For people thinking about Moving to El Paso.. (Fort Worth, Alamo: apartment, home)

[fish2026]

Native texan maybe its time to leave the ranch and see the rest of the world.

El Paso is a friendly place despite its size. Its a city where people still say hi to strangers. People used to meet at my house in the 80s with lists of parties and we'd caravan to hit as many as we could.

ON the other hand El Paso opted for rapid growth at all costs. The air quality is horrible in part due to the cement plants in Juarez but also due to the traffic and somewhat older cars.

Its still a cool place overall though.

[etexbill]

My first visit to New York City, I came out of Grand Central Station and asked a policeman for directions to Times Square. His answer: "What do I look like, an information booth!"
Escuse me.

[etexbill]

My only problem with El Paso is it's distance from anywhere and anything.
Once there, you are there with no place to go when you are tired of it and its few amenities, unless you fly (or drive for 500 miles).

[Mountain Momma]

Well, I think those polls are strange since El Paso has fewer migraines and happier people "supposedly" why then does Dallas rank well with low migraine incidence but some of the meanest people? Polls! LOL! Check out the cancer rates in El Paso versus other cities pretty interesting.
People in general don't know how to drive in El Paso it's a known fact. There are accidents every day on our little stretch of highway. When I moved here my car insurance company said El Paso coverage for vehicles was either the highest or close to it due to all the car accidents and uninsured drivers here. El Paso property taxes are through the roof! There isn't anything to do here but eat out,go to the movies or bar hoppin'. We are very far from any neighboring cities and those cities don't have anything either. I haven't noticed all these friendly people either. I think that may be because I am not hispanic though. They do seem very nice to each other.
I can't wait to leave this place. Sorry but that's my honest opinion. If you are a couple without kids who enjoys the nightlife this is the place for you. If you have school age children and can't afford private school ( approx. 5-$6000 per child) don't come here! Food costs and electricity are high and it's over-crowded. Sheesh! Welcome to El Paso!

[Dray]

On a less positve note, El Paso ranked 13th from the bottom, on poorest cities in the US. It has the third highest unemployment rate (7.1%) in the state, and yet boasts one of the highest rates for property taxes.

I would definetly research financial statistics, before making a move to El Paso!

[kateg]

Such mixed reviews on El Paso! Yikes...will need to see it for myself. I live 45 minutes north of Manchester, NH and any local will usually suggest staying away from Manchester as a place of residence. Highest crime in NH. All in what one is familiar with, huh? I'm looking for warm, sunny, friendly, low housing costs, low crime, clean air and retirement friendly. Housing is extremely expensive in NH as are property taxes. We don't have a sales or income tax but it is an expensive place to live. Becoming more expensive though.

[elpasojeff]

Kate:

My Mom was brought up in Gorham New Hampshire about an hour north of you.
We relocated 12 years ago and love it. the property taxes are ungodly; we have an incredibly inept local government; yet eventually things get done. The best aspect of El Paso are the people. Having said that if you don't need access to an airport look at Alpine Texas. It has everything you are seeking. Sul Ross
University gives the town stability; the have a great Arts community. It is cooler
than EL Paso is the summer, and warmer than El Paso in the winter

[Muhnay]

I agree Alpine is an awesome, very small city.

El Paso is slipping into Mexico. there is not much for youth here, crime is on the rise, and gang activity is on the rise as well. Auto Theft is a big crime here, as are drugs.. and dont let the crime rate fool you that some have reported. We are 400 police officers short here, and everytime we get a class though, we loose many of them to other cities like San Antonio, where they have better pay and benefits. Crime will also triple when the Armor/Cav gets here on Fort Bliss, and the roads will become packed as well.. jobs are already very difficult to find here, and if you can find one, you better know Spanish.. even the local McDonalds require it. Oh and be ready to be paid much less than your worth here in El Paso.

El Paso has some very pretty mountains.. and if you love the color brown you love El Paso, if you love many hot sunny days with very little rain, then your love El Paso. If you dont mind being a minority here ( unless your hispanic ) then you'll love El Paso.

I am an El Paso native, and I have to say this city is gone way down hill. The City thinks like a small town and has big city problems.

El Paso, is secluded from everything, at least 4-6 hours to any city of similure size. 3 hours from skiing.

[magaja3]

Put it this way Muhnay, Like I stated in another thread, no one is holding you back. No excuse is good enough for some one like you to stay, it appears you are very miserable there and you should really leave as you look back in life it will be sad to say you hated every breathe in ELP!!

On another note El Paso is very friendly, just one quick example: At a local gas station two individuals were trying to buy a couple of quarts of oil for their car and the credit card machine was down therefore they could not purchase the oil. A gentleman (stranger) behind them stepped up and paid for their oil and asked them if that's all they needed. Only in El Paso!!!

[Muhnay]

Yes El Paso is holding me back, it tends to do that. My mother is holding me back, and I am too nice of a guy to just walk out and leave her here all alone. So I have chains. If my mother would leave with us, I would of been gone long ago.

As for your example, he just wanted to get them outta his way so he could check out and get back to what he was doing already.. it was far easier to just pay for the oil than stand there and listen to why these two people could not afford to buy thier own oil.

And not only in El Paso, you make to sound as if this is the promissed land or something. I have seen this sorta thing all over the country. People do nice deeds all over. So please spare us your fluff for El Paso, and I will stop countering it with the truth.

You may see me as a negitive person who wants to spout all the bad of El Paso.. thats not the case. I just dont want anyone coming here thinking its the promissed land, where everything is perfect like in them Wal Greens commecials. El Paso is far from perfect, and I want people to have open eyes when coming here. Some of you tend to paint over it with a rose colored brush, and I am trying to counter that so people get a good over all picture of the city.. a real perspective.