Looking to relocate to Amarillo (Dallas, Canyon: low crime, how much, job market)

[mitraveler]

We are looking to relocate to Amarillo within the next year. We have been there a few times and really enjoyed the area. I'm married with one son who is in college. We currently live in Michigan and would like to get out!! My husband is in the auto industry but has a degree in computer science, so hopefully getting a job won't be too much of an issue. We like the Amarillo/Canyon area and would like to keep commuting to a job under a half hour. Thank you for your help!

[mitraveler]

What I am looking for would be information about the job market, housing and things to do around the area. (Sorry, I'm new to this!) We're looking for a city that still has a strong community feel to it, outdoor activities, and friendly people. I've read how Texas is a "get to know your neighbor" area and I hope I find it! Thanks.

[rh69]

I too am looking at a possible re-location to Amarillo from Los Angeles...Its too bad that answered your questions as I'm curious also.

[davesofficefurniture]

Amarillo is a good town to live in....if you like relatively low crime, quickly changing weather, and light (but scary) traffic......

I have lived in Amarillo for a few years (in the area my whole life) and the one thing I would say I hate about Amarillo is the driving habits of many people. I'd rather drive in DallasFW for a month, than Amarillo for a weekend. My other small beef with the area is the great potential, low effort growth. Amarillo , only at 200,000 people should easily grow at or above 4% every year.... The only future problems I see with maintaining Amarillo, is water....thanks to an unnamed individual who repeatedly attempts to sell the panhandles water to other areas for profit, that might just be what shuts this part of the country down.

[JamesAbilene]

I really like Amarillo. My wife and I considered locating there when we moved back to Texas, but we have lots of family in Amarillo and it just seemed better to live a few hours away rather than get mixed up in the family dramas. I would recommend Amarillo to anyone. I grew up close to there, and I always liked the city. It is clean, dry most of the year, pleasant temperatures in the summer--compared to the rest of Texas. Winters can get a little fierce every now and then, but the snow and ice rarely stay more than a week or so. And, davesoffice furniture, that individual has had the court approve his buying and owning groundwater in Roberts County. He owns the water, the oil, and now he is building windmills and might own the air too....

[davesofficefurniture]

james....i never said it was necessarily good or bad what is going on....however....someone say, in their 20s might consider the water issue before moving here...due to the concerns over water...... he has the right to do what he wants, but it doesn't mean that it will help the people involved....

besides....the groundwater (O. Aquifer) should be measured by how much land you own, .... or i could buy a few acres....put in a well, and a good water plant, and drain the aquifer dry.....all because i owned a few acres

[JamesAbilene]

Originally Posted by davesofficefurniture

james....i never said it was necessarily good or bad what is going on....however....someone say, in their 20s might consider the water issue before moving here...due to the concerns over water...... he has the right to do what he wants, but it doesn't mean that it will help the people involved....

besides....the groundwater (O. Aquifer) should be measured by how much land you own, .... or i could buy a few acres....put in a well, and a good water plant, and drain the aquifer dry.....all because i owned a few acres

I agree with you on both instances. The amount you can drain and use should be based on the size of your property in relationship to the size of the entire aquifer. When that water is gone, the Panhandle will become a desert.

[rh69]

Thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it.......I have previously lived in Texas but its been about 16 years since I have been back....I was raised in Lampasas TX and then moved to the DFW area and then to Granbury Texas. Sounds like Amarillo is a decent place to live and the cost of living there is so much less than here in Los Angeles. I'm actually going to be in Amarillo tommorow for two days then coming back to LA to hopefully prepare for my move to TX.
Again thanks for the info!

[ATXIronHorse]

had enough of LA?

[texangelwings]

Originally Posted by mitraveler

What I am looking for would be information about the job market, housing and things to do around the area. (Sorry, I'm new to this!) We're looking for a city that still has a strong community feel to it, outdoor activities, and friendly people. I've read how Texas is a "get to know your neighbor" area and I hope I find it! Thanks.

I know that there is a plant in Amarillo, called Bell-Boeing. Lockheed Martin has a contract, they might be hiring . The winters can get really cold and icy.

Good luck!