We have been scouring the US for places with decent winter weather, acceptable summer weather, diverse dining, low cost and culture, particularly a university. It's not that easy.
Any place with snow is out. The northwest is too rainy and expensive. Southeast is not our cup of tea and muggy summers. Austin is only nice place in Texas but too many allergies and hipsters. Palm Springs is over priced and overrun with vacationing dolts from LA. Santa Fe is too artsy and Adobe for us.
Currently mulling over Reno and Tucson. Leaning toward Arizona in general but only areas with enough elevation to survive summer.
Suggestions?
LOL, guilty as charged.
Though it appears to me after 25 years in Austin that the allergies thing is, so to speak, overblown. Learn to sniffle from New Year's until mid January without freaking out, after that no big deal. YMMV.
Real estate's gotten pricey, culture here now includes some very spendy layers coexisting with the artsy/musical ones. Possibly the best of both worlds might be to live in a town nearby and visit Austin on selected occasions. San Marcos would be an excellent choice for that. There's even a viable bus line from there to Austin for anyone who wants to be car free.
Curious to see other replies, and follow your explorations.
I want to make fun of SnackDog's overly stringer criteria.. but.. I think I feel the same way.
The Flagstaff recommendation is interesting.
What is this about Austin and allergies? BTW, for the Austinite, how would you compare San Antonia, if Austin did get too pricey?
Lots of people develop allergies in Austin. Most commonly it's an allergy called "cedar fever", actually an allergy to juniper trees. They exude pollen in January. You sneeze, sniffle, have stuffy nose, maybe itchy eyes. Some people get medication but I stopped after realizing it had no effect for me. Main result personally: due to sniffling, I do not sound suave in January.
The most frequent thing is to visit, have no problem, then develop the allergy after some years in residence. I got mine seven years after arrival - exactly when people said I would.
Here's a fun link re San Marcos this weekend. San Marcos is maybe half an hour from downtown Austin, plus any traffic effects. Far enough to still be a separate town so far.
http://freefuninaustin.com/2016/09/mermaid-parade-festival-supporting-san-marcos-river/San Antonio is 1 to 2 hours from Austin by car, depending on where you start and finish. Definitely cheaper, though even there, real estate prices definitely rising. Obviously San Antonio has the most tacos and the best traditional tacos, fwiw. Lots of military there. Lots of Spanish neighborhoods that go back generations. If you want a more relaxed culture, San Antonio is very homey. My sister loves it. Also, there is a largely unheralded layer of Austin-like culture (live bands, intellectuals, cool downtown district, etc) there too. Working out is more common in Austin.
Also, Austin is bike-friendlier... not AT ALL perfect and still very hot, but there roads with bike lanes and grocery stores with bike racks. Employers vary - some have bike racks and occasionally an on-site shower, most still don't. (Those things are important in the heat IMHO). San Antonio has very little of that as far as I know.