We live in Kingwood, TX brand new subdivision...Northeast side of Houston, great schools good community. We're on high ground here and our area doesn't flood, even through Harvey... West of us is the Woodlands, more $$$ and a little more keeping up with the Jonses but it has everything, very nice also. Further out west you have Katy and Cypress...It's been growing here since we moved in 2002. For your budget, you're going to be very pleasantly surprised what you will get here.
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But seriously you can't go wrong either place. Dallas puts you a little nicer less humid climate with some resemblance of actual seasons although we have 5 months of fall like weather in Houston. Dallas has better zoning laws and Houston is more a mixed bag. Each downtown has their pluses and minuses although you're probably going to find some more upscale mix in Dallas. You have to be careful in Kingwood, some of the older areas are in flood zones due to poor engineer planning...but there are high spots on topographical maps that are safe. The Woodlands is a little packed but they have one of the best outdoor concert venues in the nation, seriously. Lot's of oil people move in on contract there with 6-700k budgets and they are in and out in a couple years so real estate is always either expanding or changing hands. Probably some of the best real estate in the country for the oil industry alone. All of the areas are bubble communities where everything is self contained with most places a short drive to an hour away but we also have some of the best highways. We came down from Michigan after 9/11 and thought we'd hate it, but we are used to the weather, although a little humid, but we are used to it, our summers are our winters, you stay inside with the AC on. Dallas has us beat in the climate department though, although they get some serious squall line thunderstorms roling through. Best thing, we are on our own power grid in Texas, we could literally branch off and form our own country...may have to 
