Does anyone have anything good to say about Baytown, TX? (Dallas: buy, school district)

[TxHeather]

I'm just catching up on this post...as someone who was (unfortunately) born and raised in Baytown, I certainly hope you chose to live in a different area. The town is tired with no real direction and not a place to raise a family. Not a lot of us get out of that town, but for those who do, we stay as far away as possible.

As for restaurants, try Roosters in downtown Baytown. it's been in business for YEARS and is great down home cooking. I would also recommend El Toro - either the location on Bayway Drive or the one on Decker Drive. Luna's isn't bad either.

For breakfast tacos - don't you dare miss C&Ds. You can't beat it!

[detachable arm]

Something good about Baytown...
I know someone in their mid 30s who works there making $150k per year, cheap near-Cadillac health insurance plan, full benefits, vacation time, etc. Not even a manager.

[scout1964]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

Something good about Baytown...
I know someone in their mid 30s who works there making $150k per year, cheap near-Cadillac health insurance plan, full benefits, vacation time, etc. Not even a manager.

Detachable Arm,

There is definitely money to be made in Baytown. I'm in the public sector and near six figures. It's pretty much the epicenter of the petrochemical universe here. The presence of ExxonMobile drives a lot. You don't have to be in the industry to feel the economic impact. That's for sure.

[scout1964]

So, I'm really hoping we're just adjusting to new allergens. But we've had some kind of sinus or respiratory infection going almost the entire time we've been here, which has been about six weeks now.
I'm trying not to be alarmed over all the air quality/carcinogenic warnings we got.

That being said does anyone know of a good data source for mapping air quality in the area AND a good allergist?

Appreciate any input!

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by scout1964

So, I'm really hoping we're just adjusting to new allergens. But we've had some kind of sinus or respiratory infection going almost the entire time we've been here, which has been about six weeks now.
I'm trying not to be alarmed over all the air quality/carcinogenic warnings we got.

That being said does anyone know of a good data source for mapping air quality in the area AND a good allergist?

Appreciate any input!

I'm not saying there is a cancer risk in Baytown but even if there was You didn't get cancer this quick from living there.

I don't know where you came from but you may just need to get used to more pollen in the air and you can find the pollen counts usually on TV weather websites such as khou.com.

[texas7]

Allergies are a huge problem all over the greater Houston area. More than half my coworkers suffer from them and they live in all areas of town so don't stress just yet. Medical center ent has good doctors. It's at 59 and Kirby.

[tstone]

This is a good start:
Ozone Viewer | houstoncleanairnetwork.org
AirNow - Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX Air Quality

In Oct/Nov ragweed gets very high, especially along Galveston Bay.

[scout1964]

Thanks everyone. Appreciate it.

[scout1964]

AND... For the record, really like El Toro, Baytown Seafood and Pipeline Grill so far. I also think we've settled on the Seabrook/League City/El Lago area to buy once our lease is up.

[scout1964]

So.
Again, I want to thank everyone for all their great advice when my son and I were preparing to move down here. The short version is, you were all right.

Baytown is a pretty hard-scrabble, blue collar town. You can't deny the existence of a certain thug mentality here, especially with regards to driving habits. And air quality is a real challenge.

That being said, however, as one poster noted, there are some beautiful, verdant areas here and some very desirable older neighborhoods. You just have to get out and look. When you do you'll notice there are a number of neighborhoods that are quite livable.

Healthcare is robust and actually highly rated for the region. I have no complaints in this area.

Overall, thugs not excepted, the people here are truly wonderful. They are open-hearted and so very welcoming. The civic quarter of the population is working very hard at revitalizing the downtown and it shows, It's easy to predict that downtown Baytown will be a free-choice destination regionally in the next year or so. It's worth a visit now. AND, believe it or not, there is a permanent ice-rink installation that is open through the holiday months. Brand new. And pretty cool. You can find a video on the City of Baytown's website from the Christmas parade for flavor.

Lee College, the area's 2-year community college, seems to be invested in supporting the arts in the area and bringing entertainers like Asleep At The Wheel into town.

At the end of the day, however, the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District just falls short. At least that has been our experience so far. And I understand it's not fair to judge a whole system by one, isolated experience. But as a parent, I have no choice. (Travis Elementary was a dismal experience). We will be in private school until we decide what our next move will be. I am blessed that I have the means to put my child into a private school environment. Many here, do not.

So, at the end of the day, it's a mixed bag. For my part, as a single mom and concerned about my son's future and his health, as of this writing our intent is to move. The two primary deciding factors are air quality and the public school system. For anyone reading this looking for guidance as to whether or not to move here and buy a home, I hope this has helped.