[Mainecoonmom]

We have been looking at various states and among the states that we are considering to move to is Oklahoma. We are originally from Australia but have been in the United states for a a couple of years. At the moment we live in Arizona but we are not enjoying the extreme heat in the summer. We are looking for a state with less severe heat. My husband has a series 7 as well as a law degree from Australia but he has not yet done a conversion. We also own a small Maine coon cattery. I have three teens age 14, 16 and 17. I also have a daughter with a young child who will join us later. She has recently lost her husband in Arizona and would like to start a new life with us, wherever we are.

This is what we are looking for and I hope you can help us make a final decision..

1) Family friendly city but not too big. We do not enjoy over crowded areas.
2) We home school therefore schools are not a factor
3) close to an area where my husband can look for work. He will travel alone and set up a few interviews
before we move as a family.
4) We love snow and we love sun, so a mixture would be great. Ideally we are looking for a place with
seasons.
5) I am TERRIFIED of tornadoes! that is the only factor holding me back but I am hoping to find a town
where the chances of tornadoes are minimal.

I look forward to reading your suggestions.

[StillwaterTownie]

Sorry, moving to Oklahoma to escape Arizona summer heat won't work. With the much higher summer humidity in Oklahoma, I bet the heat would feel even worse and get more sweaty.

Most winters in Oklahoma don't come with much snow. There have been a few infamous snow storms, though, such as the Great Christmas Eve Blizzard of 2009. Just as annoying will be an occasional ice storm, but bad ones don't happen every year at least not in my town. Oklahoma certainly does have seasons, but they change over too fast for some people. Spring changes too quickly to the heat of summer, for instance.

About tornadoes, once again for peace of mind when the spring weather looks threatening, have a tornado shelter that isn't far away, such as on the property where you live.

The Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas are best places to live and work in Oklahoma, if they're not too big for you. Tulsa isn't as prone to getting the strongest tornadoes.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Sorry, moving to Oklahoma to escape Arizona summer heat won't work. With the much higher summer humidity in Oklahoma, I bet the heat would feel even worse and get more sweaty.

Having lived in both Arizona and Oklahoma I'd say that Oklahoma summers aren't quite as bad because they generally aren't quite as long and they aren't quite as relentless. However, there are portions of many Oklahoma summers that are every bit as bad or worse than the standard Arizona summer.

As a rule May and June are much better in Oklahoma. July and August Oklahoma is slightly better. September Oklahoma is moderately better. However October to April are darn near perfect in southern Oklahoma. In Oklahoma fall, spring and summer are hit and miss for really nice weather.

It's funny because people will go to Arizona and stay several days and say "the dry heat wasn't bad" and they'd be right. But that "dry heat" for 5 straight months gets really old.

[SluggoF16]

From another poster who's lived in both Arizona (grew up there, and lived in both Phoenix, my home area, and Tucson) and Oklahoma (a year in the 80s, here for a decade): there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between AZ and OK in the summer. Frankly, the higher humidity of OK seems to be more manageable than the monsoons of AZ, which are hit-or-miss but contribute to heat indices. It's nothing like places in Florida, Alabama or central Louisiana where I have been stationed. And it doesn't last as long as in Arizona. It wasn't unusual to see mid 90s in April in AZ, 100s in May and 110s throughout June and July... I saw 123 at Luke AFB in 1995. Those 90s and 100s persist through September. "But, it's a dry heat." So's the inside of my oven.

As for the tornadoes, preparedness is key. Have a plan. And stay away from KWTV and Channel 9... so much drama and alarm during weather broadcasts, there is a station down here whose motto is "We don't scare you, we prepare you."

[Threestep2]

We moved to the OKC area almost five years ago. It is not likely to satisfied your requirements.

Weather:
Google is your friend. Summers are hot, humid and windy. Winter does not bring much snow but we had nasty ice storms every year so far. Everything simply shuts down and power outages last from a few hours to days. Throw in the occasional earthquake, wild fire, flash flood and drought. Our tornado shelter is big enough for all humans and all cat cages and the generator is known as Mathilda as in Walzing Mathilda. Yes!

Real estate:
As everywhere - you get what you pay for. With six adults and a child you are outside the range of 3/2 starter homes.

Commute:
Unless you live downtown be it OKC or any of the college towns - everything is 30 minutes from everywhere. Vehicles are a necessity. Yes, you will find some public transportation but it will not satisfy the needs of three teenagers.

Coffee shops/stores:
There are some and that generally around a campus or tourist area. Who wants to go window shopping in 100F with the hot wind blowing your skirt up:>)

Cattery:
You will not be able to keep Maine Coons outside.

Cost of Living:
I have not yet found the advertised low COL but keep looking. Car tags are low, grocery stores are limited, a lot of national chains do not have brick and mortar locations, state income tax and tax on groceries, some pretty good school districts, Amazon is a necessity.

[janellen]

Sounds to me like Reno or Carson City Nevada might be what you're looking for. Snow in winter but lots of sunshine too. Cooler in summer. Big enough to find decent employment. Drop dead gorgeous scenery................and oh yeah, no state income taxes or tornados.

[grampaTom]

lots of other places to consider: NW Arkansas, Eastern Tennessee, Kansas City suburbs....It's a big country

[janellen]

Yes, grampaTom, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina are beautiful too. Good suggestion. I really like Oklahoma. If I weren't so old I wouldn't mind living in eastern Oklahoma or western Arkansas. In my 70s now and have somewhat of a support system where I am so moving out of state would be difficult. No family here but some very good friends and we look out for each other. I live out in the country and have critters so I'm not quite ready for the nursing home yet. I have a niece who lives in Texas who wants me to come live there so if I go downhill, I guess I'll do that but I'll still root for OSU.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Mainecoonmom

We have been looking at various states and among the states that we are considering to move to is Oklahoma. We are originally from Australia but have been in the United states for a a couple of years. At the moment we live in Arizona but we are not enjoying the extreme heat in the summer. We are looking for a state with less severe heat. My husband has a series 7 as well as a law degree from Australia but he has not yet done a conversion. We also own a small Maine coon cattery. I have three teens age 14, 16 and 17. I also have a daughter with a young child who will join us later. She has recently lost her husband in Arizona and would like to start a new life with us, wherever we are.

This is what we are looking for and I hope you can help us make a final decision..

1) Family friendly city but not too big. We do not enjoy over crowded areas.
2) We home school therefore schools are not a factor
3) close to an area where my husband can look for work. He will travel alone and set up a few interviews
before we move as a family.
4) We love snow and we love sun, so a mixture would be great. Ideally we are looking for a place with
seasons.
5) I am TERRIFIED of tornadoes! that is the only factor holding me back but I am hoping to find a town
where the chances of tornadoes are minimal.

I look forward to reading your suggestions.

Sorry to inform you, but it's really hot in the South-Central too.

We've got a nice 50 degree day here in OK City today, but that's not overly common in October. We're generally in 70's and low 80's in October (during the warmest part of the day) and 60's/and low 70's in November (during the warmest part of the day). December is generally mid 50's at the warmest part of the day but can get down in the 40's some. January/February and part of March, well, your guess is as good as mine. They can be cold for a few weeks and then a nice week of 50's/60's. Oklahoma temps are schizophrenic during those months. April and May generally are very nice and then in June/July/August/September get ready for the fiery furnace.

I know some will say it's not as hot as here as Phoenix, which is true if you look at the temperature. However, the humidity does make a big difference and we have a lot of humidity in the most populated areas of Oklahoma, central and moving east into Arkansas. I have been to Phoenix approximately 20x and I think the most oppressive heat without the humidity is not as bad as it is here with the humidity. Just my opinion.

As for the other stuff:

1) Family friendly city but not too big. We do not enjoy over crowded areas.
Oklahoma would be a great fit then.

2) We home school therefore schools are not a factor
Okay. We have a lot of homeschool folks and O-Epic is a growing trend.

3) close to an area where my husband can look for work. He will travel alone and set up a few interviews
before we move as a family.
The OK City burbs would work fine for this. If aren't moving to Choctaw on the east side then you'd fit right in with all the transplants moving into Edmond, Stang, and Yukon.

4) We love snow and we love sun, so a mixture would be great. Ideally we are looking for a place with
seasons.
We get very little snow. It usually melts. Although, in recent years, we've had a week or two pile-up, which is pretty unusual for it to stay so cold it doesn't melt.

5) I am TERRIFIED of tornadoes! that is the only factor holding me back but I am hoping to find a town
where the chances of tornadoes are minimal.
Sorry, this is ground zero for tornadoes. They generally don't destroy and take life, but there are always exceptions.

Good luck on your move!

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008

I have been to Phoenix approximately 20x and I think the most oppressive heat without the humidity is not as bad as it is here with the humidity. Just my opinion.

This is the typical response of people who have "been" to Phoenix............for a few days. Unless you've been through the 5 month exercise that entails a full Phoenix summer.......you don't get the full effect.