East side currently but grew up alternating between Rapid City and Watertown. So I have seen the differences in topography, humidity, and overall change of seasons contrasting between the two!
Lawton doesn't get the tornados or hail as bad as other areas. My home insurance for 3 acres, 3 BR, 3 BA, and a barn is $2400. Even fast food is paying $15 per hour.
Don’t move to the OK Panhandle unless you like to drive for anything “the big towns” have. I’m 2 hours south of Garden City, KS and 2 Hours north of Amarillo, TX. 4.5 hours from OKC and about 5.5 hours Tulsa.
Honestly the only upside to where I live is I’m A LOT closer to the Rocky Mountains than the other members on this forum.
Oh and we get some pretty bad winters so you probably really do want to avoid this part of Oklahoma.
Honestly the only upside to where I live is I’m A LOT closer to the Rocky Mountains than the other members on this forum.
Oh and we get some pretty bad winters so you probably really do want to avoid this part of Oklahoma.
Welcome, great intro. Lots of good suggestions so far. I was born and raised in Enid and could never see me leaving Oklahoma.
We moved here to Westport, Ok a couple years ago from the Peoples Republic of Denver. Couldn’t be happier. We didn’t want to live in the city any more so found a beautiful place in the woods on the Keystone Lake for a great price. Folks are great here and most always offering to help out. 30 min drive to Tulsa or Stillwater. Snow/ice here is nothing like Denver. I don’t even own a snow shovel or snow blower any more. Best thing we ever did!
By my screen name you can guess I'm a transplant. Born and raised in the middle of Washington, lived in Spokane for over 20 years (spent a good chunk of that time playing in a sandbox for my uncle) and never planned or really thought much about living anywhere else. Then my wife's folks got tied of snowy winters and my mom passed away. Kids were in elementary and middle school, so figured a move wouldn't be as hard on then add if they were in high school and looking to college. So we started looking where we would move to. My agency has 12 offices around the country plus DC and KC. We looked at all of those and drooped out most due to weather (Billings, ST Paul) cost of living (and politics of CA) and considered Raleigh, Dallas, and OKC. First time up, I made the mistake of having a map of historical tornado tracks up in screen when my wife saw it. Yeah, no. About 3 months later, another position came up and after doing more research on the other options and OKC, we decided OKC was a solid choice. I came out for an interview and to look around since I'd never been here. I moved about 2 months later and spent weekends house hunting. Wife and I would look at listings, pick a half dozen and I go to open houses. Two months and we bought a place. Sold our house in Spokane 3 times. First and third to same butter. Last time at $10k more than the first because prices had gone up and consideration of her first time failure to have solid financing in place. SMFH. She turned the house into a group care home. Meh.
After looking at homes and schools all around the metro area we choose Edmond for the schools, then north of Waterloo for Logan County. Edmond schools are awesome, probably best public schools in the state. We've been here right at 3 years and wouldn't trade it for anywhere else... Maybe Maui, but that's not realistic. LOL
I work for the gov, office is downtown, but have been working from home for 2 years, and likely not going back to the office any time soon. Everything I do, I can do from anywhere with a solid internet connection. Technology is great, until you're neighbors buried fence installers cut your fiber optic cable that runs across the front of their lawn.
My wife is an MLT @ DLO and works weekends and loves it. They're short on MLTs and MLSs, offering sign on bonuses.
Give a shout if you want to ask "transplant perspective" questions.
After looking at homes and schools all around the metro area we choose Edmond for the schools, then north of Waterloo for Logan County. Edmond schools are awesome, probably best public schools in the state. We've been here right at 3 years and wouldn't trade it for anywhere else... Maybe Maui, but that's not realistic. LOL
I work for the gov, office is downtown, but have been working from home for 2 years, and likely not going back to the office any time soon. Everything I do, I can do from anywhere with a solid internet connection. Technology is great, until you're neighbors buried fence installers cut your fiber optic cable that runs across the front of their lawn.
My wife is an MLT @ DLO and works weekends and loves it. They're short on MLTs and MLSs, offering sign on bonuses.
Give a shout if you want to ask "transplant perspective" questions.
The geography is incredible in Oklahoma. You can pretty much divide the state into quarters using I-35 and I-40. Then there is No Man's Land. The panhandle is as flat as a pool table mostly with scattered rolling hills and a few valleys in the far west by Boise City. They say that is where the longest straightest road is in the U.S. Most of NW Oklahoma is cultivated farmland supported by small towns which are supported by scattered bigger towns of 50K or more. The larger towns are usually an hour or so away from about anywhere in Oklahoma. We have the sand dunes of Waynoka, the Great Salt Plains of Cherokee, Alabaster Caverns in Freedom, Gyp Hills or Gloss Mountains near Fairview all surrounded by pasture and farms a large percentage spoiled by the view of the new state tree.
Lawton surrounding area is scenic and reasonable prices of living. I am 20 miles south. 30 minutes to Lawton, Duncan or Wichita Falls. 4 hospitals
Goodyear is hiring like crazy. Casinos are hiring. Lots of jobs.
3 lakes within 30 miles (half dozen more hour and half or less), river, creeks, prairie and mountains.
Indoor ranges, outdoor ranges, long range (1350 yards), indoor bow range, Cowboy Action; feed your addiction, find some more.
Being "travelling", you can easily roam the State and see what you prefer.
I avoid big city like the plague. Necessary evils, but not for living in.
Goodyear is hiring like crazy. Casinos are hiring. Lots of jobs.
3 lakes within 30 miles (half dozen more hour and half or less), river, creeks, prairie and mountains.
Indoor ranges, outdoor ranges, long range (1350 yards), indoor bow range, Cowboy Action; feed your addiction, find some more.
Being "travelling", you can easily roam the State and see what you prefer.
I avoid big city like the plague. Necessary evils, but not for living in.
I read everything you wrote. We just moved here from North Carolina last year, Charlotte area. Everything is better in Oklahoma but the weather, it sucks here. Outdoors is good here with lots of wildlife.
