DFW to Amarillo (Dallas, Denton, McKinney: house prices, employment, transfer)

[MrChow]

Has anyone made the move from the DFW metroplex to Amarillo? I'm trying to get a feel for the cost of living comparisons between the two. I've been told the cost of living is lower in Amarillo but all I have to go on so far are house prices and those seem to be similar between the two areas if not a little higher in Amarillo.

[losttechnician]

Have not made the move, but do live in the immediate Amarillo area, and did the research to make the move outside of Denton a few years ago that never materialized.

Housing costs are about the same really, except in Canyon where they are higher, and in some cases MUCH higher than they are around Denton.

The tradeoff comes from lifestyle, and that is what finally got me to stay around this area. My brother lives in Denton, works in north Dallas, and does a whole bunch more driving than I do living here. His kids are involved in all sorts of things outside of school as are mine, but he and his wife drive much more to get them to places than I do.

He and his family are gone from home a great deal with all the distractions available in the metroplex, for my family we just visit him several times a year to do that and the rest of the time we stick fairly close to home.

Frankly there is not near as much area to cover around Amarillo when doing things, so less time in the car, and less gas burned. That is more of the lifestyle we enjoy so the move to DFW area just was not worth it.

Coming the other direction like you would be doing.... You would very likely find Amarillo to be boring and lame. The exact reason my brother chose not to follow a job here a few years ago. It all comes down to personal preference, and I enjoy the relative lack of distractions here. As big city dwellers, my brother and his wife would not be able to stand it.

If you are looking to make the move to increase your salary, the move might be a good thing. If your salary stays the same, and you enjoy partaking in the many fun things in the metroplex, you won't make the transition well.

You can make life just as busy in Amarillo as it can be in the metroplex, but the amenities of a big city are a long ways away. I found my lifestyle to be easier to lead (and cheaper) here than it would have been there, but other folk's circumstances could be different.

Best of luck to you!

[stormtracker57]

Transferred here a little over two years ago from McKinney. Summers are more bearable here, but the other weather extremes are harsh. Cost of living is lower here, but keep in mind, housing is somewhat limited. I would not buy a home outside of the neighborhood developments because of the water issues and wildfire season. Employment opportunities are mostly in the meat packing, defense and service industries. Restaurants offer some unique local flavors and chains, but the quality of the chains isn't up to par with bigger cities. Overall, Amarillo is not a bad place to call home.