Wichita Falls????? (Dallas, Spring, Vernon: real estate, apartment complexes, violent crime)

[carolinachica]

Hi guys, we are moving to Wichita Falls, Tx. Can you give me the gossip, good and bad about the area! Schools, crime, housing, attitudes, travel, recreation, nursing colleges. THANKS, all is appreciated!

[GayleTX]

Have you tried the 'search' feature on this forum? There are quite a few threads concerning WF. If you don't find specifically what you need, please come back and ask ......there will be someone who'll be glad to help out.

There is a very good 4 yr nursing program at Midwestern State University in WF....in fact, their pre-med is above average for a state school. It's also very reasonably priced tuition if you have been a Texas resident for at least one year.....and, compared to the tuition in many other states, even the out of state tuition is not all that bad. Also, if you are interested in just a 1-yr LVN (LPN) program or a 2 yr RN program, Vernon Jr. College has a branch campus in WF. The university is located in a very nice residential area of town and there are a number of apartment complexes nearby. You can check out details on the colleges and even register on line.

[txsizzler]

I have lived in Wichita Falls for 15 years now. Wichita Falls is a city of 100,000 people, stretches in an area about 10 miles across. Recent major updates to the freeway system have made the city considerably more accessible. Wichita Falls prides itself in having low traffic issues, fairly decent schools (yes, we do have some magnet schools here), and a diverse populace. On the bad side, Wichita Falls up until fairly recently had been under the "old oil money" rule, preventing alot of develpement. That has changed some, and we have really expanded out, especially on the I-44 corridor, and on the west side of town.

Climatically speaking, Wichita Falls enjoys most of the same weather benefits that the rest of North Texas enjoys. Being on on the west side on N. Texas, we do experience a bit more variety than, say Dallas, for example. Winter time averages are in the upper 40's to near 60 range in the daytime, with night time falling into the high 20's and 30's. However, we do have a range that can be from the 30's to the low 80's daytime during the winter. The lowest I have experienced here at nighttime was 3 degrees above zero. Spring and fall are the best seasons here, with most days climbing into the upper 60's, 70's and 80's. Summer is predominatlely hot, with most days going well above 95, and some days exceeding 105, with nighttime temps staying in the 70's.

Vegetation here is moderately sparse, but with our 25"30" average rainfall we see most years, you can grow a variety of crops. Our freeze-free season extends from around March 20th until the middle of November.

All in all, Wichita Falls is a decent place to raise a family. Crime here isn't as bad as it used to be, especially now with the gang-injuctions. Violent Crimes and drugs tend to be along with most cities (don't forget... Wichita Falls is "centerally" located between Dallas/Ft. Worth & Oklahoma City, with I-44 starting in Wichita Falls). Meth lab use has come down ALOT here, as we have a pretty good drug enforcent task team.

Wichita Falls is a good place to live in terms of real estate. Alot lower in price than other cities our size, so you can get a decent home without spending too much. Alot of developement on the north side of town has been increasing some of the real estate value here, as well as the proximity of Sheppard Air Force Base.

We have a number of small towns that have formed around Wichita Falls, each with their own unique character. All in all, I think you will enjoy it here; just keep in mind that this isn't Dallas.

Originally Posted by carolinachica

Hi guys, we are moving to Wichita Falls, Tx. Can you give me the gossip, good and bad about the area! Schools, crime, housing, attitudes, travel, recreation, nursing colleges. THANKS, all is appreciated!

[NOTAM]

i love the small towns surrounding Wichita Falls. if it weren't for my wonderful job where I am now, i wouldnt think twice about moving back.
good luck with your move!

[Turnerliryc]

If you can avoid living East of I-44 (US 287) unless you are North of the base. Midwestern State University (proud alumni) has a great nursing program as does Vernon College. From the people I have talked to Vernon is more of a hands on learning experience where as MSU is a technical learning experience.

[case44]

Originally Posted by carolinachica

Hi guys, we are moving to Wichita Falls, Tx. Can you give me the gossip, good and bad about the area! Schools, crime, housing, attitudes, travel, recreation, nursing colleges. THANKS, all is appreciated!

I'd rather give you the good. The city has just enough big-city amenities, with a combination of improving infrastructure, good weather, and small-town attitude. There's quite a bit of growth in the west and south areas. It's big enough, and yet small enough, too.