West Texas Questions... (El Paso, Laredo, Del Rio: crime, military, architecture)

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

Hello Texas Forum!

I've only been driving from Dallas to Louisiana, so I've never really visited Texas (maybe I will this spring), but I had a few questions about West Texas...

1. Where does it begin, in terms of climate and culture? Is it anywhere west of Dallas, or would you put the starting point further west, like Abilene?

I would agree that West Texas would include Abilene along with Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo. Culturally, I would include El Paso with the border cities of Laredo and the cities of the Rio Grande Valley. I would say that West Texas ends at the Pecos River and Far West Texas begins.

Originally Posted by mackinac81

2. What's it like out there? How do people live? Is west texas culturally very different from east texas? Is it poorer than east texas?

Just curious
Mackinac

Ten years ago West Texas may have been poorer than East Texas, but not now. In fact, Midland leads the state in per capita incomes now including the big cities. The border areas of Texas usually have the lowest per capita incomes and the highest unemployment rates.

I would say that the big cultural difference between East Texas and West Texas is that East Texas has more southern influence.

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

I have another question for you all...Is there much demand for jobs out there? Are the cities growing very much? What do you think is the best West Texas city to live in? My degree is in teaching, and Michigan doesn't have much to offer these days. I don't like humidity, and the whole "wide open spaces" thing would be a cool experience.

Jobs? Oh yes! Midland-Odessa is absolutely desperate for more workers right now and is growing fast. Here is the latest census data that I posted somewhere here before:

The metropolitan areas of Texas ranked by percent growth from July 06 to July 07:

Austin-Round Rock 4.3
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 3.5
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 3.0
San Antonio 2.8
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 2.7
Laredo 2.5
Odessa 2.3
Midland 2.3
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 2.2
Tyler 2.0
Brownsville-Harlingen 2.0
Sherman-Denison 1.4
El Paso 1.3
College Station-Bryan 1.3
Victoria 1.0
Longview 0.9
Waco 0.8
Lubbock 0.8
Amarillo 0.8
Beaumont-Port Arthur 0.5
San Angelo 0.4
Abilene 0.3
Corpus Christi 0.2
Wichita Falls -0.9

Texas metropolitan areas ranked by absolute growth from July 06 to July 07:

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 162,250
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 120,544
Austin-Round Rock 65,880
San Antonio 53,925
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 21,020
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 12,428
El Paso 9,110
Brownsville-Harlingen 7,502
Laredo 5,608
Tyler 3,907
Odessa 2,921
Midland 2,847
College Station-Bryan 2,511
Lubbock 2,149
Waco 1,917
Longview 1,880
Amarillo 1,858
Beaumont-Port Arthur 1,806
Sherman-Denison 1,584
Victoria 1,089
Corpus Christi 1,011
Abilene 521
San Angelo 426
Wichita Falls -1,307

Best places to do business according to Inc.com:

1 Midland TX
2 St. George UT
3 Coeur d'Alene ID
4 Odessa TX
5 Auburn-Opelika AL
6 Wilmington NC
7 Provo-Orem UT
8 Raleigh-Cary NC
9 Bend OR
10 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway SC

How Texas cities ranked:

1 Midland TX
4 Odessa TX
13 Longview TX
19 Austin-Round Rock TX
20 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission TX
28 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown TX
48 San Antonio TX
50 Fort Worth-Arlington TX
57 Dallas-Plano-Irving TX
59 Laredo TX
68 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood TX
82 Waco TX
95 Tyler TX
96 El Paso TX
105 Abilene TX
119 Amarillo TX
128 Corpus Christi TX
134 Brownsville-Harlingen TX
150 Beaumont-Port Arthur TX
161 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana TX
163 College Station-Bryan TX
192 Wichita Falls TX
242 Lubbock TX

[WillysB]

In the last half of the 20th century Abilene billed itself as the 'Key City' to West Texas and as such the schools participated in district sports included San Angelo, Big Spring, Midland and Odessa (yes, Friday nite lites).

A couple of years ago I visited Mom there and Abilene has re-billed itself as 'Northwestern Central Texas'. Interesting enough, only the gawds would know why, the UIL has moved Abilene from that old 5A district to now play schools in the Fort Worth area. I think Abilene always wanted to be a suburb of Dallas and this is their big move.

And yes, the Midland/Odessa area is wealthy, providing vast sums of money to the Permanent University Fund of UT and TxAM from Permian Basin royalties.

An ol' gal once told me of having seen cattle drives from south of Abilene, through Buffalo Gap and through what is now Fort Phantom Hill Lake. Fort Phantom Hill was an Army outpost in the mid/late 1800's.

Buffalo Gap was discovered as a passage through the Callahan Divide, dividing the Colorado and Brazos river basins. And near Buffalo Gap there is one of those large 'wind farms' we hear about.

[JamesAbilene]

Originally Posted by WillysB

In the last half of the 20th century Abilene billed itself as the 'Key City' to West Texas and as such the schools participated in district sports included San Angelo, Big Spring, Midland and Odessa (yes, Friday nite lites).

A couple of years ago I visited Mom there and Abilene has re-billed itself as 'Northwestern Central Texas'. Interesting enough, only the gawds would know why, the UIL has moved Abilene from that old 5A district to now play schools in the Fort Worth area. I think Abilene always wanted to be a suburb of Dallas and this is their big move.

And yes, the Midland/Odessa area is wealthy, providing vast sums of money to the Permanent University Fund of UT and TxAM from Permian Basin royalties.

An ol' gal once told me of having seen cattle drives from south of Abilene, through Buffalo Gap and through what is now Fort Phantom Hill Lake. Fort Phantom Hill was an Army outpost in the mid/late 1800's.

Buffalo Gap was discovered as a passage through the Callahan Divide, dividing the Colorado and Brazos river basins. And near Buffalo Gap there is one of those large 'wind farms' we hear about.

Many Abilene folks now call us "The Texas Midwest." Culturally, I still believe we are west Texas. It is true that Abilene High's district has moved to the metroplex and Weatherford, but Abilene Cooper High School is still tied to West Texas and the Panhandle.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by JamesAbilene

Many Abilene folks now call us "The Texas Midwest." Culturally, I still believe we are west Texas. It is true that Abilene High's district has moved to the metroplex and Weatherford, but Abilene Cooper High School is still tied to West Texas and the Panhandle.

Well, when you're on I-20, driving through the area, from about Big Spring to areas east of Abilene, it looks like the prarie, perhaps with a few cacti thrown in in some areas. In fact, even Yucca Plants nearly make their way up to the Abilene area.

[Back2TX]

Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas

well if the people aint much different in West Texas as they are in South Texas, then all i can say is i am dang sure glad that i chose Central Texas. I am from North Texas (half way between Wichita Falls and Ft Worth) and I could NOT acclimate myself to the people of South Texas. I was a misfit in another country in more ways than one, but mostly because I am an "Anglo" (ugh, to this day i hate that word, and am so glad that i dont have to go every day of living hearing myself described as that, or folks constantly pointing out that i am "different" because I am an Anglo)....so glad to be in Central Texas, where it is VERY much like my old life in North Texas.
i had lots of offers in the West Texas area one year ago, and had to decide between them and the job that i chose. it is apparent that i chose the right one. though i have not spent much time in West Texas and always loved the geography of it all, i didnt spend enough time to get a "good feel" for the culture....but if the people are like those in South Texas, then i certainly am not missin out on anything, and you have made me even more assured that i aint

When I said south Texas... I wasn't referring to places like Brownsville or Corpus Christi, I was talking about like San Antonio and Austin.... but I guess that would be more central. I guess even I forget how big Texas is.

The people are part of what makes West Texas so great! They are very friendly and down-to-earth, genuine people. Some of the best you'll ever meet in Texas. (You blew it... bellstar) Just kidding.... but seriously, you should visit sometime.

[DOUBLE H]

On the subject of humidity, IMO it kicks in at Big Spring when you are heading east on I-20. At least that's where I notice it. I know a lot of West Texas folks . Some of the friendliest people I have met are in Painview, Midland, Amarillo, Abilene, El Paso. Not crazy about humidity as I have always lived in a dry climate.

[NOTAM]

oh believe me, i DO plan to make some trips out to West Texas to explore! i always wanted to go see Big Bend, Palo Duro, Bob Wills Days in Turkey, and so much more

Originally Posted by Back2TX

When I said south Texas... I wasn't referring to places like Brownsville or Corpus Christi, I was talking about like San Antonio and Austin.... but I guess that would be more central. I guess even I forget how big Texas is.

The people are part of what makes West Texas so great! They are very friendly and down-to-earth, genuine people. Some of the best you'll ever meet in Texas. (You blew it... bellstar) Just kidding.... but seriously, you should visit sometime.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by JamesAbilene

Many Abilene folks now call us "The Texas Midwest." Culturally, I still believe we are west Texas. It is true that Abilene High's district has moved to the metroplex and Weatherford, but Abilene Cooper High School is still tied to West Texas and the Panhandle.

I agree with a general consensus that seems to have emerged, with Abilene being the eastern extension of West Texas, while the trans-pecos is Far West Texas.

Too, the "perception" of an area counts for at least a bit, I think. For instance, Wichita Falls and Abilene are not far removed from one another on a north-south axis. But people in the former think of themselves as North (central) Texas, whereas I imagine those in the latter consider themselves West Texas.

[southeasttexas]

I love WTX! If my work and family was not in SETX, I would move in a heartbeat.