Small Texas Town (San Antonio, Lubbock, Amarillo: hotels, employment, living)

[Westerntraveler]

What will you do for a job? Small towns generally don't have the best job possibilites.

[stewarthaas]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

What will you do for a job? Small towns generally don't have the best job possibilites.

Mechanic work, at a dealership, truck outfit, etc. Went to a trade school and worked at a GM dealership up here.

[jcpt1984]

I spent summers in San Angelo with my grandparents and later went to college for 2 years there. As a child, of course I didn't mind it. In college, I was always itching for something bigger (which is why I moved to San Antonio).

Now in hindsight, San Angelo actually had everything I really needed. It's big enough to function on its own but small enough to have that small-town feel (it's 100k population, though, FWIW). Kinda in the middle of West Texas, not much for scenery, but still a nice little place to raise a family.

The people there were probably the most "Texan" people I've encountered in the state. I live about an hour from San Antonio now and 45 minutes from Austin, and neither really have that "Texas" vibe that you sound like you're looking for.

Our economy is pretty stable compared to most states (that's NOT to say it's good, just better); even so, you'll probably want to get to know some people who can help you find work in your field before you commit to moving.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by stewarthaas

Mechanic work, at a dealership, truck outfit, etc. Went to a trade school and worked at a GM dealership up here.

Okay,thats cool.Just be sure to have a job before you move

[Metro Matt]

Hispanic culture in Texas geographically becomes lessened the further East you go. In Deep East Texas, Whites & Blacks are still the majority.

I would make that my starting point.

[doctorjef]

But East TX doesn't have the Western feel that OP seemed to want. And Southeast Texas - the area around Jefferson County - is like an annex of Louisiana.

A very quintessentially Texas small town is Brady, which is the geographical heart of Texas, roughly between Austin and San Angelo.

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

But East TX doesn't have the Western feel that OP seemed to want. And Southeast Texas - the area around Jefferson County - is like an annex of Louisiana.

A very quintessentially Texas small town is Brady, which is the geographical heart of Texas, roughly between Austin and San Angelo.

Brady would be good but any town west of the hill country such as San Saba, Junction, Llano. Farther west you get into the classic western towns such as Ft Stockton, Ozona and Alpine.

True old west I'd go with San Angelo or Alpine for their culture and arts. Angelo would offer a few bigger city features with the great western heritage.

[stewarthaas]

Ok thanks for the town names, ill research them!

[doctorjef]

Llano isn't west of the Hill Country. It's right in the Hill Country (despite the name meaning "plain" in Spanish). The drive on Hwy 71 West from Austin to Llano is one of the most beautiful in Texas IMO, especially in Spring when the blue bonnets and other wildflowers are in bloom. Perhaps more accurately Llano is sort of at the northwestern edge/end of the Hill Country. Another good, very Western town is Post, not far from Lubbock but on the Caprock, just before you climb onto the South Plains. Post is very cowboy but is also something of a little art colony with a lot of Western painters. To the immediate east you have the rugged, remote Caprock ranch land (unlike the flat farm land around Lubbock).

Overall, Alpine would be the most picturesque, truly unique place to live IMO (or nearby Fort Davis if you wanted a place even smaller than Alpine). I like San Angelo but it can't compete with Alpine for scenery (Alpine has better climate, as well). The advantage of San Angelo might be in it being easier to find a job there. With towns like Post, Llano or Brady you might find it difficult to get work or have a need to commute to a larger population centre in order to work, which might not be all that practical.

[tejasram]

hill country