Tell me about Lubbock (Dallas, Austin: health, housing, universities)

[Ditka2k7]

Hello Everyone,

My Wife and I are both Teachers, and we are getting quite sick and tired of Chicago. Be it the 200 Days of Grey a year, or the loads of self involved liberal hypocrites, we are about ready to be done with the Windy City. Another factor is that the housing market here is out of control. We have been looking at homes, and it is looking to be around 100,000 per Bedroom on average.

I am wondering, if like most of the states in the southwest if Texas is having trouble finding good teachers, or what the market for teachers is like in LISD. Also I am wondering if someone could give me a better Idea of what to expect out of the Weather in Lubbock, as all I have been able to find is very generic information about weather trends. And Finally, are there areas in Lubbock that would be considered less safe, or the bad side of Lubbock?

Thanks for your Time
Kirk

[Mr. Football]

Lubbock is a great town. Very friendly people. It's home to a major university and the Healthcare hub for that region of the country. Roughly about 220,000 people, though the city itself has the variety and amenities found in cities twice its size.

The most popular growth area in the town is on the Southwest side of town. Frenship ISD has good schools and I recall that Monterrey HS and Coronado HS in LISD were pretty good as well.

Lubbock weather, IMO was favorable to the rest of Texas as it had low humidity and definite 4 seasons, Summer and Fall are nicest, Winters are cold with some snow, Spring can be a bit crazy with your occasional dust storm (10 times a year or so). Overall though, the weather is very nice - almost always sunny.

Check out my other threads to view some photos of Lubbock:
I don't see posts regarding Lubbock

[Manhattan-ite]

Well, you should know that, coming from Chicago, you'll be in for a shock.

Lubbock is a country and cattle town, as you may know. Big in ranch-style attractions and sports, if that's your cup of tea.

Lubbock is big in religion (Baptist/Christian), and the peculiar liquor laws reflect this (you must buy your alcohol outside the city limits).

Lubbock has a semi-arid climate with duststorms and 90-degree hot summers. Winters are mild but cold and often freezes at night, plus some snow.

Coming from Chicago, I would think twice before heading to Lubbock.

[NOTAM]

Friendly Texans........that would be enough of a reason to move here!

[Ditka2k7]

Originally Posted by Manhattan-ite

Coming from Chicago, I would think twice before heading to Lubbock.

Fortunately for me, I am not your Typical Chicagoan. I would prefer a warmer winter, but a cooler winter with some sunshine would be a nice change from the depressing 5 Months of Grey (Nov-Mar) in Chicago.

One More Question, being that Lubbock is a College town would you say that there is more of a Liberal Presence, or more Conservative? Chicago is basically a Democrats wet dream and one of the reasons I am looking to get out of here.

[Manhattan-ite]

Alright, if the desert weather and the Christian influence don't make you think twice about moving from Chicago to Lubbock, I don't know what you're expecting. They don't have liquor stores for a reason, right!?

If you type "lubbock conservative" in google, the first entry you'll get is one on "liberal unfriendly places". Lubbock is one of these locales where non-conservatives are not too well received.

"Used by President Bush as a bellwether city for the heartbeat of the nation, Lubbock was, is, and will likely always be an extremely conservative city surrounded by the highly Republican region of West Texas. Having grown up there, I can tell you that its not a good place to raise open-minded kids"

"Study finds Lubbock second-most conservative city in nation"

You can read more opinions and news articles online...

Chicago to Lubbock... you just don't know. I'm afraid.

[Mr. Football]

Lubbock was also the only place where Bush ever lost an election. He was beaten by current Texas Tech University chancellor, Kent Hance.

As for alcohol sales, you can buy beer, wine and liquor at any restaurant or bar in the city limits, just not at the grocery stores. For that, you have the inconvenient 5-10 minute drive to a place called "The Strip" where you can literally load up on whatever you like. They recently ok'd alcohol/liquor sales in Frenship (a suburb of Lubbock) so you can also head there. It's really no big deal. $1 pitchers during the week at any off-campus pub makes you quickly forget that the city is "dry". With its favorable climate (sunny days, cool nights, low humidity), Lubbock is also the home of the Texas Wine Industry and features a number of vineyards which offer daily tours at places like Llano Estacado and Caprock.

Lubbock has a strong music scene (so much so that over the years the term 'Austin via Lubbock' was coined to describe the sheer number of acts that made it big in Texas that originated from the South Plains) and has over the years produced the likes of legends like: Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, John Denver, Pat Green, Mac Davis, Natalie Maines, Delbert McClinton and many others. There are plenty of bars and other nightclubs that cater to the University students.

As for 'liberal' offerings the university brings in numerous speakers and events, there was recently a debate at the university about the benefits/drawbacks of pornography between porn legend Ron Jeremy and a Christian pastor. Part of a national tour of college campuses. Lubbock also gets the big concerts at its state of the art 16,000 seat arena which has hosted Metallica, Van Halen, Madonna, The Eagles, Tony Bennett, KISS, Elton John, Pearl Jam, James Taylor, George Strait, Neil Diamond, Aerosmith, Cher, Chicaco, Fleetwood Mac, Jessica Simpson, Motley Crue and more. It's the biggest venue between Dallas and Denver and usually gets the big acts. The city has plentiful art museums and places of historical interest. The Lubbock Lake landmark, where a number of Prehistoric animals have been recovered and the Texas Tech museum which has a number of dinosaurs on display. As well as the IMAX theatre and science spectrum. Texas Tech was recently named one of the 10 best universities for its Public Art program.

As far as the university goes, I'd say it has more of a Right Libertarian bent to it. I went to the University of Texas and Texas Tech - UT is famous for its left-wing politics, Texas A&M is famous for its far right wing politics, Texas Tech is more centrist, tilting slightly to the right.

With all of that said, what's so bad about it being a nice place to raise a family?

[Ditka2k7]

Originally Posted by Manhattan-ite

Chicago to Lubbock... you just don't know. I'm afraid.

I am afraid that I just dont know what you think i dont know. I absolutely hate just about everything in Chicago...except the Food. That will be missed.

[Manhattan-ite]

You might be right! Reading you're in Chicago, I thought you were an urban type of person who would feel displaced in a Christian dry Republican cowtown such as Lubbock.

But if you hate the city, are a conservative and like everything that has been said here about Lubbock... well, then- you should live there!

You probably didn't even need to ask about it to make up your mind.

Have a good move, alright.

[NOTAM]

sounds like the perfect place for me! (politically anyway)..but i dont want to live in a town that is so "college"...i would never find a husband at age 42, competing against those young chicks. i think i will stick with plans to move to Amarillo/Pampa area. surely i can find me an older cattleman/rancher type there!
i say you definitely move to West Texas. you will LOVE it. ugh, i couldnt imagine living up North, in a cold windy huge city..no way. well, heck, i couldnt imagine living anywhere but Texas!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's hard to be humble when yer a Texan...yep...cuz we are the best state in the union, hands down!

Originally Posted by Manhattan-ite

Alright, if the desert weather and the Christian influence don't make you think twice about moving from Chicago to Lubbock, I don't know what you're expecting. They don't have liquor stores for a reason, right!?

If you type "lubbock conservative" in google, the first entry you'll get is one on "liberal unfriendly places". Lubbock is one of these locales where non-conservatives are not too well received.

"Used by President Bush as a bellwether city for the heartbeat of the nation, Lubbock was, is, and will likely always be an extremely conservative city surrounded by the highly Republican region of West Texas. Having grown up there, I can tell you that its not a good place to raise open-minded kids"

"Study finds Lubbock second-most conservative city in nation"

You can read more opinions and news articles online...

Chicago to Lubbock... you just don't know. I'm afraid.