If it's just the weather, you'll adjust - your blood will "thin" and you'll find it hard to tolerate the cold. My cousin, who moved here last summer, just returned from a week visit to Wisconsin. He found it unbearably cold, even though he'd lived there all his life.

If it's something else, consider it's most likely a stereotype. Most people I know that come to Houston are pleasantly shocked to find it's not what they expected.

[link|http://www.ci.houston.tx.us/citygovt/mayor/press/chronicle04102002.htm|Houston's looking better these days to others]
Companies are again seeing Houston as a place to locate. On April 3, JPMorgan Chase announced that its Investment Bank has selected Houston as the site for its new North American Technology Center. The Technology Center's 250 new jobs will bring $63 million in annual economic impact to Houston.

JPMorgan Chase cited three primary reasons for choosing Houston: the city's deep pool of technology talent; that Houston is a truly international city, rich in diversity, culture and technological expertise; and that the cost of living in Houston is so attractive.

In fact, Houston's housing costs are 40 percent below the average of 22 large U.S. metro areas. Its overall cost of living is 17 percent below the average of the same areas.


[link|http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/oto/residency/houston.html|Houston - Live in a Popular, Affordable City]
Myth: It's unbearably hot year-round.

Yes, the summers are hot, but there's plenty of air conditioning and water activities to beat the heat. And the upside is that winters are mild and virtually carefree, since snowfall and ice are rare. Houston's climate by the numbers: temperature range between a low of 32 degrees (20 days per year) and, a high of 90 degrees (95 days per year).

[link|http://www.houston.org/newcomersguide/cost-of-living.html|Houston cost of living]
  • The ACCRA Cost of Living Index shows that Houston\ufffds overall after-taxes living costs are 5 percent below the nationwide average, largely due to housing costs that are 17 percent below the average.

  • In the context of the 23 metropolitan areas with more than 1.7 million population that participated in the Fourth Quarter 2001 ACCRA survey, Houston\ufffds cost-of-living advantage is even more pronounced. Excluding ultra-expensive New York City and San Francisco, Houston\ufffds housing costs are 33 percent below the average for the remaining 21 large metro areas, and its overall costs are 15 percent below the average for this group.

  • Houston has the lowest housing prices among the 23 large metros. Houston\ufffds grocery prices are 16 percent below the major-metro average; its utility costs are 3 percent below the average; its transportation costs are 5 percent below the average; its health care costs are 10 percent below the average; and its costs for miscellaneous goods and services are 8 percent below the average.