Odessa/Midland Area (Houston, Dallas, West Odessa: elementary school, income, live)

[DirtNomad]

I have read a lot of negative posts about the Odessa/Midland Area, I even saw a few "if you can live anywhere else, do". We can't, we go where the work takes us and we try to make the best of each new place we call home. I would be interested in hearing any tips or tricks you might have to help us try to get the most out of our time here. Specifically if anyone has any info regarding Lauro Cavazos Elementary School VS. Lauro Cavazos Elementary School I would find that helpful. Also any local activities the kids might enjoy, we have a 7 year old and a 2 year old. Thank you.

[Texas Liberal]

There are some groups for parents of young children to get together and do stuff. They are mostly for people new to the area. I don't what activities they do or what they are called, but I am sure that Google knows.

[badhornet]

Will pray for you and your family

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by DirtNomad

I have read a lot of negative posts about the Odessa/Midland Area, I even saw a few "if you can live anywhere else, do". We can't, we go where the work takes us and we try to make the best of each new place we call home. I would be interested in hearing any tips or tricks you might have to help us try to get the most out of our time here. Specifically if anyone has any info regarding Lauro Cavazos Elementary School VS. Lauro Cavazos Elementary School I would find that helpful. Also any local activities the kids might enjoy, we have a 7 year old and a 2 year old. Thank you.

You're always going to find people who have a negative experience...no matter where they live. Midland/Odessa is for the most part conservative for example which probably wouldn't go over to well with a diehard Liberal. So despite Midland being a very safe community and having a very strong economy, this person's experience would have reflected something like their time in hell.

Anyhow, Midland/Odessa is a great area to work and raise kids...we have a saying, go to Odessa to raise hell and go to Midland to Riase kids. We have had some of the highest income in the state and nation since the nations economy took a dive.

Midland for me is the better choice, it's a white collar town, better laid out streets, better schools, more things to do.

Odessa is a spread out...if someone says West Odessa, remember, there is West Odessa and then their is West Odessa! The latter being about 20 miles further down the road lol. Odessa is a blue collar town, safe, and has strip clubs, clubs, and Hooters etc.

[catman]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

You're always going to find people who have a negative experience...

Not only that, but some people will trash the place even if they have never even visited it.

[goodtymes70]

Midland Odessa area is all about Team Sports and that's about it. Midland is more snooty than Odessa....Jobs are abundant in the area, but the Weather is the worst, excessive wind, ugly area brutal heat and sometimes even brutally cold.

[dallasboi]

This sounds so much like Dallas and Houston. Midland being Dallas and Odessa being Houston..but the weird thing is it's laid out kinda like DFW...hmm

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by goodtymes70

Midland Odessa area is all about Team Sports and that's about it. Midland is more snooty than Odessa....Jobs are abundant in the area, but the Weather is the worst, excessive wind, ugly area brutal heat and sometimes even brutally cold.

I don't know of any place in Texas where team sports and high school football don't rule. Yep, it gets OLD, but that's the way it is.

Midland has a LOT of amenities for a city of its size; there are plenty of things to do. I rarely ever got bored when I lived there (30 years).

High winds, hail and drought are endemic to West Texas in general, not just Midland.

Cold? There are occasional rare bouts of severe (for the area) cold, but really cold weather isn't common at all.

I'd agree with you on the brutal heat--it starts early and ends late--and that's what I hated the most about Midland.

I only wish that a city like Midland existed in the mountains.....

[debzkidz]

Midland is a great family town. Lots of stuff for families. As mentioned by others, lots of sports, not just at the high school level but for all ages. My kids started playing soccer there when they were 4. Little League, soccer, peewee football, karate, you name it, they've probably got it. competitive swimming is also very big in Midland. Midland also has a great children's museum, or at least they did a few years ago. My kids were never without something to do.

We are just like you. We go where the paycheck goes. We lived in Midland twice. At first I was not too sure about it, but we fell in love with it. Our second time there was actually by choice.

[Cathy4017]

One thing I really miss about Midland is COM Aquatics--a really great swim/therapy center, where I used to swim 3-5 days a week or more. It is really a top-notch facility. They have since added to it and refurbished other areas, from what I understand!