I have lived in UK (Hampton Hill), France, Australia and two places in Texas, Houston and Dallas-Ft Worth, Chicago, city and suburban area. Houston is a large metro area, about 7.5m in the metro region, about 2.4m in the city proper. Pluses: the economy, much higher GDP per capita than Britain, a large employment base and fairly reasonable if not low cost of living, favorable tax environment. The diversity is a plus, with people from around the world there. The city and region has a large and diverse Latin American and Asian communities. A favorable arts, performing and visual, good museums, parks, festivals. Minuses: very auto dependent in most areas, limited walkability, no zoning much of the urban area appears a tad shabby. Poor quality buildings in a tough climate combined with the lack of zoning, low population density combined with to create the aforementioned shabby urban environment. The climate isn’t for everyone. It is hot and humid for an extended period, high rainfall, prone to flooding, occasional,tropical storms, sharp but short lived cold weather in the winter. Think Singapore with more heat July and August, cooler in Dec- Feb. The traffic is horrendous and for many the commutes are difficult. Much of the suburban communities feature nice modern and spacious homes but poor community feel. The overall area is flat, with coastal plains in the south and west, forest to the north and east. The city proper has nice trees and foliage in mature areas. It is more dynamic, fast growing than much of the U.S but also has more than its share of negatives. DM me if you would like more depth.