[gnight]

I'm in my 30s with kids and will be moving to Oklahoma due to job changes. I have several options and it really depends on my choice and what area/town would be the best to live and raise my kids.

My choices are Grove, McAlester, Muskogee, as well as the Fort Smith/Van Buren, Arkansas areas.

Do you guys have any opinions of the best places to live.

Grove looks nice but I've lived in larger towns and tend to be spoiled to having numerous restaurats to choose from and my wife likes "the mall" and the shopping without having to drive an hour each way.

Muskogee is more the size of town I thought I would go to but I hear that the town leaves a lot to be desired although it does have a mall, restaurants, and is closer to Tulsa.

I don't know much about McAlester at all except it has the Federal Penn.

Any input or thoughts would be great. Just from what we've heard, the Grove area and the Van Buren, AR area tend to be what we're leaning toward but we really don't know.

Thanks a ton.

[StillwaterTownie]

Correction: the prison in McAlester is a state prison. McAlester does have a federal munitions plant, though.

If you'd rather be in tune to what's going on in Arkansas than Oklahoma then, Ft. Smith/Van Buren would be best. It's the biggest place and surely has more to offer your desires as well as you indicated.

As poorly supported as Oklahoma prisons are I'd be afraid to live in McAlester due to the threat of a wild prison break out of some kind.

Since I've as an adult have always lived in a bigger town that's also fairly close to a large metro area, I would choose to live in Muskogee. Surely that town has a good side to live in.

[nmnita]

well, I can't give you an answer as you will need to check very closely and see what fits your needs. I will tell you, when we decided to re-locate from the SoWest a year or so ago, we visited and researched all the areas you are considering. We absolutely found nothing in Muskogee that appealed to us except, as you said, it is close to Tulsa. We thought, from researching it we would love it, not soooo.........we looked at Van Buren, it had some appeal, but even then just wasn't for us. It is a pretty decent sized city, but don't expect to see a lot of great restaurants, it is a pretty simply life style place. We ended up in Bella Vista, have you thought about the Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville area? That might give you the mixture you are seeking. Our second choice, by the way was Grove. Yes, it lacks some of what you get in the big city, but had so much charm, good property values and close to Joplin and not far from Tulsa...

Nita

[TU 'cane]

Out of those choices, I myself would pick Muskogee just because it's a bigger city (about 40,000).

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Correction: the prison in McAlester is a state prison. McAlester does have a federal munitions plant, though.

If you'd rather be in tune to what's going on in Arkansas than Oklahoma then, Ft. Smith/Van Buren would be best. It's the biggest place and surely has more to offer your desires as well as you indicated.

As poorly supported as Oklahoma prisons are I'd be afraid to live in McAlester due to the threat of a wild prison break out of some kind.

Since I've as an adult have always lived in a bigger town that's also fairly close to a large metro area, I would choose to live in Muskogee. Surely that town has a good side to live in.

Oklahoma has a very well-run prison system. Those thugs aren't getting out of OSP. There is a minimum security prison there in which the thugs are there on the honor system. They could cause mischief. But that's to be expected in any state and the federal system.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

McAlester or Grove would be my choices. You may also want to look at Pryor. It's a growing community with a low cost of living, and it's not far from Tulsa.

[linicx]

Ft. Smith gets pounded by some terrible storms and an occasional tornado. I spent a fair amount of time in Muskogee because I like Honor Park. I did not see a lot of things to do otherwise. McAlester has one of the largest, meanest, most brutal prison populations in the US. The last thing I heard is these prisoners are in lock-down 23 hours every day. It is not a place to I want to live. The last time I was there I saw signs warning about not giving rides to strangers and prison breaks. It's not a genteel town in my view.

I lived in Grove many years. The city has maintained its standard of living while keeping the cost of living under control I think because the city is progressive rather than regressive in its futue planning. There are many things to explore and experience. It is located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The schools and hospital are pretty good for a small town. Demographically the population is about 80,000. There are several national chain stores and restaurants. Housing is reasonable. It is centrally located between Fayetteville, Ark., Joplin, Mo., and Tulsa.. If you are intersted in powwow, or symphony or art or a world class Pro golf tour or even a rodeo you can find it within a hundred miles in any direction. Grove has an amazing new library as well as some interesting history, several different restaurants, and even a Japanese garden. If you like variety without the racket and traffic of a large city, you may find Grove fits your needs better than you expect. This town is a mix of young and retirees and it is growning. The people are friendly. Check it out for youself.
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[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by linicx

McAlester has one of the largest, meanest, most brutal prison populations in the US. The last thing I heard is these prisoners are in lock-down 23 hours every day.

That's pure hypebole. OSP is no larger or more brutal than any other high security prison, state or federal. And, just like any prison of just about any security level, it does have inmates who are locked down 23 hours a day for various misconducts or because they have proven themselves to be unmanagable any other way.

[gnight]

Except for all of the prison talk, you guys have provided some good info.

I'll definitely check out the Grove area as it seems to have some things that towns its size usually don't have. Its proximity to Jopin, Tulsa, and Fayetteville seems like a bonus too although it's not ideal to drive an hour to go "shopping" or eat at some nice restaurants. They are also building a very nice brand new hospital which is a huge bonus.

I think I'll cross McAlester off the list. It doesn't seem to be a popular place and it really isn't as close to Tulsa.

Muskogee seems to be the outlier. It's a better size city but the crime is a bit of a turnoff for a smaller city. It is a nice distance from Tulsa though.

I have a friend from Pryor who seems to like it so I'll look there too. Unsure what the job market is there though. The Northwest Arkansas area was initially an option but job-wise and distance from family make it a less viable option (although I agree it's a great area)

[Synopsis]

Grove would be my selection as well.