Debating on moving to monroe la or hot springs ar (Baton Rouge: vacation home, schools)

[silence84]

Have anybody on here who lives in monroe la ever been to hot springs ar im trying to debate out of monroe la or hot springs. Information about monroe is needed. I'm a single parent, so im look looking for a place thats safe, good jobs, not too crowded and where there's things to do with the kids. Thanks

[Phil75230]

It depends on what you are looking for.

Personally, I'd choose Hot Springs, mainly because (1) Central AR is marginally more prosperous than N. LA and (2) Hot Springs is only 50 or so miles from Little Rock, which offers much more in terms of entertainment, shopping, and amenities in general than anywhere in N. LA. Hot Springs may be smaller than Monroe, but as stated, you'd have to drive only an hour to find more there than you can find in north LA. This makes a big difference when you consider non-economic quality of life issues, especially amenities (i.e. things for your kids to do).

Monroe, OTOH, you'd have to drive 4 hours to get as much as you can get in LR (whether LR itself, or Baton Rouge). Hot Springs being a small bit closer to Dallas than Monroe is also an icing on the cake. About the only things I can say in Monroe's favor is that some of the schools in Ouachita Parish (County) are probably as good as you'll find in Hot Springs and the winters there are somewhat warmer.

[BeenThereDunThat]

Ditto on Hot Springs over Monroe. More upscale things to see and do, more diverse population thanks to retirees and vacation homes. Better restaurants, better scenery. Plus you're not too far a drive to Little Rock (hour maybe) which has a major airport (Southwest Airlines flies in/out) and is a much bigger city than nearby Shreveport is to Monroe.

Yep, Hot Springs hands down over Monroe.

[JimGarrison]

Monroe. Louisiana is the #1 state in America for many reasons.

[bpollen]

What do you want to do, hobby wise? If it's gardening, Monroe would offer better climate and soil, I think. Something to check out.

Hot Springs is very hot in the summer. Very.

[BeenThereDunThat]

P.S. You'll get better airfares in/out of Little Rock than Shreveport. Shreveport Regional has always been listed as among the top "rip-off" airports as far as airfare is concerned. There's a lack of competition and the airlines have SHV by the shorthairs when it comes to pricing as they know they'll get a certain level of business travel at the higher rates. About 35 to 40% of airtravelers either drive to Dallas, Monroe or Alexandria for better fares.

BTW... Louisisana is facing a $1.6 Billion budget deficit thanks to inept Governor Bobby Jindal. State is having to cut back on everything from higher education, healthcare expansion, highway maintenance, state parks & recreation... etc. Every part of the state will feel the sting for years to come as Jindal is trying to plug holes with one-time funds and selling off the tobacco settlement for a one-time payout which everyone in state budget circles says is a pretty dumb idea. But he's doing whatever he can to save face.

Can't wait to move from here myself.

[USERXXXX]

Originally Posted by silence84

Have anybody on here who lives in monroe la ever been to hot springs ar im trying to debate out of monroe la or hot springs. Information about monroe is needed. I'm a single parent, so im look looking for a place thats safe, good jobs, not too crowded and where there's things to do with the kids. Thanks

If you can secure a job in CenturyLink or Chase in Monroe, I would recommend you move to Monroe. For Hot Springs, I do not have any ideas about big company..

[JimGarrison]

If you want to leave then go. Jindal has failed with respect to education, but he pails in comparison to the evil ways of Barack Hussein Obama. And besides, Jindal will be gone soon and that will hopefully change the budget to a more favorable position.

Originally Posted by BeenThereDunThat

P.S. You'll get better airfares in/out of Little Rock than Shreveport. Shreveport Regional has always been listed as among the top "rip-off" airports as far as airfare is concerned. There's a lack of competition and the airlines have SHV by the shorthairs when it comes to pricing as they know they'll get a certain level of business travel at the higher rates. About 35 to 40% of airtravelers either drive to Dallas, Monroe or Alexandria for better fares.

BTW... Louisisana is facing a $1.6 Billion budget deficit thanks to inept Governor Bobby Jindal. State is having to cut back on everything from higher education, healthcare expansion, highway maintenance, state parks & recreation... etc. Every part of the state will feel the sting for years to come as Jindal is trying to plug holes with one-time funds and selling off the tobacco settlement for a one-time payout which everyone in state budget circles says is a pretty dumb idea. But he's doing whatever he can to save face.

Can't wait to move from here myself.

[Chilly Gentilly]

Definitely Hot Springs...for many of the reasons aforementioned and so many others

[Mwahfromtheheart]

Hot Springs for sure, gosh it's beautiful up there. Monroe isn't an ugly place, but it's not Hot Springs. Plus they have a better economy, as mentioned above. North LA hasn't been doing too hot lately ... as in for the past 30 years or so. They've been very uncompetitive in attracting meaningful businesses (Larger markets around them eat them up and they have a very minimal tourist market). Plus the political issues in Louisiana are about to get ugly...ier which is really really really hard to do.