two very different transfer opps! One in Cordell, OK and the other in Raleigh, NC (Lawton: tornadoes)

[mcginnis12878]

So I am on here trying to find out which you would choose. My husband has two lucrative job transfer/promotion opportunities and we can't decide without more info.
OK-Good property prices, small town (Cordell,OK), universities that are esteemed nearby, great place to have a family (we have 3 young kids) and not a lot of snow (we currently live in Co Spgs, Co) Possibility of Tornadoes

NC-Lots of trees, mediumish property prices, very green, Hurricane possibility , farther away from our family, closer to disneyworld and NYC , great area to raise a family, larger town.

Feel free to give me any and all advice or comments as I really want to know what is great about this area vs. the other! Thanks!

[Synopsis]

Wow, those are vastly different options. If you're getting the same pay, your money will surely stretch a lot further in Cordell. That's in Western Oklahoma, and it's pretty different out there. If I were you, I'd check out the area first. I'm a native Oklahoman, and I love my state but I'm just trying to be honest and wouldn't want you to end up in an area that is so vastly different from Co Springs that you'd be unhappy. I've never actually been to Cordell, so I wouldn't know anything specific. I've been all over NC, and Raleigh is a pretty decent town, although I'm more into the mountains of Western NC.

[mcginnis12878]

Yeah we love the mountains here but the winter last year did us in on the whole snow thing...lol! I have been to ok city a few times and thought it was really nice and that the people were great. The pay is salaried in ok. and it is higher in NC

[peggydavis]

Raleigh

Cordell, or New Cordell

I'd say it's all in what you like. Personally, I would rather run to my tornado shelter than evacuate for a hurricane.

[Harry_T]

Nice contrasting pictures, peggydavis. You can tell just by the pictures that there is definitely a difference in lifestyle between the two.

I think the best advice any of us can give to you (if you have not already done so) is to write down all the things you want out of life on a piece of paper. Then compare each area to the things you want. You may be surprised what you discover about yourself in the process. Also do a thorough cost of living comparison. At one point, we were eying Raleigh. By the time I finished the cost analysis, even though I was going to make more money in the Raleigh area, I ended up having much less disposable income each month.

Just remember, everyone's mileage will differ.

[MrsSteel]

Peggy, that is an EXCELLENT post! A picture really does speak a thousand words, doesn't it?

McGinnis, I already posted in the Raleigh thread about this. I just wanted to say that I agree with the other people who've posted here. It's really about what you want from your life. Cordell is extremely rural - about 90 minutes away from the nearest city. If you prefer a rural lifestyle, Cordell could be heaven for you. If you prefer the ammenities of a city, you'll be happier in Raleigh.

Good luck!

[Jammie]

Wow, I guess Peggy's post pretty much says it all. Whichever pic looks like your kind of place is where I'd be heading.

[mcginnis12878]

Yeah rural towns have appeal but amenities are nice too...sigh...what a choice! Hopefully we can make this decision easily!

[Nameless]

It really all is about your lifestyle. Being from Colorado Springs I personally think Cordell would seem too isolated for you, however, if you desire a change of pace it may work out.

Cordell is an 1 1/2 from OKC and Lawton is almost 100k but barely closer than OKC. Other than those places the biggest town within 50 miles is Elk City with a whopping 11k population.

Personally if you choose the Cordell job, I'd live in Clinton. It's 15 miles north of town (so a 15-20 minute commute) and has a population of about 9k, but will have more ammenities due to it's 1-40 location. Also you're 1 hour from the OKC burbs and 1 1/4 hour from downtown from there.

I will say one thing however, the weather in Cordell will feel a lot more like Colorado than NC. It's hot in the summer but like Colorado it's usually dry, noticed I said usually because now and then it can get humid there but it's almost always dry in Cordell.

Also the winters are cooler than Raleigh and you have a better chance of snow. You will get just enough to complete your winter without it being a pain in the butt.

Granted you may want it warmer, but I think Cordell will at least resemble Colorado a bit more and not be as big of a shock to the system.

[eddie gein]

Cordell is a nice little town with the best looking courthouse and town square in the state of Oklahoma. There is not much there but it is one of the nicer small towns in western Oklahoma. It is about 20 minutes from Clinton, however I think Cordell is actually a nicer community than Clinton. I just took a job in Clinton and have started a business in Cordell so if you want to come out here then let me know.

Another thing to consider is that Cordell house prices are lower than Clinton although the inventory is somewhat limited.

I would suspect that this is no more remote than Lujunta or Lamar would be in Colorado and we have a few more trees and water than that area. There are several decent lakes close to Cordell. I am staying at Foss Lake which is about 30 miles away from Cordell and there is Ft. Cobb lake about 20 miles east of Ft. Cobb.

I haven't been to Raleigh in a long time but I know the area is booming with the Triangle and all so I don't think you could go wrong, but I have been pleasantly surprised in the time I have spent out here in western Oklahoma (a couple of months) because it hasn't been as desolate and remote as I thought.