I'm lost (Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore: photo radar, fit in, home)

[lostsoul62]

I'm in Phoenix and I have to live somewhere but it won't be here. I'm 63 and retired so I'm looking at Amarillo TX or Moore OK (10 miles south of OKC) so I'm wondering which would be the best place to live or retire. Or should I go to one of the New England states? I don't have friends or family to speak of so I am truly lost.

[Goodpasture]

Depends on the amount of retirement money you have available.

Lets take your cities in order.........

Phoenix, I can't handle the photo radar on the expressways......guess I'm not that ready for big brother.

Amarillo is a nice city, pretty flat (its on the Llano Estacado and was the "fortress" area for the Comanche nation), home of the quarter horse association, good beef, decent traffic.......and located dead center of fishing country.......go 800 miles in any direction and you will find a lake. (just kidding) It is flat, of course, being part of the great staked plains. I think there is a stream running through the Canyon area, and I am certain the Cimarron crosses the panhandle north of there somewhere. Did I mention it is flat? Makes it easy to see tornadoes coming. And of course, being flat, there is nothing to stop the wind......except for the few thousand wind generators in the area.

Moore.......all the convenience of a city, close to a major state university, lakes, farms, ranches, WATER, hills to the east, an area dedicated to investing in the future......looking forward, not back. Major metro (Dallas) about 4 hours away, Almost as many casinos as there are churches and more churches than there are people......if you are religious you will be able to find your flavor in whatever area you settle in.

New England.........good choice. Four distinct seasons, good seafood, good recreation, lots of history, easy to get to NYC (well, not easy, but millions of people make the drive every day....usually at the same time), Oh yeah, pay cash for your house......you'll have to finance the taxes...........

[Emery'sMommy]

I would suggest looking into Norman vs Moore. Being retired, you really want to settle in a walkable town where you can get out and about and interact with people. Moore is the opposite of walkable and you will rely on a car to get you anywhere. So both walk-ability and public transit are two very important factors you should consider when making your decision.
Neither Moore nor Amarillo would really qualify, so I'd suggest a diff town in Oklahoma or a northeastern traditionally designed city.

[flintysooner]

Originally Posted by Emery'sMommy

Being retired, you really want to settle in a walkable town where you can get out and about and interact with people.

Well he or she is in Phoenix and asked about Moore or Amarillo and then added New England states. I wouldn't have thought walkability was one of his most important concerns based on his post.

Honestly I don't see Norman being very walkable in general. There are walkable areas of course but that's true pretty much anywhere. I've lived in Norman, too, as well as Moore.

I know a lot of people in Moore that are retired and use the Brand Senior Center a lot. It is all about where one might find community and establish relationships.

Just trying to answer the original question it seems to me that Moore might be a reasonable place to consider for this person given my own experience with Phoenix, Amarillo, Moore, and New England.

[Emery'sMommy]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

Well he or she is in Phoenix and asked about Moore or Amarillo and then added New England states. I wouldn't have thought walkability was one of his most important concerns based on his post.

Honestly I don't see Norman being very walkable in general. There are walkable areas of course but that's true pretty much anywhere.

I'm really just speaking of the downtown Norman area, not the new suburban areas.

If I was in the poster's position and didn't have family/friends to rely on, I'd want to live in a walkable town/city that allows me to interact with people on a daily basis- the suburbs are built for cars and I don't see that as a good long-term option for someone who is retired and one day may not be able to drive to meet their basic needs. As gas prices go up/become sparse, our society will rely more and more on walking/biking/public transit. Moore, Ok just wouldn't be my top pick for long-term livability, JMO.

[debzkidz]

I've already replied to this same post on the Texas forum, but I'll tell the OP here the same thing I said there. I'm a native Texan, born and bred and transplanted to the great state of Oklahoma. In my opinion, there's lots of great places to live in Texas, but Amarillo is probably not a place I would ever choose. If I was choosing between Moore and Amarillo, it would be Moore, hands down, any day of the week. Or for that matter anywhere else in the OKC metro, as opposed to Amarillo.

Amarillo is so very isolated. It's a million miles (at least it feels like a million miles) to or from anywhere. It's kind of in no mans land. Most of Texas forgets about it, even folks out in West Texas (I know. I lived in west Texas for many, many years) forget it's up there. It's not part of Oklahoma or New Mexico. It's just kind of there, all by itself. If I was looking for someplace, other than where I live now to retire, I would be looking at areas that are at least near really great medical facilities, like Moore.

[flintysooner]

Originally Posted by Emery'sMommy

Moore, Ok just wouldn't be my top pick for long-term livability, JMO.

I understand your argument and it is really quite good with an excellent point about transportation.

My reasoning on Moore is that the person might be able to better find small community groups to fit into in Moore as opposed to the other choices. In a lot of ways Moore is still a small town that's grown bigger and just happens to lie between Norman and Oklahoma City. But in many ways it has retained the small town aspects. For instance if you want to visit the Mayor just drop by his store. I just never found Norman to be like that but it could have just been me, too.

People that require transportation to the Brand Center I know can get it but I honestly don't know how it works.

It is an interesting question that is posed. I'm just not sure what I'd do if I had no family or friends to make one area more appealing than another.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

I'm just not sure what I'd do if I had no family or friends to make one area more appealing than another.

I think I'd find me a place within walking distance of a clothing optional beach and volunteer to referee volley ball games.

[flintysooner]

Originally Posted by goodpasture

i think i'd find me a place within walking distance of a clothing optional beach and volunteer to referee volley ball games.

lol!

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Goodpasture

I think I'd find me a place within walking distance of a clothing optional beach and volunteer to referee volley ball games.

Words of wisdom, as usual.