Canadian Girl Marrying a Texan (Dallas, Austin: crime rate, home, unemployment)

[ccrerar]

Hi Everyone,

I am engaged to be married to a Texan , who wants to move to the Jacksonville area of Texas. We aren't getting married until next year - thanks to the immigration process, but I thought I would check if anyone can give me the low down on Jacksonville, such as good places to have an outdoor wedding/reception; good/safe places to live;approximate cost of living; good activities/events;schools (we will hopefully have kids soon ) And is there anything that we should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance!

Carolyn

[southernbound]

Hi Carolyn

Just wanted to say congrats! I'm also a Canadian gal and I've been dreaming about moving down south for some time now (these Ottawa winters are getting the best of me.)

I'm afraid I haven't got any advice for you as I've never been to Jacksonville but I just had to say I'm so happy for you are your hubby-to-be. How did you meet your Texan? Marrying a southern man is my dream come true.

Congratulations again,
a fellow Canadian

[BobTex]

....albeit a Maritimer (NB) and I drug her to Texas in 1998.......she loves it here. We are in East Texas but about 2-2.5 hours south of Jacksonville. She had no issues with INS as she was already here on a work visa. In fact today she went to take her test for US citizenship (she just got home but is talking to her mom and sis on the phone so I haven't gotten the scoop yet). Welcome to Texas!!!!

Southernbound .....just come on down and find you a man......find you a good cowboy!

Bob

[polkmn]

Best wishes - hope you enjoy living in Texas...

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by polkmn

Best wishes - hope you enjoy living in Texas...

I guess you were the husband?

[KathrynAragon]

I have been to Jacksonville many, many times and lived there for awhile as well, but that was about 35 or 40 years ago so it's changed a lot.

Anyway, if you want to know the honest truth, I hate Jacksonville and hate going there. I avoid it as much as possible. It has a terrible reputation here in NE Texas (Tyler metro area). I have to wonder why of all the places in Texas, you have chosen Jacksonville? Can you elaborate?

There are a few good things about Jacksonville, starting with its proximity to Tyler and even Dallas.

Jacksonville is 35 percent white, 20 percent African American, and 41 percent Hispanic. It is a small town of around 13,000 people. For some comparison, the state is about 42 percent non Hispanic white, about 40 percent Hispanic (of any race) and about 12 percent African American. So there are some differences there.

Jacksonville has a lower cost of living than Tyler - and there's a reason for that. There is a much lower education rate in Jacksonville. There's a higher unemployment rate, a lower household income, etc. in Jacksonville. There's a much higher violent crime rate in Jacksonville than in Tyler. I mean, it's just not a great place to live in my opinion.

Jacksonville continues to struggle. Maybe it's getting better, I don't know, but ugh, I really really really dislike when my life forces me to drive through that town. I mean, I do drive through it sometimes but that's about it.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I have been to Jacksonville many, many times and lived there for awhile as well, but that was about 35 or 40 years ago so it's changed a lot.

Anyway, if you want to know the honest truth, I hate Jacksonville and hate going there. I avoid it as much as possible. It has a terrible reputation here in NE Texas (Tyler metro area). I have to wonder why of all the places in Texas, you have chosen Jacksonville? Can you elaborate?

There are a few good things about Jacksonville, starting with its proximity to Tyler and even Dallas.

Jacksonville is 35 percent white, 20 percent African American, and 41 percent Hispanic. It is a small town of around 13,000 people. For some comparison, the state is about 42 percent non Hispanic white, about 40 percent Hispanic (of any race) and about 12 percent African American. So there are some differences there.

Jacksonville has a lower cost of living than Tyler - and there's a reason for that. There is a much lower education rate in Jacksonville. There's a higher unemployment rate, a lower household income, etc. in Jacksonville. There's a much higher violent crime rate in Jacksonville than in Tyler. I mean, it's just not a great place to live in my opinion.

Jacksonville continues to struggle. Maybe it's getting better, I don't know, but ugh, I really really really dislike when my life forces me to drive through that town. I mean, I do drive through it sometimes but that's about it.

I never heard about Jacksonville in Texas... maybe it used to be better when this thread had started. How was it back in 2006?

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

I never heard about Jacksonville in Texas... maybe it used to be better when this thread had started. How was it back in 2006?

About the same from what I could tell. I mean, I haven't lived there in a long, long time but unfortunately I do have to drive through Jacksonville regularly if I take 79 toward Austin to see my son.

Honestly, it just seems to get worse and worse.

The last time I drove through there was about a year ago.

I'm not surprised you've never heard of it - it's a small town.

[i2r]

Moving from Canada to Texas may result in a gigantic culture shock, also a climate shock. Texas is a lot less regulated, and the government is less motivated to involve itself in safety nets, more than it has to. Google tells me your coldest month will be December with an average low of 39F, and an average high of 61F. Get ready to use Fahrenheit, Celsius is not used much here. Instead of kilometers, get ready for miles. Instead of liters, it'll be gallons on most things. We don't use the old Canadian 5 quart gallon either, but the American 4 quart gallon. It'll be a bit like the twilight zone at first. If you move now, or in the near future, the heat will be very oppressive. Other effects, at lower latitudes the length of days is less affected by season. You won't get the super long summer days, but also won't get the super short winter days either. Generally in most areas potable water is somehow processed. In a lot of Canada, and northern climes of the US, water often is less processed. If you aren't inside a city proper get ready for a new type of septic tank (aeration tanks) which are active and do not have submerged leeching fields. There will be all sorts of what initially will seem weirdness, later it'll seem normal.

[Suesbal]

There is a Canadian, Texas.