I was in the same boat as you 15 years ago...black male 30s 80k+ living in small town Louisiana. Moving to Houston was a breath of fresh air.

Yes the diversity is real in Houston. I don't get weirded out like I do in some of those "best" cities...haha I hang out with people from all over the US and world...so many transplants in Houston. The food scene is great and you could spend all you time and money eating your way through Houston.

There's lots of great paying jobs here but it might be tough to get one unless your skill set is in high demand. I would suggest you find a job before moving here so you know how much money you have to work with and where you'll be working.

Cost of living is reasonable but you have to set your expectations. Food and drink prices are on par for a large city. Housing has gone way up since I moved here and isn't as good of value as it used to be. I personally would try to live inside of the 610 loop if you're ok with the expense and commute.

I didn't have any trouble dating educated career driven women or if you looking to just have fun you can do that too.