[mukasa7]

My husband has orders to report to Fort Sill and I've reviewed all the threads on the area. They've all been very useful. However, I also need to find a new job and that complicates matters.

I am an Registered Nurse and I've applied for positions in OKC, Norman, and Lawton. We are trying to find that "middle ground" where we are both professionally fulfilled. Finding real estate isn't the issue but the WHERE is. We also have a teenager in high school, so education is a factor.

We keep going back to Chickasha. How is the commute between Chickasha and Fort Sill? Chickasha and OKC? What is the realistic commute time? Is there heavy traffic in the morning along that route?

We are coming from the Baltimore/DC metro area and I don't think traffic could be worse.

Does anyone have any new thoughts on the high school in Chickasha? I think if I worked in Lawton we would live in Elgin. Any thoughts on that high school?

I do have lots of questions but I'll start with the commuting issue first. Thanks!

[Synopsis]

The commute from Chickasha to (depending on what part of) Fort Sill will be anywhere from 35-40 minutes. I don't think traffic will be any issue at all, especially since you are coming from the Baltimore/DC area. In fact, there would be NO city in Oklahoma where traffic would be an issue with you and you won't be commuting within city limits at all; most of your drive will be countryside.

For distance questions and such, use Google Maps. It's a great resource.

As far as the schools in Chickasha, go to Great Schools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community.

I did a search on Chickasha schools and came up with the following. They don't appear to be too bad.

Greatschools.net Search: Chickasha

Good luck and thank your husband for his service and YOUR service as well. Military spouses contribute as much to the welfare of this nation as those who serve directly.

PS. I think Chickasha is probably a pretty safe choice. Small city, relatively low crime, and it does have a hospital (GRADY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL). Their website is http://www.gradymem.org/

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Don't overlook Duncan. For schools it would be my choice.

from: lawton, ok to: duncan, ok - Google Maps

Visit Duncan Today! - the Duncan Convention & Visitors Bureau

[mukasa7]

Thanks for the input but Duncan a little too far. I would like to be closer to OKC.

[Bobby H]

Oklahoma City traffic can get pretty bad at times. However, it usually doesn't reach the sort of maddening scale you see in megacity metros like Washington, D.C./Baltimore or Dallas-Fort Worth not far from here.

Here's a driving example:

Last week I had to drive from Lawton to a business on the south side of Oklahoma City and be there by 8:30am. I left Lawton about 6:45am. The H.E. Bailey Turnpike has a 75mph speed limit -and I pushed it a little above the limit (keeping it below 80mph). Having a PikePass RFID windshield thingie saves some time; you breeze through toll gates. I listened to the KATT rock station and got traffic reports. I-44 was backed up south of the I-240 interchange and I-240 was backed up in both directions clear to I-35. I got on the H.E. Bailey turnpike extension and went through Norman instead. There was still one minor backup on I-35 near the palacial Moore Warren movie theater. I arrived at my destination at 8:20am.

It takes a little over an hour to drive from Lawton to Norman. Elgin to Norman is about 45 minutes. Chickasha to Norman is around 25 minutes. Oklahoma City covers quite a lot of area. You can add another half hour of driving if you're headed to a destination on the north side of OKC (where most of the big hospitals are located). And that's with relatively smooth traffic.

[j67bubba]

There are two hospitals in Lawton - Commanche County Memorial and Southwestern. Ft. Sill also has a Hospital.

My kids go to Elgin HS. They like it. They are just about finished with building a new High School.
I know alot of people are moving to Elgin because it is a small town and it is quite there plus there is alot of new housing areas going up there.

Like someone said, drive time to OKlahoma City is dependent on what part of the city you want to go to, it could be more or less than an hour.