Is Amarillo right for me? (El Paso, Fort Worth: income, income tax, to live)

[DixieSam28]

Originally Posted by losttechnician

Honestly there are no real nice lakes anywhere near here.

What about Lake Tanglewood?

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by DixieSam28

What about Lake Tanglewood?

I had to google it. I’m a native Texan and never heard of it. It looks nice but it’s tiny. I really think you should visit Amarillo. I’ve driven through it and don’t know a lot about the city but in general the far flung midsize cities in Texas aren’t really the best. I still think Oklahoma has better options especially for retirees.

Plus, like a lot of cities in Texas Amarillo has an aging white population and a large and growing younger Hispanic population so the odds of it staying conservative are low.

[mkwensky]

If you're cool with the smell of manure and being isolated from other cities then Amarillo might be right for you, otherwise no. Coming from South Carolina you don't really know what being in the middle of nowhere means.

Not sure how you expect 'vote conservative' to translate into QOL, but in Tulsa there are ghettos and homelessness near downtown so don't expect to run away from these issues just because a city leans one way politically.

[elan]

I've spent a lot of time in Amarillo and have never smelled manure there. Now, Hereford reeks of it. I suppose, on occasion, the wind could blow it over to Amarillo, but again I've never caught a whiff of it.

[LocalPlanner]

I do remember the distinct smell of feedlots when I was in downtown Amarillo. Yes, downtown. Hopefully that happens only rarely.

Regarding terrain, I was surprised at how much non-flat terrain there is pretty close to Amarillo, in multiple directions.

[elan]

It really drops off out towards Bishop Hills on the Tascosa Highway, love driving that road.

[eddie gein]

Canyon is a wonderful little town. Palo Duro Canyon is a nice diversion from the flat lands surrounding it.

The two things that haven't been mentioned is that outside of the built environment and the bottom of the canyons there are literally no trees out there. If you live out there you need to enjoy sky because that is what you have.

The other thing is that the Texas panhandle has vicious winds. In the summer it feels like you have a hot blow dryer hitting you and winter wind chills can be 20 degrees lower than the actual temperature.

However, I can't say enough good things about Canyon, Tx despite the area that it is in.

[losttechnician]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

I had to google it. I’m a native Texan and never heard of it. It looks nice but it’s tiny. I really think you should visit Amarillo. I’ve driven through it and don’t know a lot about the city but in general the far flung midsize cities in Texas aren’t really the best. I still think Oklahoma has better options especially for retirees.

Plus, like a lot of cities in Texas Amarillo has an aging white population and a large and growing younger Hispanic population so the odds of it staying conservative are low.

I answered the Lake Tanglewood question to the OP in a DM.
Basically it is a little lake with a residential development around it, it is not a destination lake. Real nice area though.

Amarillo has a high number of hispanics, always has had. Funny thing is, most of the liberal folks I know are white, most of hispanics I know are conservative.

The remote-ness of the city is something that many folks from out of state are absolutely unprepared for. I regularly make the 5 hr drive to DFW, or the other direction to Albq, to visit family and think nothing of it. Many of my work friends are from the deep South (South Louisiana and Mississippi) and think that "casual" drive is insane. I am quite sure plenty of other folks in this country would think the same, but it is completely normal for many of us out here.

[S.Allen]

Mildish winter?


If you are used to a SC coastal winter...winter in the Texas Panhandle is going to be a shocker. LOL

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by elan

I've spent a lot of time in Amarillo and have never smelled manure there.

Perhaps you are more used to the smell than others? I definitely have smelled it every time I've gone to Amarillo, which I will admit is only a few times.