Can anyone tell me about raising a family in Amarillo or Canyon? (Dallas: for sale, house)

[Wyo713]

Hello!

I, like many others it seems, am considering a move to the Amarillo area! I am from Wyoming, so would like to stick with a small town feel and am therefore very interested in Canyon! Also, the fact that it has all 4 seasons like home is very appealing to me! So I am wondering how other people feel about raising their family in that area. The town I am currently living in has a population of around 30,000 people, but has a very safe feeling to it. I am never afraid to take my son and go exploring the walking paths or be at the parks. Also, are there any health food stores in the area? And what outdoor activities are there? I would appreciate hearing anybody's thoughts on the matter! Thank you so much!

[JamesAbilene]

Canyon is a safe, small city very close to Amarillo. You and your son will love Palo Duro Canyon. Great place to hike and camp. Amarillo has health food stores and is an easy drive from Canyon. If you take Interstate 27 north from Canyon, you will find some health food stores in the vicinity of Wolflin and Georgia Streets. Take the Georgia exit from the Interstate and head north. There are probably others in the new areas around Coulter Road, but I have not been there in a awhile, and I am not totally up to date on everything in that area. You will enjoy Canyon if you like a smaller town. Amarillo has the amenities of a larger city. The negatives about that area are the winds and dust in the spring and the winters. Where you are from, those will probably not bother you so much.

[Wyo713]

That sounds great anyway! I am sure that we would love the canyons! We are quite used to the wind, so that wouldn't be much of a change! I like the idea of being close to Amarillo, but not necessarily having to live in such a big area! What are your taxes like? I know that Texas, like Wyoming, doesn't have an income tax, so that is certainly nice! We have been trying to find estimates though on property taxes, so we can get an idea of those! Ours are fairly low here, but have heard that Texas is high in that area! I am so appreciate for the help!

[Wyo713]

Also, could someone tell me what the bugs are like in that area? Thank you so much!

[looking4water]

Hi Wyw713-I am very new to this site (I found it while looking to relocate) and am learning what a helpful site it is. I have lived in Amarillo close to 12 yrs. having moved here with a new born. The Ama/Canyon area is a wonderful place to live and it is very easy to live here. It is basically safe in most of the neighborhoods and housing is very affordable. I do not know your line of work, but the economy is still stable here and it is small enough to be managable, etc work, commute, school activities. If you are an outdoor person you might love Canyon with Palo Duro Canyon and surrounding areas. Also, West Texas A & M Univ is there and has greatly improved it's campus. It also has a great activity center where kids can swim(there is a fee) and really good summer camps for kids. As far as outdoor activities, there are not that many organized events, just a few charity walks and Canyon does have a 4th of July Parade. There are minimal types of festivals, etc and it seems most activities are individuals getting together w/friends. There is a great healthfood store as JamesAbliene explained & I go there before I even consider making a Dr appt-they are knowledgeable allbeit a little expensive. There is also a grocery store on the same street that carries a good stock of organics. It is flat here and that has it's own beauty, just not much water! I hope this helps-I am learning that relocating, as exciting as it is, is big. We have sales tax of 8.25% and prop taxes are a little different for Canyn vs Ama. They are not outrageous and I imagine u could locate a website with some info.

[looking4water]

The bugs here are not bad-not like in the coastal regions of the state or the desert regions. We have some spiders, etc, but not bad. I have a pest control spray each quarter-hate the chemicals-but do it because I hate the spiders just a much.

[Wyo713]

looking4water,

Thank you so much for your help! It does sound like a really good area! My husband works with the railroad so we would be relocating for that reason! I am a stay at home mom, so want to live in a safe area where I can take my son out and do things during the day without having to be really fearful of the area! I am happy to hear about the healthfood store, I am kind of a health nut and there are not a lot of places to shop for such things in this area. So it would be nice to have Amarillo nearby with its variety! The bug issue doesn't sound too bad, so I am sure having someone come in and spray would be easy enough. I don't really care for the chemicals, but I don't know what else you would do. I am used to the barren land and dry area, so I don't think that would be a culture shock for me. Your sales tax is considerably higher than our local tax, but that is to be expected in most places. Another thing I had a question about, is the threat of tornados hard to live with? And how come it doesn't seem that any homes in Texas have basements? Thank you so much for your help!

[blueskies49]

Wyo713, not many basements due to the soil, very hard stone in some places, very soft clay in others. I won't sugarcoat the threat of bad weather here but at the same time your chances of actually experiencing a tornado are pretty slim. There's been several tornadoes in the past few weeks with some injuries and alot of property damage but I don't think anyone was killed this time around. Please don't let that stop you from moving here, though. Although we can get bad weather any time of year, it's most frequent in the spring but just make sure to keep up with the weather during this time so you'll be prepared.

Hope your move works out for your family!

[looking4water]

Wyo713-In the 12 yrs I have been here there have been several SMALL tornadoes touch down between Canyon & Ama. however nothing major has occurred in those 12 yrs. The weather warning systems here are topnotch and useful. We have actually had the warning systems by our house sound and been watching the weather on TV. They can pinpoint pretty much right where the tornado is going to touch down and get you PLENTY of warning. It really does sound scarier than it is. The Dallas/FtWorth metroplex is very different from our area and have had several destructive tornadoes in the last few yrs. I am a stay at home mom also and I have to tell you that there are hardly any areas in Amarillo where I would feel unsafe going outside with my child. I am not saying that there are not undesirable neighborhoods here, but they are very distinct. I do not know about particular neighborhoods in Canyon, but it has always felt very safe also. It is a town with a University in it, but does not feel like most college towns. It seems to feel more like a small town. Best of Luck

[Wyo713]

blueskies49,

Thank you so much for explaining the basement situation! I had always wondered about that! And thank you for being honest about the weather! We have a few tornado warnings here in the spring, but most just touch down and then disappear. We did however, have a tornado that destroyed a very small neighboring town a few years back. I think you will find odd weather no matter where you go.

looking4water,

It is good to know that you guys haven't had a big tornado in that period of time! I think it will probably be a great area to live in and I will just have to learn to deal with things as they come and adjust to a new area! It is uplifting to me to see places for sale that actually have some acreage with them! Land around here has really jumped in price, so makes it expensive to look at purchasing any ground. I grew up with horses, and would love to be able to get some more someday, and it looks like I would have no problem finding an affordable place for that down there! I am so appreciate for everybody's help and comments! Really makes me look forward to moving there!