Texas Plano vs Austin?

Travel Info
How would you compare living in Plano to Austin? How does the living standard and cost differ from each other?

Travel Tips

Before you compare Plano and Austin, you must know two facts:

Firstly, Plano is a suburb of Dallas so if you live there, you have a good chance of working in Dallas itself with all its traffic congestions so you aren't just living in a small community per se. Conversely, if you decide to relocate to the Austin area, you could also select to live in a Austin suburb with a similar size and suburban feel as Plano (Round Rock, Georgetown etc...)

Secondly, Plano, while small by itself, is a part not only of the Dallas area but of the overall Dallas-Fort Worth Megapolis called the Metroplex, an area of 1,400 square-miles and 2.5 million people. The entire Austin area is roughly half of the land area and a quarter of the population of the DFW Metroplex.

Additionally, Austin, being a university town is slightly on the liberal and artsy side compared to Plano (or anywhere in the DFW area) which is more conservative but still progressive.

The job market in Austin is heavy on the state government , the university and the high tech industries. Jobs in the Dallas FW area are much more diversified and similar to those of any large megapolis.

The overall cost of living index between the two areas are very close (90 for Dallas vs. 90.1 for Austin with the US average being 100). Housing is lower in Dallas (71.5 vs. 80 for Austin) but food is higher (98.9 vs. 86.6)...

In conclusion, if I were young (under 35) , more liberal and artistic and worked in academia or high tech; I'd select Austin. Otherwise, I'd have a better chance to get a job living in the DFW area (including Plano)... Source(s): http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=10...

Other Travel Tips
I have never lived in Plano, but Austin is wonderful! Austin is one of the more expensive towns to live in Texas. In the nicer areas, rent can be high for something that is small. So figuring out what you can afford and what you would like is a compromise. The further out you go from central Austin, the less expensive it is, as in Round Rock or south of Austin. East Austin is generally not a great place to live. West Austin is beautiful, but cost for housing varies. Traffic can be a nightmare, but managable once you know how to get around and what traffic spots to avoid. Sorry I can't help you with Plano. But from what I know about Austin and heard about Plano, Austin is mich better. Austin offers a wide variety of choices - outdoor activities, nightlife, museums, cultural events, university sporting events, shopping, etc.
I have never been to Plano, couldn't point to it on a map and I live in Texas:( but I love Austin...Keep Austin Weird!
Plano is a suburb about 20 miles north of downtown Dallas. It is very suburban feeling, and it is filled with strip-malls and McMansions. It has good schools and a relatively low crime-rate, but it is bland and rather lacking in funky/arty character.

Austin is a college town (home of the University of Texas) and has a typical college town feel. It's the most liberal of Texas cities. It is very laid-back, casual, and accepting. Plano is VERY conservative and Republican. The two cities are very different from each other.
personal experience
I used to live in Plano, and spent a lot of time in Austin as a child because my grandmother lived there. Austin is a much nicer city, in my opinion. It is not as hot (despite being further south), and gets more rain, so it's greener. Plano is a suburb of Dallas, and in and of itself isn't really a very interesting place at all. I'd say the standard of living and cost of living are roughly equivalent.