Growing up in the suburbs of Houston left me with the same impression, but now I think the only reason I like Austin so much more is because I live right in the

Growing up in the suburbs of Houston left me with the same impression, but now I think the only reason I like Austin so much more is because I live right in the middle of the city. The central parts of Houston don't seem that irredeemable, and Houston has far more of the typical "cultural" attractions (e.g. museums, theaters, etc). If you're looking for a tech environment, Austin is clearly the better choice. Otherwise, urbanites in both places are similar to each other, as are the suburbanites.