McKinney Texas & questions... (Dallas, San Antonio: apartments, how much, home) - (TX) - City-Data Forum

RunD1987 · 03-19-2018, 12:05 PM

Hi, so wife and I have been contemplating and making the moves to move to Texas.

I kind of been doing the shotgun approach applying to every and all jobs that match my current job position up North. My wife will be able to receive her temporary LVN license in a few weeks and start applying to jobs.

Applied to jobs in Wichita Falls, Denton, Dallas, Plano, Irving, McKinney, Arlington, Temple, Austin, Waco, and San Antonio. Have an interview coming up soon for a job in McKiney Texas. From research the job pays about $33,000 a year going to see if I can talk it up to $35,000 a year.

How is McKinney Texas? We briefly looked at rents online. We hope to find a 1bdrm $1000 or less. Think that is doable? Any other area's outside of McKinney to check out?

Think McKinney be a good choice for people coming from a smaller City of about 100,000 people?

Is traffic bad in the Collin County area? Right now work variable hours. My commute is about 40 to 60 minutes for 30 Miles one way. Way home if I work days could be about a 70 minute commute. I do believe this job will be a night gig so it'll be off regular commuting hours.

No children as of yet, but hopefully next year. Schools aren't a big concern yet for us. For us higher education is a bigger concern as I want to go for my LVN and my wife wants to go for her RN.

Do you think McKinney has decent healthcare options wife is an LVN. We don't think finding work will be much of a challenge for her.

As far as interest wife loves the library and walking. I love running. Is there good libraries in the area as well as bike paths?

Do appreciate the insight can offer up.

Kind regards.

Salamandar · 03-19-2018, 12:34 PM

I cannot talk to the rest of your statement, but if you are looking for a great running group to join in McKinney, you could join the Craig Ranch Running Club. If is free to join! We meet up to run 4 times a week including long Sunday runs. McKinney does offer several bike trails, but as a group we mostly run on sidewalks and streets.

PM me if you would like more information.

RunD1987 · 03-19-2018, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salamandar

I cannot talk to the rest of your statement, but if you are looking for a great running group to join in McKinney, you could join the Craig Ranch Running Club. If is free to join! We meet up to run 4 times a week including long Sunday runs. McKinney does offer several bike trails, but as a group we mostly run on sidewalks and streets.

PM me if you would like more information.

That's good to know. My search for running clubs in Texas was a bit barren outside of Austin. Coming up North you gotta travel 30 to 60 miles to find a running club and was looking forward to a running club right in town.

Salamandar · 03-19-2018, 01:28 PM

We definitely have a good mix of runners coming out. Now that Spring is here, we will usually get 20-30 people on Mondays and Thursdays. In really good weather, we will see close to 75-100 people coming out.

There are other running clubs in the area:

McKinney Running Club, Lifetime Fitness Runners, and Plano Pacers are some of the other larger running clubs. Frisco Running Company and RunOn! are local stores that also have social runs during the week.

If you find yourself closer to Dallas, the Dallas Running Club is a very large group that run at and close to White Rock Lake.

Either way, there is a very good running community all around the Dallas area.

lepoisson · 03-19-2018, 01:53 PM

With a $30-40K salary, you're really going to be cutting it close. Most 1br apartments in decent areas are going to run you $850+. I paid around $900 for a 1br in Arlington (one of the more affordable areas of DFW).

The other places you mentioned (Temple, Waco, San Antonio) have a lower cost of living.

RunD1987 · 03-19-2018, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lepoisson

With a $30-40K salary, you're really going to be cutting it close. Most 1br apartments in decent areas are going to run you $850+. I paid around $900 for a 1br in Arlington (one of the more affordable areas of DFW).

The other places you mentioned (Temple, Waco, San Antonio) have a lower cost of living.

Thanks for the insight much appreciated!!!

I know the Dallas area has been biting the lure lately with job opportunities for me. Keeping fingers crossed can possibly snag a job in a lower cost area and establish my career then look into living near the big Cities.

Even though Dallas may be slightly more expensive than some other cities will save on gas and food. I do plan on going to college in Texas with out of State tuition it's $15K less than in State tuition here and $20K less with in State tuition for Texas. Won't have to pay yearly car tax or be taxed State income. So those little things will add up to some big savings.

Wife will make around what I make so looking to take in $50K to $60K a year.

Not sure on healthcare cost will have to play that by ear.

Cheesesteak Cravings · 03-19-2018, 03:34 PM

I live in McKinney, what type of work are you looking for?

McKinney isn't really a low cost of living area.

Katana49 · 03-20-2018, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Wife will make around what I make so looking to take in $50K to $60K a year.

You can live in McKinney on $50k a year, no problem. $60k is slightly above the median household income in this country, and there are many places in McKinney you can live on that budget. If you're planning on being here awhile, I'd look to buy something, not rent, as prices should keep increasing for the foreseeable future and you don't want to get priced out.

This board skews to a higher level of income than average, so take what a lot of people say regarding how much you'll need to live here with a grain of salt.

Katana49 · 03-20-2018, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesesteak Cravings

McKinney isn't really a low cost of living area.

Yes, it is.

Cheesesteak Cravings · 03-20-2018, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katana49

Yes, it is.

There are parts of McKinney that are low cost, but I wouldn't call McKinney as a whole low cost.

Anna on the other hand...

50k for 2 healthy adults is doable, but adding children would be a struggle unless they can find some extremely cheap housing, or they can project to be making more than that in the near future.