[curiouskarla]

I am 21 & my fiance is 22. We currently live in between Eugene and Salem, OR. We think Oregon is a beautiful place to live but it's not quite what we are looking for long term. In a few years we'd like to be married and start a family but with the taxes and everything else, we are finding it hard to even get started! He is a production welder, and has been doing it for the past few years. So, as far as jobs go, what would be the likelyhood of finding a decent paying job there? How easy would it be for young people to get up on their feet without struggling too much? I expect to struggle in the beginning but not forever! People have said that they don't pay that well in Oklahoma, but with a profession, maybe it won't be a bad idea, right? Financially, I think it would be pretty easy for simple minded people to survive, it does seem fairly cheap to live there! Afterall, I am originally from California and I even thought Oregon seemed cheap in the beginning! Now I am realizing I am going to need a little cheaper to even start out and succeed. Well, advice will gladly be accepted! Thanks. -Karla

[Honeybee]

We just got back from Tulsa OK. and we live in Ca. have are whole life but we are looking at retiring early so after 30 yrs. of my hubby being with Foster-Farms we have deceied to sale and move to Tulsa we have always thought of living in WA.or OR. and visit there often but we found it is getting as expensive as Ca. My hubby is a Certified A Welder and lead man in the Fab shop. When we went there were tons of Welding jobs they say there hard to find good welders and they have to go through agencies to find them so your hubby should be able to find a job with no problem at all. Go to Tulsaworld.com and look at there jobs there

[gonefishing]

http://www.workforceok.org/job_seekers.htm

[eddie gein]

A person I work with has a boyfriend who gets 55-60 dollars an hour as a contract welder. He has been able to find work at different places around Chickasha, OK where I live.

I have lived in Eugene, and Oklahoma is A LOT different than Oregon.
There are things to like about both places but it will take some getting used to if you move here. On the other hand, Oklahoma is a lot better place to live than people think it is. Since a lot of people don't think Oklahoma is all that great the growth has been slow. As a result, Oklahoma is not getting ruined like Oregon.
But in many aspects Oklahoma and Oregon are almost opposites.

[nocoldiron]

Eddie,could you please go on with the differences between Oklahoma and Oregon? I haven't lived in OK in a long time and I live 45 minutes outside Eugene.We plan to move to Ok in a year or so.It is too expensive here for us and my husband is tired of the gloomy winters in OR.

[whereto]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I have lived in Eugene, and Oklahoma is A LOT different than Oregon.
There are things to like about both places but it will take some getting used to if you move here. On the other hand, Oklahoma is a lot better place to live than people think it is. Since a lot of people don't think Oklahoma is all that great the growth has been slow. As a result, Oklahoma is not getting ruined like Oregon.
But in many aspects Oklahoma and Oregon are almost opposites.

Ah... someone who's lived in both places. I'd also like to hear what you have to say for each place, as I too am considering a move between OR or OK, but have yet come to a final decision.

[Mattie Jo]

All I know about Oklahoma compared to Oregon is, we don't have many gloomy days. About the time I got tired of the grey skies the sun came out. That was probably a week. We have lots of sunshine even in the winter. I remember when I lived on the coast of California in San Diego area, I was so tired of no sunshine. They called two months by different names: Grey May and Gloom June. The other months were only a little better to me, but we did have sunshine there. I had friends and family move to Oregon and some found it depressing.

I don't think we have the pine trees as much; instead we have various kinds of trees that change color in the fall.

Oregon is much more expensive.

[Synopsis]

Oklahoma and Oregon are quite a bit different, both in politics and in culture. Generally, us Okies are more live and let live types, but you will find that in small towns many people want to get into your business. I don't think that it's in a nasty way, it's just the nature of people in many small towns to get to know one another. But if you keep to yourself, I don't think you'd be branded an outcast or anything, as long as you aren't disrespectful to your neighbors and such.

As for geography and climate, Oklahoma and Oregon are different there as well. If you like hills and trees, the Eastern third of Oklahoma is more like Oregon in that respect. If you're into high plains and low humidity, the Western third is for you. It's kind of ironic; the western half of Oregon is lush and beautiful and the Eastern half of Oregon is kind of the opposite. Well, in Oklahoma, the opposite is true (Western more like desert/Eastern more lush and green). The Western and Eastern parts of the state are like polar opposites, geographically speaking. The central part of the state, all the way from the northern border to the southern border is in between; generally rolling hills and plains.

Winters are generally mild, but it probably gets a little colder in Oklahoma, especially in the Northern and Western half than it does in Western Oregon, along the coast. Oklahoma has abundant sunshine, even in the winter when it is cold. Summers are hot and from late June to late September, temps will range from the low to upper 90s with 10 or more days even going over 100 degrees. There is less humidity in the Western part of the state than in the east. Average rainfall in the eastern part of the state is around 36 inches and in the North and Western part of the state it can be as little as 15 inches a year. The panhandle of Oklahoma is treeless, high plains; the highest point being almost 5000 ft above sea level.

My preference as far as geography are the Boston Mountains in SE Oklahoma (part of the Ouchita Mountain range), and for cities it would be Tulsa. The economy is beginning to pick up in Oklahoma, especially in the cities. For so many years the economy in Oklahoma had been stagnant, and this upswing is long overdue. As a result, there are a lot of projects going on to revitalize urban areas and beef up infrastructure such as parks, arenas, and so on, especially in the major cities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

[GK76]

I want to know what is the best place to live where we have moderate whather? We live in chicago , and it sucks,,,,, how is oklahams? Or any other sugesstion?

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by GK76

I want to know what is the best place to live where we have moderate whather? We live in chicago , and it sucks,,,,, how is oklahams? Or any other sugesstion?

Anywhere in Oklahoma will have moderate Winter weather compared to Chicago. Especially seeing the Winter you guys are having up there this year. It's horrible!

The Southeastern part of the state will be more moderate in the Winter, but more humid and hot in the Summer. Summers can be extremely brutal in Oklahoma but not as bad as the Southeastern US because there is less humidity.

It depends on exactly what you are looking for. Low humidity with cooler Winters, or higher humidity with warmer Winters...

Oklahoma is a transition state, meaning it lies between the warmer air of the Gulf of Mexico and the colder air of the Rocky Mountains, which is the reason there is more severe weather in the spring (tornadoes, thunderstorms).

Perhaps you can be more specific and we can help you out on what you are looking for?

Best of luck!