San Angelo - Drilling, Injection Wells and Truck Traffic? (Austin: home, school)

[rusty2006]

Semi-retired in Montgomery County. Really questioning our long-term future in South Texas, especially after Harvey. We're childless and are doubting our desire to be living here and worried about hurricanes when we're 75, or 80 or whatever. It's dredged up our long-term dislikes about this area (traffic, humidity, congestion).

We had previously looked at a lot of areas. Our criteria is this:

• Texas
• ~100k population. We've lived 15 years in two towns around 20k, too small.
• College town
• "Real town" - not the 'burbs'
• Nothing along I35 corridor close to SA or Austin.

I'll refrain from all my reasons to exclude Waco, Bryan/CS, Tyler etc. I don't want the post to degrade into an argument about those areas.



Talking a lot about San Angelo lately. I lived in Big Spring 30 years ago and loved the climate and the people. My spouse lived in the high desert in Colorado and loved it there. We see a lot of retirement activities there. San Angelo State is there.



Concerns about drilling activity, truck traffic and injection wells. Evidence is growing that fluid induced earthquakes are real. It's terrible in some parts of Oklahoma. I've already found the information about the sand railcars. I guess that's been dropped. I realize that Tom Green County isn't quite in the Permian Basin.



Anyone help with more information?



Thanks in Advance.

[C24L]

There is oil industry in Tom Green County area.I dont know if actual big time drilling is there but there is Big Lake which is Reagan Co that is about an hour from Angelo.I would not call Angelo a college town type atmosphere even though there is a university there.Best of luck.There is truck traffic in the area.

[Trainwreck20]

Lubbock ruled out for any reason? It would seem to also fit your criteria and a bit further from the oil fields.

[Austinite76]

San Angelo, Lubbock and Abilene would all likely fit the bill. Lubbock will have far superior access to health care, which is a definite concern if you're looking for a spot to age in place.

[ChristieP]

Lubbock has a medical school, but all three cities have about equal healthcare. They both have more than one hospital and a good variety of specialists.

I will say that Lubbock is probably the least pretty geographically, then Abilene, then San Angelo. The southwest side of San Angelo by Lake Nasworthy has pretty terrain.

All three cities have lots of other retirees. Lubbock is the biggest college, but the other cities have respectable colleges, too. (I'm an Angelo State alumni!)

[rr2005]

I lived in San Angelo for a few years and absolutely loved it! Great weather and lots of outdoor activities. Also, the people there are just the friendliest! Big enough to get the services you need, but small enough to still have a community feel.

[cobolt]

Since you've lived in Big Spring, you are probably aware of the ongoing water issues in this part of Texas. You're also probably somewhat aware of the property tax (assessment) issues here as well, particularly in San Angelo. We had an oil "boom" a few years ago, the area responded to the demand (housing, retail, etc) just to see that bust. Of course, we're left with all the issues booms bring to a town, mostly the wear and tear on our local roads, including residential roads, by sand and water trucks, and the general issues that come with an area that can't handle the sudden population influx, builds to accommodate it, and then deals with the bust.

San Angelo is a great place and has an economy outside oil, so it's not dependent on the boom/bust (although it does affect things), but if the Air Force base were to ever shut down, this town would probably dry up. The job prospects here are not great outside the base and medical and salaries do not justify the high rents and home prices. Those have not dropped much after the oil bust.

DM me if you want/need specifics.

[rusty2006]

Thanks for the replies. A couple of comments:

- Yes, it's not a university town. What I meant was a 4 year college in town with the added sports, cultural activities that the college adds.

- Thanks for the explanation re - housing prices. I was quite surprised at the pricing, being used to prices closer to $100/ sq ft in South Texas.

- Abilene feels to "churchy" for us. I'm sure lots of very nice people there and it's diverse to some degree. Nothing against the church folks and we do darken the door occasionally on Sunday mornings. Grew up in Waco and am a bit gun-shy about going back to that atmosphere.

- I'm a Longhorn and spouse is a KU Jayhawk. Kinda takes Lubbock off the list, I'm afraid. Although, if I had to pick a Div 1 school town to live in, Lubbock would be high on the list.

- Read some about water planning on Internet. Interested in more information regarding that. I'll PM you cobolt.

Thanks all



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[C24L]

Originally Posted by rusty2006

Thanks for the replies. A couple of comments:

- Yes, it's not a university town. What I meant was a 4 year college in town with the added sports, cultural activities that the college adds.

- Thanks for the explanation re - housing prices. I was quite surprised at the pricing, being used to prices closer to $100/ sq ft in South Texas.

- Abilene feels to "churchy" for us. I'm sure lots of very nice people there and it's diverse to some degree. Nothing against the church folks and we do darken the door occasionally on Sunday mornings. Grew up in Waco and am a bit gun-shy about going back to that atmosphere.

- I'm a Longhorn and spouse is a KU Jayhawk. Kinda takes Lubbock off the list, I'm afraid. Although, if I had to pick a Div 1 school town to live in, Lubbock would be high on the list.

- Read some about water planning on Internet. Interested in more information regarding that. I'll PM you cobolt.

Thanks all



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Netime and best of luck,OP.

[ChristieP]

Abilene is VERY “churchy.” All three of the universities there are sponsored by a religious denomination, and the biggest one is Church of Christ, which is quite conservative.