Moving to Hobbs/Lovington after almost 29 years (Hope: crime, employment)

[CountryCarr]

Used to live in Lovington in 1981 and Hobbs 82-83 and finally am thinking about moving back to stay. I'm sure the people I used to know have moved on, but was wondering if the town(s) and areas are similar or vastly different to what they were back then and am looking for advice for good neighborhoods and cheap/reasonable housing. Looking for non-oilfield employment also will be a concern. Lovington might be my first choice over Hobbs but am flexible...Thoughts???

[Sandstorm214]

I'm from Hobbs and lived there during the years you were there until the early 1990s. I still go back occasionally. My experiences in Lovington are more limited. I think you will find Hobbs to be quite a bit different now than it was then. All of the big oil companies have been gone for a couple of decades now. Since you left they have build a large prison a horse racing track and a casino. These have brought much needed jobs to the area but have also attracted crime problems. Overall, I think you'll find the area less affluent than it used to be. There are a lot more chain stores and restaurants in Hobbs now, which is nice. There was a severe housing shortage in Hobbs, but I don't think it's as bad as it was one or two years ago. My understanding is that there isn't much going on in Lovington and that it has been pretty stagnant over the past couple of decades. I've driven through several times and to me it looks almost exactly the same as it did 25 years ago.

Hope my limited information helps. Part of me envies your move as I have great memories of growing up in Hobbs and wouldn't mind living there again in spite of the changes.