Considering moving, New York to Texas

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So I am at a point right now where I really need a change of location. Right now I'm stuck living at home and spending more than 500 a month on gas, toll, parking. Not to mention insurance, time stuck in traffic, etc. There are also some personal issues I will leave out but has me also wanting a move.

I considered moving near to my place of work but for the money I can afford (young, single) I'd be stuck with a studio or crappy 1 bedroom coop, which would then have the inconveniences of having to go to a laundrymat, street parking, and other headaches. Not to mention the neighborhood I'd be choosing from are not so great.

So I did a bit of research and seems that there are several places in Texas I can make a decent wage and the cost of living is much lower I'd be able to afford a decent single family home and much lower commuting time and cost, and put a lot of distance between my other problems.

Right now the place that stands out to me is Edinburg and the Doctors hospital there. It seems like a large hospital (which where I work I am used to) and has good ratings (ugh where I work now is frustrating with supplies and stuff sometimes).

I would be waiting until February to start applying anywhere so I will have a full 2 years experience.

Can you give me any insight on what it is like to live in Texas? Anyone familiar with both NY and Texas can tell me what I might expect? Anyone have specific experience with Edinburg and the Doctors hospital there?

By the way I am RN and my experience is on a medical Med/Surg floor.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I moved to Texas 10 years ago from the west coast for my husbands work. I love it here in north texas. The people are awesome.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

I moved from NY to Texas many, many years ago when I was young. It took a bit of time to adjust because it is so different, but I love it now. It is more affordable than NY and owning your own home is a possibility here because the cost of living is lower. That's why I left NY - too expensive.

I've never lived south of the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, so I can't speak about Edinburg. I would imagine that living that far south the weather would be a lot warmer and humid. Personally, I like north Texas because of the weather. I would suggest, if it's possible, that you at least visit the town before moving.

The people are very friendly. I had to get used to absolute strangers talking to me out of the blue. At first I thought it was strange, now I'm one of them.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Ha ha Medic2 - we have the same reaction. Love DFW!

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Thank you for the replies.

Also, any insight on hospitals (preferably large) and/or areas I should look into.

A good place to work I can stay at for a long time is most important to me, I'm looking to settle down. Find a place to live is secondary since I have no responsibilities as far as wife and kids.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Fort Worth is great.

The county hospital is John Peter Smith and the 2 biggest hospital systems are Baylor All Saints and Texas Health Resources.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

All the DFW area will have similar employment opportunities, similar wages, similar housing availability. All of the major suburbs of DFW have their own community hospitals. Hospitals like Presbyterian of Dallas, Baylor Dallas and UTSW/Parkland are on the DART train line, so you can easily live up in a suburb (cheaper housing) and still commute into Dallas if you want a big hospital.

Culture-wise you will be in for a shock. Texas has no unions. Politically it is conservative/Republican to the extreme. Southern Baptists control a lot. There is a baseline friendliness, but it can have an edge to it. I have never fully adjusted to the "smile to my face, be nasty behind my back" thing that is common here. The South is alive and well here. Dallas in particular is a very metropolitan area and shows of cars, money and wealth are common and garish at times and quite competitive. There is ever a sense of needing bigger, better, faster, more, more more. The heat in the summer is every bit as difficult to muscle through as the winters in New York are. You just kind of hunker down and wait it out and spend as much time indoors as you can from late June to mid/late September, when temps average upper 90s to 100s. Last summer we had something like 75 105+ degree days in a row without a break. And by "a break", they mean 99 degrees. The heat SUCKS here.

There is culture galore here with tons of excellent restaurants, concerts, theatre, symphony, museums, spas etc. There are a ton of churches. Austin is just to the south and a fun place to go for live music. Glen Rose, also just to the south, has interesting prehistoric finds. Areas like Uptown in Dallas are pricy, but havens for young entrepreneurs and those involved in charity work. There is a trend that young singles live in the city, then move to the suburbs when ready to start having kids (if they can afford to live in the city).

Best of luck whatever you choose. I am not a fan, personally, of Texas. It has its good points and its bad points, like most places.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Fort Worth is way better than Dallas. No comparison!

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

You cannot compare D/FW, Austin, Houston, etc to Edinburg. Edinburg is on the border with Mexico, and is nothing like any other area of Texas. There have been many threads regarding life and working conditions in the Rio Grande Valley. I suggest you do a search using that term or RGV or McAllen (it's essentially the same city as Edinburg).

One thing, though. If you're frustrated with poor/no equipment or supplies, and HEAVY med surg assignments, you won't want to sniff the RGV. This is the poorest area of the entire US by a long shot. Almost 100% Hispanic with majority of pts not conversant in anything other than Spanish. Pretty high crime, including spill-over from the Drug Cartel violence 6-10 miles away in Mexico.

I agree with the person that said to visit first. And it should be an extended visit if possible because looks here can be very deceiving...the cities look nice and modern...but its a facade.

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Specializes in NICU.

I moved from Minnesota to Texas a little over a year ago. I HATE it here. I find the people to be rude. Southern hospitality is a lie. I LOVE my job, but I am planning on leaving this state next year. If you are not a christian republican you are not really welcomed.

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I moved from Minnesota to Texas a little over a year ago. I HATE it here. I find the people to be rude. Southern hospitality is a lie. I LOVE my job, but I am planning on leaving this state next year. If you are not a christian republican you are not really welcomed.

so you don't live in Austin?

Seriously, what part of Texas are you in? Texas is a huge state so lumping the entire state together is not accurate.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

She probably lives around a bunch of transplanted Yankees.

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