Texas or Florida?

[SingularityOne]

Hi everyone,

I’m thinking of moving and I’m trying to pick between Dallas/Fort Worth TX, Houston TX, or Tampa FL. My main reason for moving is to have a higher chance at meeting a wife while also having a solid Orthodox community around myself. Do any of y’all live in these area or know what it’s like there Orthodox-wise?

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Hi everyone,

I’m thinking of moving and I’m trying to pick between Dallas/Fort Worth TX, Houston TX, or Tampa FL. My main reason for moving is to have a higher chance at meeting a wife while also having a solid Orthodox community around myself. Do any of y’all live in these area or know what it’s like there Orthodox-wise?

you would likely do better in PA...I think PA has the most churches of any State in the US

 

[Justin-H.S.]

I liked Tampa a lot. DFW was very...crowded (traffic wise, not the church. I don't know about the church). The west coast of Florida seems to have a decent amount of Ortho communities. I just wasn't a fan of DFW tbh, but it's within spitting distance of Wichita, KS which has a (relatively) huge Antiochian population with an Orthodox private school at the cathedral of St. George, and at least a couple western rite parishes, too. Oklahoma seems to have a semi-large Ortho community as well. IDK.

Any reason you narrowed it down to those two locations? Job?

 

[SingularityOne]

you would likely do better in PA...I think PA has the most churches of any State in the US

Being a marriage and family therapist, I’d like to be in a “red” state if things go sideways… but, I definitely contemplated PA. I’ll have to check if my spiritual father knows of any good parishes there! Thanks for the recommendation.

Just checked and my license wouldn’t transfer to PA… which is a bummer due to seeing all the churches there!

 

[SingularityOne]

I liked Tampa a lot. DFW was very...crowded (traffic wise, not the church. I don't know about the church). The west coast of Florida seems to have a decent amount of Ortho communities. I just wasn't a fan of DFW tbh, but it's within spitting distance of Wichita, KS which has a (relatively) huge Antiochian population with an Orthodox private school at the cathedral of St. George, and at least a couple western rite parishes, too. Oklahoma seems to have a semi-large Ortho community as well. IDK.

Any reason you narrowed it down to those two locations? Job?

Great to know. Thanks for the insight!

They both just seem to have the boost connected Orthodox communities (texas moreso). Tampa is close to my parents, but Texas seems to have more of a zeal according to knowledge and connected YAL communities. More people too, so more opportunity to find a wife… they both don’t have state income tax either, lol.

I’m a marriage and family therapist too, so given all of the things going on in society, I’m preferable to a red state compared to a blue one too if things go down again.

 

[E.C.]

Being a marriage and family therapist, I’d like to be in a “red” state if things go sideways… but, I definitely contemplated PA. I’ll have to check if my spiritual father knows of any good parishes there! Thanks for the recommendation.

Just checked and my license wouldn’t transfer to PA… which is a bummer due to seeing all the churches there!

PA is dying. The demographic reality is that people are leaving the state in droves because there frankly aren't any economic opportunities there. Half of the Orthodox churches in the state are likely going to be closed within the next 10-15 years. Maaaybe 20.

That said, being in a "red" state is no guarantee on sanity. They have their problems too and while the local governments may not be for abortion, they still do some screwy things like lower the age of consent because their flawed Protestant interpretation thinks its okay for an old man to marry a teenage girl "because that's how Mary and Joseph did it". A lot of wilful ignorance and toxic behaviors in those areas.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Hi everyone,

I’m thinking of moving and I’m trying to pick between Dallas/Fort Worth TX, Houston TX, or Tampa FL. My main reason for moving is to have a higher chance at meeting a wife while also having a solid Orthodox community around myself. Do any of y’all live in these area or know what it’s like there Orthodox-wise?

if that’s where you are leaning, I would say whichever of those communities have the largest, active parishes.

 

[SingularityOne]

if that’s where you are leaning, I would say whichever of those communities have the largest, active parishes.

Agreed! Do you know, between those three places, what aligns more closely with “largest/active/etc.”?

 

[SingularityOne]

PA is dying. The demographic reality is that people are leaving the state in droves because there frankly aren't any economic opportunities there. Half of the Orthodox churches in the state are likely going to be closed within the next 10-15 years. Maaaybe 20.

That said, being in a "red" state is no guarantee on sanity. They have their problems too and while the local governments may not be for abortion, they still do some screwy things like lower the age of consent because their flawed Protestant interpretation thinks its okay for an old man to marry a teenage girl "because that's how Mary and Joseph did it". A lot of wilful ignorance and toxic behaviors in those areas.

I agree. I just tend to see more sanity in red-places compared to blue. But, it’s mainly about who has the most active and populated young adult community in all honesty (long-term).

 

[ArmyMatt]

Agreed! Do you know, between those three places, what aligns more closely with “largest/active/etc.”?

off the top of my head no, but you can look at the Assembly of Bishops website

 

[SingularityOne]

off the top of my head no, but you can look at the Assembly of Bishops website

Yeah, I saw that. Just trying to see how connected the churches are pan-Orthodox-wise, you know?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yeah, I saw that. Just trying to see how connected the churches are pan-Orthodox-wise, you know?

I personally would start with the ones that are most American and active, and then follow up with size after that.

 

[SingularityOne]

I personally would start with the ones that are most American and active, and then follow up with size after that.

What do you mean by “most American”?

 

[ArmyMatt]

What do you mean by “most American”?

uses English, most adapted to the google of American culture, etc

 

[SingularityOne]

uses English, most adapted to the google of American culture, etc

Do you know of any areas that align with that? Even maybe some areas that definitely don’t?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Do you know of any areas that align with that? Even maybe some areas that definitely don’t?

off the top of my head, no. that’s why you should check out the Assembly of Bishops website, since they have a parish directory.

 

[Light of the East]

Being a marriage and family therapist, I’d like to be in a “red” state if things go sideways… but, I definitely contemplated PA. I’ll have to check if my spiritual father knows of any good parishes there! Thanks for the recommendation.

Just checked and my license wouldn’t transfer to PA… which is a bummer due to seeing all the churches there!

Having left PA, I would say not to be too bummed out. The state is purple at best, but the cities where you will find the most Orthodox parishes, especially Pittsburgh, are bright blue. Democrats depend on Pittsburgh and Philly to get them over the top every year, which is sad because both cities have high concentrations of Catholics and Orthodox.

 

[SingularityOne]

off the top of my head, no. that’s why you should check out the Assembly of Bishops website, since they have a parish directory.

Will do, thanks father!

 

[SingularityOne]

Having left PA, I would say not to be too bummed out. The state is purple at best, but the cities where you will find the most Orthodox parishes, especially Pittsburgh, are bright blue. Democrats depend on Pittsburgh and Philly to get them over the top every year, which is sad because both cities have high concentrations of Catholics and Orthodox.

Where did you decide to go if I may ask?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Will do, thanks father!

no problem!