Is an hour-long commute really bad?
Posted by jonnyp200@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 54 comments
reposting because it got removed from a different reddit
Hi.
I currently live in East TN and have a job offer in Greenville, Texas. I have always been meant to live in the city and I love the city life.
I thought living in Dallas and commuting an hour to Greenville would be ideal. However, every person is telling me that I would kms from that commute. I personally don’t. mind driving but they said after six months I’d dread it.
Does anyone make this commute? Do you think it’s worth it or should I live in Greenville 😭😭
Everyone has convinced me not to stay downtown so I’ve been considering areas like Frisco, McKinney, or Rockwall. I’d be making $67K a year before taxes and ideally would like to budget $800-$1250 for 1BR apartment. Is that even doable?
Current_Set550@reddit
I personally think with the fast growing and crazy population, the drive will be dreadful. I moved from N Dallas area in 2012 and recently went to Greenville with a friend. The construction is everywhere and people are frustrated and awful drivers. Good thing you are younger and maybe you can handle this drive from McKinney, and there are a lot of apartments etc. Personally… if there anyway you can visit before deciding would be your best bet overall! Just remember. THE CONSTRUCTION IS BAD! And if you need to use hwy 380… it is a death trap, especially near McKinney Good Luck Blessings to you. Did not mean to sound negative, just my experiences.
Terriblynerdy-@reddit
Don’t do it. Driving an hour is different than driving an hour in traffic. Plus, you’d definitely be driving more than an hour most days. At least an hour and half on the way home in bumper to bumper traffic. Don’t do it!!!!
frosty_the_snowman-@reddit
$67k in DFW will allow to live on a very very tight budget. DFW is not as cheap as some people may say. The whole talk of no income taxes becomes a wash when u factor all the costs
sorrow_anthropology@reddit
My commute from hurst to alliance was 1 hour and 20 minutes to work but it only took 17 minutes to get home.
Swing shift was weird.
Illustrious_Swing645@reddit
I did a similar commute but not in TX.
I did Fort Wayne IN to Warsaw IN. It was an hour and some change commute each way, without ANY traffic.
It sucked. It's soul crushing. You're literally robbing yourself of time, something you can't get back.
It also made forming any social circles tough. I couldn't/didnt want to hang with work people after work because I had such a long commute back home. Whenever I got back home I was too beat to try and do anything there. All around bad experience. Don't do it. Live close to work. You'll be much happier.
marblelatte@reddit
Pre-pandemic when traffic was even worse, I used to commute 1 hour at best, up to 2 hours at worst. It was fine for the first couple of months, then it really started to wear on me. I’d be exhausted by the time I got work, then I knew I had to do it over again 9 hours later. Stop-and-go traffic is the worst because you have to pay close attention and watch out for people cutting you off, not using their blinkers, etc. I’d advise against it.
deaddaughterconfetti@reddit
It's not an hour drive, it's an hour of white knuckling it and fighting for your life. There's a big difference in how stressful it is for you and your vehicle.
CanBrushMyHair@reddit
Except for when you’re at a dead stop!
IAmSixNine@reddit
Add to it dead stop in texas summer of 105 degree heat. Better hope your vehicle is ready.
deaddaughterconfetti@reddit
That's what I'm at extra-high attention! ! I literally checked that I had brake lights when I got home today, because so many people nearly rear-ended me on 30 and 183 on my way home this evening 🤦🏻♀️
ImpossibleA318@reddit
I live right off of 75 and it takes me directly to Dallas no tolls. Consider Anna or Melissa, north of 75, if you want a less than 1hr commute to work. If you are meant for the city life then Greenville is not the area for you. There are nicer, more in your budget friendly places with shorter drives.
justapowerbi_guy@reddit
Traffic is horrible here during peak hours and also very bad drivers. so driving everyday for work is not advisable.
emzim@reddit
Personally I would hate that
cloudy_710@reddit
Honestly for your budget I’d just stay in Greenville or somewhere nearby and drive in to DFW on weekends for your city fix
Then maybe after 1yr or so look for higher paying jobs more in the city
By then you may know better what part of DFW fits you best
Good luck welcome to Texas 🙏🏾
CanBrushMyHair@reddit
Yes! Make your life easy for your first year! Focus on work, and get your bearings on the Dallas area on weekends. After a year or two, you’ll have a much better idea of where in Dallas you like to be, and you’ll also know a lot more about the job market! Consider Greenville a temporary means to an end. Also you may be able to stay with your company and work remote or WFH, which would make a long commute more tolerable.
Unfortunately I agree. It’s not always an hour of “driving,” so much as an hour of “meditative breathing through traffic.”
PersonBehindAScreen@reddit
My “1 hr” commute commonly became almost 2 hours.
There was something soul sucking about it always being in the same god damn spots too when there’s accidents
MarcoEsteban@reddit
I wish mine was only an hour
MotherOf4Jedi1Sith@reddit
I drive 40 miles to my job. My favorite way is taking the Farm to Market roads, instead of the highways. After a couple of years of this drive, I'm actually looking for work closer to home because of gas prices going up and I want more time at the end of the day. My advice is to find a few different ways to get to and from work, in case of an accident, or construction, that would make your commute even longer.
WaffleHouseFancy@reddit
I used to make this commute before that side of town exploded (about 8 years ago). It wasn’t too bad. BUT now, I-30 absolutely sucks. The bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard is an absolute pain.
Look at apartments in Fate or Royse City. Get a feel for the area before you commit to an awful commute.
infinibelle@reddit
I live in the Alliance area and commute to downtown Dallas. Theoretically, my commute is 45 minutes. But it's almost always anywhere from 60-90 minutes. It's tolerable to me because I have a hybrid schedule, so I only have to make the drive twice a week, and I typically listen to audiobooks on the drive which makes it more enjoyable because I'm listening to the story rather than focusing on how much this drive sucks. There are coping methods, for sure, but no power on this earth could make me commute from Greenville to Dallas.
EnvironmentalLuck515@reddit
It would be soul sucking awful
MemberChewbacca@reddit
Rockwall or Rowlett still feel like the city and aren’t quite so damn far. Look there.
harshil91@reddit
Would recommend living somewhere near White Rock Lake.
DoubleBookingCo@reddit
You can find very affordable apartments in Greenville or around there! Closer to Dallas your budget would be a bit harder to achieve.
DaKrakenAngry@reddit
Recent East TN to DFW transplant here. The commute SUUUUUUUUUCKS!
I drive from around the McKinney area to Grand Prairie. I would NOT advise commuting more than 30 minutes. I either have to leave at 6am. to beat traffic or leave at 8:45am. Otherwise, my commute goes from 1 hour to 2 hours.
I'm currently looking for apartments closer to where I work simply because of the commute.
_for_being_on_reddit@reddit
Agree with everyone here, I would add if you like Rockwall, consider Fate. It’s close by and the cost of living is a bit lower, but you need to be prepared to pay a bit more for rent if you choose that area. If sticking to the budget is important, stick to Greenville and hang out in the city on the weekends.
SassySavcy@reddit
I-30 is one of the deadliest highways in the US (and the 2nd most deadly in Texas).
That commute would be awful. Don’t do it!
Bbkingml13@reddit
My family lives in dallas but the lake house is at lake tawakoni near Greenville. I don’t think any of us would ever make that drive without staying at least one night, even if it was just to go check on a plumbing issue or something. It’s not like driving for an hour on an interstate where you can just coast down the highway, it’s a pretty cognitively intensive and stressful task to drive in that traffic.
With that budget, I’m not totally sure you’d be where you want to be somewhere like Frisco. I think Rowlett may be a good place to look?
clhiod@reddit
I don’t know about the prices in Rockwall but the commute from Rockwall to Greenville would be much more reasonable. Stay east of the lake.
jjordan6064@reddit
As someone who lives in the area, and commutes to North Dallas 4 days a week, I can empathically tell you that you'll be in traffic for at least an hour an half, one-way, most days. It's not a fun time. I can also say that if you're looking to live somewhere with a "city vibe", Greenville is not going to do it for you. Greenville is awesome, but people move there to get away from the city. In my opinion, your best option would be to find an apartment in the Rockwall/Rowlett/Fate area. There's lots to do, if you don't feel like making the drive to Dallas on the weekend (restaurants, shopping, lake activities). Also, you can get to Greenville without having to white-knuckle it on the freeway (back roads). Congrats on the job and welcome to Texas!
xEastEvilx@reddit
It wasn’t worth for me and I was on much much higher compensation. The time lost in traffic by the time I got home I had no time for my kids or family, just ate dinner and went to bed exhausted. You’re wasting your life on the road and also risking it. Plus 400$ in tolls every month or an extra hour driving.
Level-Ad-322@reddit
I would live in Greenville and visit Dallas on your days off. The commute would be costly and draining, Time is all we have in the life. Don’t waste it behind the wheel.
Individual-History87@reddit
Depending on what part of Dallas you live in, you’re looking at 2 hours each way. Dallas traffic rivals Los Angeles.
ewashburn81@reddit
Commuting for an hour isn't terrible, the problem is an hour commuting in Dallas traffic is absolutely horrible. Constant slamming on brakes, flooring it to move forward 20', having to let people in front of you as they cut you off without any care about you. It's not fun doing that every day, twice a day.
Big__If_True@reddit
Just move to Hunt County and go to Dallas on the weekends. Your budget isn’t enough to comfortably live anywhere closer to the city than Rockwall anyway
Xkwizito@reddit
Tolls + Gas + your time = Not worth it on that salary.
And by time I mean you are going to realistically be spending up to 3 hours a day in your car. That's 3 hours you could be doing other things.
Dallas is also not like a "city life so much to do!" type of city. It's not a walking city where you can just easily walk to something entertaining. Everything is spread out, as in there is no central "this is where you live to be close to everything" type of area.
I came from Philadelphia, and have also visited Nashville a handful of times. Dallas is not a fun city in comparison to those two.
NegotiationSalt666@reddit
What makes those cities more fun? (Lifelong texan here and ive never lived anywhere else)
Xkwizito@reddit
They are much more walkable. More night life. Better restaurants (at least in Philadelphia). Better defined neighborhoods (in Philadelphia you have Chinatown, Italian Market, Center City, Old City, Penns Landing, South Street, and other neighborhoods all within walking distance of each other). And honestly just they just both have wayyy more character and charm in general.
I remember back in like 2005, being in college and there being thousands of people outside the Art Museum in Philadelphia for Live 8. I could never imagine anything like that here in Dallas.
katisauce@reddit
Yes. It’s horrible. Dallas traffic is terrible
SeedlessKiwi1@reddit
Yes it is. I drove from Garland to Greenville for 2 years. It is realistically an hour commute each way from there (unless there is bad traffic on I30 where it becomes a 2 hour commute). I couldn't do it after 2 years and switched jobs. My tiny 1 bed apartment was also $1500/month after all the fees and utilities.
I would live in Greenville if you are making sub 100k. Absolutely do not drive from Frisco. McKinney and Rockwall are both pricey because they are built up. You would have better luck looking in Royse City or Greenville itself.
Dawnzarelli@reddit
Right? That’s 10-12 hours a day for work related stuff.
_wannabe_@reddit
The commute will be awful, you will spend a fortune on gas/wear and tear/maintenance on your vehicle, and there's no way you're going to find an apartment "in the city" at that budget.
Objective_Mind7909@reddit
Don’t forget toll roads!
deathstarninja@reddit
The area between Greenville and Dallas is growing rapidly with many roads under construction. The drive might be more than an hour each way. Two plus hours commute every day is a beating, and the costs add up. I suggest living in Greenville, at least to start. Would assume COL is lower in Greenville too. Good luck on the move
baby_spice222@reddit
also by the time you get home / have sat in over an hour of traffic / you’re notttt gonna want to go out
baby_spice222@reddit
hi! Dallas native here- also consider that the major highways have a toll road, meaning you’ll be spending hundreds of dollars just to drive on the road for that commute. like actually HUNDREDS it’s very annoying
I’d live in Greenville (actually a great area) and drive into Dallas on the weekends if youre wanting a city fix! You can always move into Dallas later or sign a shorter lease while you’re getting familiar with the area. 67K is fine but will not go as far as you’re thinking it may after gas / tolls / rent is insane / stuff in Dallas proper is more expensive w nightlife etc
LittleMissKnope@reddit
The construction on I-30 between Rockwall and Greenville is pretty horrible right now and should continue for several more years.
A lot of people do commute from rockwall or fate if that more your jam. I do also know a few people who have commuted from further and survived 🤷♀️
That’s a pretty tight budget for anywhere further east than Greenville (plus your car fuel and maintenance will be crazy), but should be fine in Greenville.
Greenville’s really not a bad place to live. (I lived there for 6 years actually). There’s some newer apartment complexes and other new stuff being added at a pretty quick rate.
satchel65@reddit
Stay east of Lake Ray Hubbard. Anything east of Rockwall. Also, look at Hwy 380 between McKinney and Greenville. Princeton is nice.
SgtBadManners@reddit
I used to make the trip from Ft Worth to Dallas with my mom when I was a kid. I remember just sitting in traffic in the 90s and being miserable. Gas was also like a 1.20 or something, not sure if you are factoring multiple tanks of gas a week into your budget already.
That 67k is not going to stretch as far as you think with DFW rent and gas.
WinifredBrooks@reddit
Responded on your other post where you did not include salary/apartment budget (or that Rockwall was a consideration). I’d initially recommended Rockwall instead of Frisco or McKinney, but if you’re looking to get an apartment in that range, Greenville is the best option. It will also keep you from spending money on gas and throughout the work week & you can drive into the city on weekends/night life.
dirtybumsupreme@reddit
I-30 between Dallas and Greenville is currently under construction and will be for the next several years. You’d be looking at more than an hour each way. Not worth it at all.
I live in the Greenville area. Housing is cheap and lots of new upcoming developments. Just move to Greenville and you’ll be glad you did.
Masonine@reddit
Obviously, everyone has a different tolerance level, but generally speaking, that’s an awful commute. If it were an hour drive on an empty road each day, that wouldn’t be so bad, but it’s an hour of bumper-to-bumper traffic where people slam on their brakes every few miles. I’d recommend McKinney if you’re working in Greenville, but keep in mind that McKinney is definitely not “the big city.”
intoxicatedsparkles@reddit
Every person you talked to is right
Highly unlikely that you'll find rent for that price "in the city" anyway too
Why not live closer to work, especially if you're renting you're only committing for 1 yr or so. Live that first year In Greenville, find out what areas you actually like IRL about Dallas and then move after your lease is up if you don't like the area. Visit Dallas proper on the weekends
llamalovedee123@reddit
Is it an hour round trip or hour each way? If so you will be very regretful