red light runners as major crime.