[Terra89]

My husband and I are considering moving to Fayetteville, AR from Fresno, CA. We are in our 20's and have a 9 month old baby. One of the main reasons we are considering Fayetteville is because we've heard that it is much more affordable than Fresno and the crime rate is a lot lower. As I've never been to Arkansas I was wondering how true that is. I know that we are in for a culture shock, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. We are looking for a change. (I want my son to grow up in a place where you actually get to know your neighbors instead of avoiding them) And, if you have any information on employment opportunities in the area that would be a HUGE help! If possible, we want to try to secure employment before relocating. (My husband is a mechanic and I have clerical experience.) And I was wondering how bad tornadoes really are. In my experience earthquakes here don't happen as often as people that aren't from here seem to think they do. I'm hoping the same is true about tornadoes? Both my husband and I enjoy the outdoors and want to live somewhere relatively safe. (We want to be able walk somewhere at night without worrying about being robbed or attacked.) Also, how easy is it to find childcare? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Dr. Foosball]

You might have about 2 or 3 nights a year that you will need to be aware of tornadoes (not because they are present, but because the weather could produce one). I worked with a guy from Cali a few years ago that would freak out any time that thunderstorms would roll in. It was humorous to say the least.

Childcare is everywhere. No problems there.

One of the cultural changes you will first notice is that the other parents of young children will probably be younger than you. People get married very young (18-22) over here.

Jobs:

http://www2.nwanews.com/classifieds/jobsarkansas/

[bagelw]

Compared to Fresno there is very little crime in Fayetteville. You can pretty much walk anywhere at night and not worry about getting robbed or attacked. I'm sure it happens but you very rarely hear about it.

Tornadoes are not that bad here. There are a few bad storms a year that have the possiblity of creating a tornado but it rarely happens. I've never seen a tornado as long as I've lived here but I have seen a few funnel clouds. I worry more about hail storms. Every car I've owned since moving here has been in a hail storm.

You will love the parks and outdoor activities in the area. It's nothing like Yosemite but it's not as crowded either.

[dvcgal]

You may like living in Bentonville or Rogers, Arkansas as well. Smaller towns but close to Fayetteville. I would say for schools, which you need to consider for your child one day, Bentonville has some of the better public schools. Good luck!

[allsidesoflife]

Having never lived in California, I can't compare Fresno's affordability and crime rate to Fresno, but I do know Fayetteville is considered a very affordable and safe place to live, and I have found that to be true.

Because the University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, we have a much more diverse population (both culturally and experientially) than other parts of Arkansas and people move here from all over the country (and the world). In fact, I bet you have already identified the biggest culture shock - people are genuinely nice here. So, you will want to know your neighbors.

Because Fayetteville is nestled in the Ozark mountains, we really don't have many tornadoes. A few nights a year we have a tornado warning in the area, but I can't remember one touching down and actually causing major damage in Fayetteville.

If you enjoy the outdoors, your family will love the multi-use trail system that has been built in Fayetteville. It is full of families riding bikes, walking and jogging. You can walk around any neighborhood at night and the downtown square area, Dickson Street entertainment district and University of Arkansas campus are all very walkable and safe.

Here's a post about the best Mother's Day Out programs in the area and here's one about the best preschools and daycares in the area.

[nmnita]

Any place in NWA would be a cultural shock but a very nice one for you. Depending on what you really want out of life, Fayetteville might be a good choice, but yes, so would Bentonville and some of the other small towns. Bentonville will put you a tiny bit closer to some of the larger corporations for job hunting. As for finding work, we have been far less affected by the economy than other states, but it still isn't easy and remember, the salaries will be lower. Of course so will the cost of living. Everything here will be cheaper except maybe, produce and wine. (if you drink)

I would search employment at Wal-Mart headquarters, Hunt Trucking, Cox Communications for starters. They will have employment opportunities listed. I will say, like other places, getting hired via long distance without any connections won't be all that easy.

Child care will be much cheaper than in Fresno.

Good luck

Nita

[OurGreatEscape]

Allsidesoflife (hi, sil!) wrote the book on childcare.

@OP, when reading your post, my first instincts were to suggest you live near campus. Many young families live close to campus. There are affordable and safe neighborhoods.

As for job possibilities for your dh, you might look into the AutoPark. It is all the major car dealerships on one site (it's near HWYs.540 and 112). Another possibility is University mechanics. It is located off of College Ave between Rebecca St. and Davison (good grief, I walk that street every day and can't think of the name).

For you, check out the big names first. "nita" shared some. Try Tyson Foods too.

Weather: I'm our family's official weather watcher. Fayetteville does get a few severe storms, especially during the spring. Due to the seven hills Fayetteville was built on, tornadoes tend to be defected. Heed the warnings and be prepared. The closest thing to a real tornado in downtown Fayetteville was the "straight line winds" we had in 1990 (I believe that was the year). It blew out all the windows on Dickson Street, knock down trees, etc.

I guess we should tell you about the Ice Storm of 2009!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by OurGreatEscape

Allsidesoflife (hi, sil!) wrote the book on childcare.

@OP, when reading your post, my first instincts were to suggest you live near campus. Many young families live close to campus. There are affordable and safe neighborhoods.

As for job possibilities for your dh, you might look into the AutoPark. It is all the major car dealerships on one site (it's near HWYs.540 and 112). Another possibility is University mechanics. It is located off of College Ave between Rebecca St. and Davison (good grief, I walk that street every day and can't think of the name).

For you, check out the big names first. "nita" shared some. Try Tyson Foods too.

Weather: I'm our family's official weather watcher. Fayetteville does get a few severe storms, especially during the spring. Due to the seven hills Fayetteville was built on, tornadoes tend to be defected. Heed the warnings and be prepared. The closest thing to a real tornado in downtown Fayetteville was the "straight line winds" we had in 1990 (I believe that was the year). It blew out all the windows on Dickson Street, knock down trees, etc.

I guess we should tell you about the Ice Storm of 2009!

I forgot Tyson's. How, I don't know, without my chicken I would probably starve!!!!

Nita

[LibertysFate]

Check out this website for sex offenders. I have no idea why my boyfriend e-mailed it to me but I'm glad I checked. I don't believe any place is completely safe. Unless you live out in the middle of no where and your closest neighbor is about five miles away. Still, even then I'd be cautious.

Oh here's the link.
National Sex Offender Registry

Other than that good luck with your move and settling in.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by LibertysFate

Check out this website for sex offenders. I have no idea why my boyfriend e-mailed it to me but I'm glad I checked. I don't believe any place is completely safe. Unless you live out in the middle of no where and your closest neighbor is about five miles away. Still, even then I'd be cautious.

Oh here's the link.
National Sex Offender Registry

Other than that good luck with your move and settling in.

I am not quite sure why you posted this..????

Nita