Amarillo /Midland-Odessa /Abilene (West, Howe, Industry: military, jobs, housing)

[midwestmom]

Was wondering about differences between Amarillo or MO to Abilene (the only one we've actually seen, not much to go on though people we spoke to there said good jobs were hard to find) We're planning to visit but wanted an idea which place to visit first. Both seem on the remote side compared to other Texas cities.

I believe I read Amarillo is smaller, colder winters, windier than Abilene...does it look similar? jobs and growth? costs of living?

We have similar questions about Midland-Odessa (seems people love it or hate it), more moderate temps? read the surrounding area is ugly, what about the cities themselves? Jobs growing? costs of living?

[WTx]

Amarillo and the MO area are about the sme size. Abilene is the smaller. I would pick Amarillo. The winters are colder and it is windier. Cost of living ought to be similiar. IMO Amarillo is best. My choice would be Amarillo.

[Lucidus]

MO is growing about twice as fast Amarillo right now and Abilene is actually losing population. There are more jobs than workers in MO right now, so finding employment should not be a problem(Midland has the lowest unemployment in the state and Odessa has the 2nd lowest). As for the cost of living, Odessa is one of the most affordable cities in the U.S. when it comes to housing cost. But on the downside, I do believe that MO usually has some of the highest gasoline prices in the state. I am not sure about the rest, groceries etc.

The main difference in climate is that MO will be warmer in the winter. In fact, it is just warm enough to grow California Fan Palms. I have a number of these growing in my yard now and I love them.

None of the three are particular pretty to look at.

I would rate them as

1. Midland/Odessa
2. Amarillo
3. Abilene

[WTx]

I don't live in Amarillo. I have seen them both so there is not home cooking in my opinion! Amarillo is much nicer than MO by far! Sorry Lucidus!

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by WTx

I don't live in Amarillo. I have seen them both so there is not home cooking in my opinion! Amarillo is much nicer than MO by far! Sorry Lucidus!

I was just considering Midwestmom's criteria of jobs, growth, cost of living,and mild winters. I am not home cooking either. I can provide figures that support what I am saying, that is that M/O has lower unemployment than Amarillo (though Amarillo's rate is very low also, usually just slightly higher than Midland and Odessa), M/O is growing faster, and M/O (at least Odessa but I believe Midland too) has a low cost of living. So please do not take a patronizing tone with me, I know what I am talking about. In any case, Amarillo and Abilene are also fine cities.

2005-2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www...EST2006-07.xls

Midland ranked 51 with a growth rate of 2.4%

Odessa ranked 93 with a 1.8% growth rate

Amarillo ranked 158 with a 1.1% growth rate.

http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news...d=475626&rfi=6

Following are the preliminary March unemployment rates for local areas in Texas, with revised February figures in parentheses. The figures are not seasonally adjusted. The statewide unadjusted jobless rate was 4.2 percent.

Midland 2.9 (3.2)

Odessa 3.3 (3.7)

Amarillo 3.4 (3.7)

As for affordable housing, according to Money Magazine Odessa ranks 14th in the country. Midland and Amarillo do not appear in the top 25. Just do a search with affordable housing selected as most important.

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/bestplaces/search.jsp

Here is another one that shows the overall slightly lower cost of living in M/O compared to Amarillo.

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/research...ostliving.html

As for mild winters, here is the National Arbor day zone map. You can see that M/O and Abilene are in zone 8, and Amarillo zone 7.

http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm

And just for good measure, M/O is one of the cleanest metro areas in the country too.

Long-term Particle Pollution

Short-term

Amarillo does score the best on short term pollution.

[conanS]

Let's not forget why MO is growing so rapidly now. The oil boom. When it busts ther area will decline and the unemployment rate will sky rocket. Just as it has been since oil was discovered in the area.

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by conanS

Let's not forget why MO is growing so rapidly now. The oil boom. When it busts ther area will decline and the unemployment rate will sky rocket. Just as it has been since oil was discovered in the area.

This is true. But its true of all industries. It wasn't that long ago that we saw Amarillo hurting because defense cutbacks. But yes, anyone coming to the M/O area should be aware of the danger of sudden price corrections in the oil industry. The dangers of bust are not to be understated, but during the last oil bust of the 1990's ( the lowest price, corrected for inflation, of oil in history, I believe) M/O still managed to grow.

[WTx]

Let's not forget why MO is growing so rapidly now. The oil boom. When it busts ther area will decline and the unemployment rate will sky rocket. Just as it has been since oil was discovered in the area.

I was going to make that arguement too. However, I don't see a bust market in the energy industry right now. With rising economies around the world I don't see an energy bust coming. I could be wrong but thats just my two cents.

[scoobagirl]

The airbase in Amarillo was built in 1955 and deactivated in 1968. From 1960 to 1970 census, the population dropped by 11,000 people. In 1971 the Amarillo airport was built on the old airbase property and became an international airport in 1976, now served by 5 airlines. The other airbase property is part of the Amarillo College system, this part was formerly Texas State Technical Institute. There is also residential property which was part of the base, as well as a juvenile correction facility.

The Pantex munitions facility near Amarillo is the only one in the whole country that disassembles nuclear weapons. Their manpower goes up and down based on the government work contracts.

The Bell Textron plant in Amarillo manufactures the V-22 Osprey for military use, and will be the manufacture site of Marine One.

I just wanted to clarify the "cutbacks in defense" that occured "not that long ago". The 11,000 drop in population from '60 to '70 has been regained many times over, from 127,000 in 1970 to 183,000 today. Industry in the city is diversified enough that it will take more than just one industry in a downturn to significantly affect Amarillo.

[conanS]

Didn't mean to sound rash there. But, many people that didn't grow up in West Texas don't realize what happens to communities in West Texas when their major resources slump or go belly-up.
It effects EVERY other business in the region.