Where to move to in Texas?

[Boostpowered]

It

We also have no income tax in Washington State. They tax us in many other ways. Washington State promotes homeless to come along with illegals.

We found a few homes in the country near Marshal, Texas that look affordable. Anything wrong with that area?

Its oil country, you will find the usual type stuff wrong with about any small town in tx. If there is water near or on the property it will have gators in it so watch pets, kids and livestock. If you really liked that Friday night lights movie this is the place for you.
Make sure you have mineral rights on the property your looking at, having a oil well or 2 on your property won't make you rich but it can pay for the property and then some.

 

[Ceg]

You might consider somewhere in Denton county. I have a couple friends that own food trucks here and they say the business climate and regulations are very favorable. The city of Denton even recently developed a food truck park and hold events there on a regular basis.
It’s a booming area growth wise and very friendly business environment. About an hour northwest of Dallas and a politically majority red area.

Living in north Texas put you very close to Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma which are very good overlanding areas.
Texas itself is terrible for overlanding due to the lack of public lands.

Thanks. Good to know.

The lack of places to offroad or overland in Texas is making us rethink if we want to move. That is what my family loves doing. Looks like hours to anywhere to camp away from people. I guess living in Central Washington has us spoiled. We either can stay here paying the highest gas taxes in American and hit the trails within 15 minutes to 2 hours or pay less for fuel and drive 4 plus hours to a dirt road from a home in Texas. That is something we are weighing out.

 

[Ceg]

It
Its oil country, you will find the usual type stuff wrong with about any small town in tx. If there is water near or on the property it will have gators in it so watch pets, kids and livestock. If you really liked that Friday night lights movie this is the place for you.
Make sure you have mineral rights on the property your looking at, having a oil well or 2 on your property won't make you rich but it can pay for the property and then some.

That doesn't sound fun.

 

[Ceg]

As a guy who lived in Seattle for 22 years, HS, UW, etc... and have since lived in Phoenix, Charlottesville, Long Island, Buffalo and now Lubbock, Tx, I can tell you I have a love hate relationship here.

The good:

Terrific conservative family oriented community. Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Church of Christ primarily. Schools are great, people for the most part are friendly, housing is far cheaper and lower taxes than any of the big cities. The arts community, symphony, ballet, food and bar scene here have exploded in the past 3-4 years. Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings are from here. The local West Texas music scene is pretty amazing. The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences just opened. One of only 11 perfectly acoustic certified buildings in the world. Symphony and Ballet are housed there and the symphony is involved daily in the school districts championing of music. Five breweries and 4 wineries in town. One winery has a James Beard award winner 3rd generation vintner. Food truck opportunities are everywhere. Big hits right now are a ramen truck, of course a few good taco trucks, several terrific bbq, and homemade ice cream sandwich truck. I'd say there is roughly 35 trucks in town. Tacos are king. Texas Tech University is here and has increased student population by about 30% in 10 years. As for acreage, its everywhere. Unemployment is lowest in the state at roughly 5.9% today, but was 2.6% pre-covid. Its a right to work state and with the growth here, lots of work to be had. In 3 years we have added 64 new restaurants, 31 new hotels. Population for the city is around 280k, 310k for the county/city combined.

The not so good:

It is flat. Flat as flat gets. No deciduous trees. All planted. Water underground is not an issue but we have been in a drought for about 5 solid years. Tornadoes can happen in the greater area, but not the frequency it can happen 2 hours north in Amarillo or in Dallas. With growth comes stupid people. We've seen a slight rise in crime, but primarily in the areas statistically you would see crime. We see highs in the mid 100's at times in the summer. Low's in the single digits occasionally in the winter. We get a decent snow every few years. Just had one a few weeks ago. The biggest downside is our nickname - The Hub City. If you look at a map, we are 5-6 hours from DFW, El Paso, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Albuquerque (closer to ALBQ than any other city). We are the hub between those cities.

As for wheeling, there isnt a lot, but... there is a new 6500 acre adventure overlanding, mountain biking, hiking park opening at Palo Duro Canyon (2nd largest canyon in the US behind the Grand Canyon) 1:30 hours away. Ouray, Silverton Colorado are a days drive away to the best 10-13k' overlanding peaks in the country. Moab is a long 1 day drive. Southern Az is a 1 day drive. Nearest proper mountain is in NM called Cloudcroft. Ruidoso and others are a bit further north.

Wow that is a lot of great info. Thanks!

 

[Boostpowered]

Thanks. Good to know.

The lack of places to offroad or overland in Texas is making us rethink if we want to move. That is what my family loves doing. Looks like hours to anywhere to camp away from people. I guess living in Central Washington has us spoiled. We either can stay here paying the highest gas taxes in American and hit the trails within 15 minutes to 2 hours or pay less for fuel and drive 4 plus hours to a dirt road from a home in Texas. That is something we are weighing out.

Look on the border with oklahoma like Paris, Texarkana,Denison, gainsville or in the panhandle near Amarillo or Lubbock. The former will get you within an hour or 2 of good trails in oklahoma or arkansas the latter is a day or so to get to places like colorado or new mexico.

 

[Ceg]

I don't know about Texas but in Oklahoma severe storms get a lot of media attention so you would be well aware of the possible risks for the day.
However, if you are concerned I just posted today about Storm Spotter training courses, if that is something that you may be interested in. If for nothing else than to have the knowledge of how, why, and what to do.

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/skywarn-storm-spotter-training.29329/#post-528281

2019 Tornado reports.

Thanks.

 

[bgenlvtex]

Better hurry

 

[Ceg]

Better hurry

That was one of the reasons we would like to move there. The only state that could leave the rule of the communist take over of America. My Governor is trying to bring China into the state after killing thousands of American jobs and small business over the last year. Guess I am stuck here since I would still have to sell my home.

 

[bgenlvtex]

That was one of the reasons we would like to move there. The only state that could leave the rule of the communist take over of America. My Governor is trying to bring China into the state after killing thousands of American jobs and small business over the last year. Guess I am stuck here since I would still have to sell my home.

The chances of that gaining enough traction to carry are nil. Texas has a large enough population of corruptocrats, leftists and other miscellaneous and sundry parasites that a public referendum will never pass.

But it sends a message, and I like the message it sends.

 

[grubworm]

I am looking to get away from Liberal areas. I would like to live in a place that believes in the constitution and American freedoms. Of course I have to go where the work is.

getting away from liberalism is just like trying to get away from a fart in an elevator...

 

[boredcoding]

Austin is pretty great, good access to the hill country and the out skirts are still affordable. Cities like Kyle, Buda, Georgetown, Lago Vista still have a bit of that small town feel while still giving you access to Austin proper and I imagine food trucks do well in several of them. The ones where I'm at in Georgetown generally stay pretty full and they did just open a small food truck park on 29, west of 35 between Georgetown and Leander recently. Even with shutdowns and whatnot it was still open last I drove by. There're a few breweries around too that commonly have trucks.

Land is a bit pricy out here, but a few miles north, on 35 Jerrell/Salado way gives you interstate access to Austin and good land can be had at a fair price and you can avoid Austin all together by going into belton/temple which is a nice area with two lakes.

South Fork Food Truck Park and Bar - 2021 Update | Hello Georgetown

South Fork Food Truck Park & Sunday Farmers Market now open in Georgetown Texas. See their updated schedule and information for 2021!

hellogeorgetown.com

I find most people around here aren't particularly radical in their political views... sure you get extreme personalities like everywhere else but it's always been the Austin personality to leave that stuff at home and enjoy a decent beer with whoever happens to sit at the bar next to you. You'll find a lot of libertarians in Texas, especially as you get out into rural Texas.

 

[Sparksalot]

 

[Ceg]

Austin is pretty great, good access to the hill country and the out skirts are still affordable. Cities like Kyle, Buda, Georgetown, Lago Vista still have a bit of that small town feel while still giving you access to Austin proper and I imagine food trucks do well in several of them. The ones where I'm at in Georgetown generally stay pretty full and they did just open a small food truck park on 29, west of 35 between Georgetown and Leander recently. Even with shutdowns and whatnot it was still open last I drove by. There're a few breweries around too that commonly have trucks.

Land is a bit pricy out here, but a few miles north, on 35 Jerrell/Salado way gives you interstate access to Austin and good land can be had at a fair price and you can avoid Austin all together by going into belton/temple which is a nice area with two lakes.

South Fork Food Truck Park and Bar - 2021 Update | Hello Georgetown

South Fork Food Truck Park & Sunday Farmers Market now open in Georgetown Texas. See their updated schedule and information for 2021!

hellogeorgetown.com

I find most people around here aren't particularly radical in their political views... sure you get extreme personalities like everywhere else but it's always been the Austin personality to leave that stuff at home and enjoy a decent beer with whoever happens to sit at the bar next to you. You'll find a lot of libertarians in Texas, especially as you get out into rural Texas.

Thanks!

 

[Downs]

Texas absolutely sucks for overlanding. And if you are coming from the west, you will be sorely disappointed in what we have (or don't) available. As other's have stated around the Dallas area will put you within 4ish hours of Eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas which is where all the good overlanding is at fo the most part around here. If you can swing a job in the oil field then far West Texas will get you close to New Mexico Lincoln and Carson National Forests both of which are amazing.

 

[Ceg]

Texas absolutely sucks for overlanding. And if you are coming from the west, you will be sorely disappointed in what we have (or don't) available. As other's have stated around the Dallas area will put you within 4ish hours of Eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas which is where all the good overlanding is at fo the most part around here. If you can swing a job in the oil field then far West Texas will get you close to New Mexico Lincoln and Carson National Forests both of which are amazing.

Yeah we did not find much for offroad and overlanding in any state compared to where we live.


Thank you everyone for your help.

This thread helped us decide to stay where we are at. Our main hobby for years had been camping and wheeling. My kids were raised doing it and the three youngest still at home don't want to give it up. Especially since they all have Jeeps and will all have a driver's license by next year.

We are spoiled in what we have for public lands to do outdoor recreation so close to our home. We are normally on public lands a few times a month. Even with the high gas prices due to taxes here in Washington, it would still be cheaper here in fuel to do as many trips as we like to do living anywhere else if you don't want to see the same thing every trip.

Thanks, The Graham Family