Moving to San Antonio, TX

The home of the Alamo is now better known as River City, because it blossoms around the San Antonio River with shops, dining and a unique, southwestern culture.  San Antonio’s River Walk attracts millions of visitors each year and exemplifies the city’s vitality.

San Antonio has more to offer, though.  For decades it has been developing into a major economic and social player in the state of Texas and beyond.  The Alamo still stands, but buildings like the South Texas Medical Center, the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, and the Aztec on the River Theater serve as the city’s new rallying cries.

San Antonio’s Layout

San Antonio is located just south of the heart of Texas on gently rolling land, which is thinly forested in short vegetation, like Mesquite Trees and cacti.  The Balcones Fault, a large fault line that splits Texas into two distinct regions, is nearby.

San Antonio is the head of a metro area that includes New Braunfels.  It is home to nearly 2.2 million people.  Austin, Texas, is 75 miles to the northeast.

Positives of Moving to San Antonio

Sunshine & Warmth – San Antonio gets ample sunshine and warm weather.  During the winter months, it is an extremely pleasant place to live.  The city sees snow about once every five years.

River Walk – San Antonio’s downtown cradles a small, revitalized San Antonio River.  The river meanders past the shops and restaurants that line its edges, and the city adorns it with lights and music for relaxing walks and festive evenings. 

Economy – San Antonio has a number of strong economic qualities.  First, it is home to a number of military bases and research centers.  Second, its medical center is the biggest and best in south Texas, making the city a medical leader.  Third, it is a big energy capital, home to many large energy firms and corporations.  And fourth, the city’s river walk and historical attractions, like the Alamo, attract millions of tourists each year, energizing the economy.

Melting Pot – US and Mexican culture meet in San Antonio, and the city is all the better for it.  The city buzzes with mariachi music and smells of chipotle and tacos.  Residents get the unique opportunity to partake in festivals and traditions of two distinct and fascinating cultures… three if you consider Texan culture one all its own.

Negatives of Moving to San Antonio

Summer – In the wintertime, San Antonio’s weather is pure plus.  However, come summer, not only do consistently-high temperatures arrive (think mid-90’s), but so does thick humidity.

Sprawl – Like most Sun Belt cities, San Antonio suffers from bad urban sprawl.  The city has grown so rapidly over the last few decades that urban developments and transportation have not been able to keep up.  Making matters worse, San Antonio has a unique city status, through which it can acquire the land around it and continue to grow.  This prevents new cities with city centers from being created.

Entertainment – For its size, San Antonio lacks in entertainment.  It does have one professional sports team, the Spurs (NBA); however, many musicians and entertainers bypass San Antonio, choosing to go to nearby Austin instead.

Traffic – San Antonio is the largest city in the US without a rail transit system.  While it does have a bus system with $30 monthly passes (cheapest in the nation), the buses do little to help most commuters, and most residents have to brave the heavy local traffic.

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