Need info on Port Arthur (Houston, Beaumont: real estate, crime, houses)

[Happy wonderer]

My husband is thinking of re locating from california to Nederland in Port Arthur Texas has anyone ever been there or know anything about and what is the weather like

[tstone]

I work in Port Arthur. It rains almost every day. It's essentially a Louisiana wetland. This area is also Louisiana-style deep south and feels totally different from the rest of Texas. Which may be a culture shock to you coming from Cali.

The center of town is very poor and a total mess. The air pollution is pretty bad, too. It is probably the worst place in Texas, if not the USA. Potentially dangerous. Downtown is a ghost town. I just transferred a few pictures from my phone to here to show what a lot of the houses out here look like. The blue tarps are from the hurricane in 2005. I'm building a photo album of sorts of this area over the next few years. I doubt anything will get better in that area.

There is a lot of work (money) here at the refineries. Most people seem to live in Nederland, Groves, Beaumont, etc which seem decent. Not Port Arthur. I commute in from SE Houston every day but someone can give you more useful info on the better places to live around here.

Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur%2C_Texas

[Happy wonderer]

Thanks Tstone for the info and the pictures it has helped me towards making a decision most of my husbands family live in Nederlands I will have a look at the link you sent

[tstone]

Nederland is a lot better. Apparently the businesses that have moved out of Port Arthur (mentioned in the article) have moved out that way. The only thing noticeable about Nederland is the faint sulfur stink in the air (sometimes).

[destin04]

I have family in Nederland. It's a totally different place compared to Pt. Arthur. Nederland seems to have a very safe feel to it. I've been there several times. It does rain ...but it's on the coast!

[southeasttexas]

--------------[quote=tstone;4480997]I work in Port Arthur. It rains almost every day. It's essentially a Louisiana wetland. This area is also Louisiana-style deep south and feels totally different from the rest of Texas. Which may be a culture shock to you coming from Cali.

The center of town is very poor and a total mess. The air pollution is pretty bad, too. It is probably the worst place in Texas, if not the USA. Potentially dangerous. Downtown is a ghost town. I just transferred a few pictures from my phone to here to show what a lot of the houses out here look like. The blue tarps are from the hurricane in 2005. I'm building a photo album of sorts of this area over the next few years. I doubt anything will get better in that area.

There is a lot of work (money) here at the refineries. Most people seem to live in Nederland, Groves, Beaumont, etc which seem decent. Not Port Arthur. I commute in from SE Houston every day but someone can give you more useful info on the better places to live around here. [quote]

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As a person born and raised in PA, I agree with much Tstone said. Only thing I disagree with is the air quality comments. Much of the critisim about air quality in SETX is based on perception, rather than fact. PA is in EPA attainment.

Anyhow, the rest is right on. PA has decayed greatly from the 80's. Schools are absymal, crime is bad. Nederland is a great choice! You will find great real estate bargains in the area.

[tstone]

When I said 'worst in Texas' I meant the town itself, not the air quality. Sorry I was unclear.

The air quality may be 'in EPA attainment' but I will say this. Much of Port Arthur's air simply stinks... Like sulfur (H2S), and it gave me headaches until I was here for a few weeks & got used to it. Now after 3 months, my car's fabric has absorbed these particles and now smells like a refinery. (Of course, I park just outside the plants.) Anyway we have experienced a shutdown with flares... where plumes of black smoke (and yellow vapors from one column) were pouring out for hours. We had to evacuate and it smelled so strong I had to take a shower when I got home because I stunk. Shutdowns aren't unique... they happen every now and then. So again, the air may be in attainment but the particles that cause these odors cannot be very healthy.

[m.pedro]

Port arthur is a worst place ever....It need to be flooded and forgotten. Crime, ghost downtown...no one place there is pretty.
I hate that place. Sorry guys.

[Rapunzll]

I agree that Nederland is better than PA. I lived in PA years ago, and one of my kids was born in Nederland and the other in PA. I drove through both again this past fall and PA's downtown is an absolute mess. Our neighborhood which had been quite nice is looking bad as are a couple other neighborhoods that had been very popular. It is almost like people have given up there.

When my second and third children were born there ('79 and '81) the incidence of birth defects was high in the area, probably due to the refinery.

[Oildog]

PA was sort of making a comeback before the hurricanes. I lived in the triangle and worked in PA but no way I'd live there. Nederland is like night and day to PA.

Oh and I'd worry much more about the yellow smoke than the black smoke. It was likely SO2.