Question from a displaced New Orleanian: is Downtown/inside of the loop really that bad?

Am staying here with family who live in Spring/Conroe/Woodlands area and anytime I mention looking for work or a place to stay inside of the loop instead of the 'burbs, they clutch their pearls and basically tell me that it is hell on earth. Now I'm fairly certain they're being dramatic suburbanites, so from people better in the know, what's it like, culture-wise? Because coming from New Orleans I can tell you if I have to stay up here much longer without art or music or diverse architecture I'm gonna LOSE IT