Longview, TX - family w/young kids possibly relocating there (Houston: credit, home)

[2texas_bound]

Hi, we are in the final stages of a job located in Longview, TX. We currently live in Houston and have never been to Longview and are going to visit within the next few weeks. We have kids aged 9, 6 and 2. I am interested in any family friendly advice please! What are good family friendly areas of town to check out on our travel there? Things to consider when thinking about areas of town are playground areas, neighborhoods that have community and holiday family activities, where are kid's classes are mostly located, etc. What are the good School Districts (any with specialties for gifted children)? Also, just to cover all bases, does anyone have any opinions on private schools in town?

Are there any areas of town to avoid visiting/ living in due to safety or other issues? Where is shopping readily available (clothes, healthy foods, etc).

Thank you so much!

[Mark Senior]

Maybe three private schools mainly Trinity,St. Mary's, somewhat Crisman

easily googled. I would private or home school not Longview ISD, maybe Spring Hill or Pine Tree ISD, north sides of town.

Longview Mall, google, and most shopping is nearby on the on the streets around the mall and Highway 259 North of the Interstate.

Live mostly north of Highway 80 and even north of mall, Loop 281.

Just by driving around those areas within a days time, you will see most anything you need.

You have a job? That's good, would not come expecting lots of job openings. Not like the DFW areas of Texas. Best to you

You might get more responses on the Tyler sub-forum, Tyler is about 35 miles away, although most people like myself look on the general Texas forum anyway.

[Daingerfield]

Longview is a great place. It was an oil field boom town during the depression and 70's. Lots of oil and gas wells. The field was huge but it is old. Oil and gas prices don't affect the local economy to extremes like it used to.

Plenty of restaurants and shopping without Houston type of traffic from the central business district, hwy 80, "north loop 281", hwy 300 / Gilmer rd., McCann st., Judson rd., Hwy. 259.

Stay away from areas along the east end of hwy 80 and Eastman rd. intersection, interstate 20, MLK Blvd, Nelson St.

New areas are north, old areas are south. The town is growing N.E

Great schools, Parks, trails, and ballparks.

I lived in Longview about 30 years and in NE TX for 60

[KathrynAragon]

Longview has a spacious, uncrowded feel to it, though it has lots of businesses and activities. That's a plus to Longview for sure.

Longview was built on the oil and gas industry, so it's dynamics have changed over the past decade but to it's credit, the city has tried to bring more diverse industries and a more diverse economic base into town. This is very much needed, because I feel that Longview has been too "oil and gas heavy" in the past, which has made it succeptible to economic fluctuations, both up AND down, in the past. It is still more volatile than many other towns and small cities in East Texas but I think it's getting more balanced and stable.

The area itself is really pretty and family friendly. I agree with Daingerfield's post in it's entirety. If I were moving to Longview with my family, I would focus my home and school search toward the northeast of town. There are many good neighborhoods and schools in that direction.

Good luck with your move!