It’s been 5 years since we moved to Houston. I’ve traveled to a lot of places, and if I told you I was excited about moving here back in 2018, I’d be lying to you. With that said, over the years our family fell in love with this diverse and international city.
Here are my reasons why Houston is one of the top big cities in the US.
- Houston is a place where you can earn a good living. There are plenty of jobs here in a variety of industries that pay very well. It’s home to some of the biggest companies in the world such as Exxon, Chevron, and Conoco. The city also has a booming healthcare industry with multiple top-ranked hospitals and medical centers.
- In Houston you can have a very good quality of life. Compared to many major cities, Houston has a pretty affordable cost of living. It’s also home to many highly ranked public and private schools, making it a great place to raise a family.
- There is no state tax. The state gets revenue in other ways and, relatively speaking, services are very good here compared to where I came from.
- Houston is very diverse and is a true melting pot of different nationalities. Our kids go to school with kids from South Korea, China, Vietnam, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Italy, Portugal, to name a few.
- Houston is big. There is an app that will show you what fits in the grand parkway. I’ll give you a sneak peak and tell you it’s the size of most small European countries. It also has the widest stretch of highway in the world (Katy Freeway not far from where we live) and even though there are a lot of cars, traffic is generally moving pretty quickly.
- Houston is really clean for a mega city. Every time we walk around downtown, I’m amazed at how tidy and clean the area is.
- Houston is very green and offers many options for outdoor activities. The city is home to some of the biggest urban parks in the US: Cullen, Memorial, George Bush and Terry Hershey to name a few. You also have many state parks that are a short drive from the Houston metro area.
- Houston has fantastic options for sports and entertainment. It’s home to several professional teams including the Astros, the Texans and the Rockets. The city also has world-class entertainment including Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet and Houston Symphony.
Houston has a bright future because it’s business friendly with a great climate for most of the year (June-August is hot). I came to think of it as the biggest city you’d never think you’d like but end up loving!