[Pottedjay]

I live in eastern Oklahoma on the border of Arkansas

Taxes aren't great but they could be worse
9% sales tax
10% income for the lowest bracket.

snow depends on the year. some years we get none other years we get a foot or more.
an important note about the weather is the season changes daily

We've had it go from upper 70's to the lower teens and snowing the next day back up to 50 and rainy the day after. Some times the weather will change in a single day. If you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes it'll change. Funny side note no one actually pays attention to the Tornado sirens here. It's just background noise in my area haha.

The Colleges here are nice and have some good programs.

In my areas the schools are awful. High dropout rate, lots of drug use in schools, and I only had 2 or 3 teachers who really knew the subjects they taught or cared about teaching. A lot of coaches taught at my school.

Rent in my area is between $400 and $600 so it's pretty cheep but your options are really limited

I also should mention the rate of people on welfare and drug use is really really high. and aside from a few of the bigger towns in my area most areas are run down and really not a safe place to live. A few time's a week people will come in to where I work clearly high on meth or crack, it's just something you get use to seeing.

There are some communities that the police won't go to out in the county and I hate to say it but If you're white you do not go their. These are few and far between but they do exist. and their is a lot of racism against blacks and whites in my area. But I think that is a more localized thing rather than the whole state.


But as someone who has lived here the majority of his life I cannot recommend moving here, I plan on leaving as soon as I can.

I'd avoid east of Tulsa.

This is just based off my experience living here for 15 years.

[StillwaterTownie]

Not all, but many small towns in Oklahoma are slowly dying away or at best stagnant, so I bet other people want to join you and get away from such a downer environment.

Unless one prefers the isolation of remote rural living, I think the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros are the best places to live in Oklahoma. Elsewhere, the larger small towns that are growing rather than dying off probably can't be too bad as long as you don't mind lack of great shopping and not many various things to do. Decent paying jobs may be hard to find, though.

[chicagodude84]

It's funny when I lived in Norman years ago most of the college kids I interacted with laughed when I asked if they were staying in OK after they got their degree's


The SERIOUS drug problems and the religious ignorance are one of the main reasons I left CRAPahoma !!!

[glass_of_merlot]

No

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by chicagodude84

It's funny when I lived in Norman years ago most of the college kids I interacted with laughed when I asked if they were staying in OK after they got their degree's


The SERIOUS drug problems and the religious ignorance are one of the main reasons I left CRAPahoma !!!

Here you go with another reason why you should be glad you left Oklahoma. Republican legislators will go to disturbingly great lengths to protect oil companies. It was nothing short of evil, if you ask me. And to think legislators got reelected after they did this. If anyone is still thinking about leaving Oklahoma, it will be time to quit thinking about it and just do it, if Republican incumbents get reelected in November and Oklahoma elects a new Republican for governor.

Oklahoma Supreme Court strikes down part of workers comp law | KFOR.com

When Oklahoma Republicans aren't trying to take away rights from hard working middle class people, they will shamelessly take from the poor and disabled. Didn't I comment previously that my disabled friend got his food stamps cut from $16 a month to $8 a month?

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by chicagodude84

It's funny when I lived in Norman years ago most of the college kids I interacted with laughed when I asked if they were staying in OK after they got their degree's


The SERIOUS drug problems and the religious ignorance are one of the main reasons I left CRAPahoma !!!

I am envious of you. I still cannot believe, even after six years, that I moved back here. I feel most of my problems could be solved if I could just move. That is easier said than done though.

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by bawac34618

I am envious of you. I still cannot believe, even after six years, that I moved back here. I feel most of my problems could be solved if I could just move. That is easier said than done though.

Periodically, I think about moving. Where would I go? Given the value of my house had dropped notably in the last couple of years, and while it was GOOD that it was cheap to buy but selling isn't such a good idea. And who knows how long it would take to sell? And I get SO blah feeling when I think about later. Right now, its okay, but I won't always want to be here. And what then after settling again with the idea of waiting. Eventually, when my son and family are not busy with full time jobs and college, we should talk about this idea of me moving there to live with them. I'd have a mother in law space or seperate area. It still feels uncomfortable, given the way I like my own space with nobody 'suggesting'. I worry about being stuck. On the other hand, it might end up being a good thing too. I've been missing family for so long. I would like to make a trip to visit them too, but will take a lot of planning, and I just want to chill our for a while.

The other thing is, for me to stay here in OK, my social security which is pretty much the minimum lasts here. My house is paid for, taxes low, in good condition. I need some better way of getting around but that could be managed. I'd like to be able to leave and go somewhere, but my dogs are the official protection, and I don't want them to think others are okay coming in. I have space for a room renter. If they liked to be night people and like critters, fine. But it wouldn't be just *my* space then.

And the finances.... If I did go back to California, I'd barely be able to afford a little apartment. Been there, done that, couldn't WAIT to move. Those lower rent places don't get well taken care of either. The people who bought it were going to revise it to first class rentals. Then they discovered the number of repairs they'd have to do to even start. So they just ignored how the side gate wasn't lockable anymore and while only a third was still rented, every apartment was full at night.... I had my dog who barked so nobody bothered me or they'd have cleaned it of valuables. So in comparison, I'm still doing a lot better. But. At least I could take the bus somewhere I liked during the day. At least there WAS a bus.

And there's tons of people everywhere in California, even when its not busy. I moved to get away from it. I don't want to live where there's nothing but cars, people/ houses/apartments and noise. Better to be bored.

It's nice to know I'm not alone in the wishing to go, but then not wanting to lose too much of what I gained.

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Not all, but many small towns in Oklahoma are slowly dying away or at best stagnant, so I bet other people want to join you and get away from such a downer environment.

Unless one prefers the isolation of remote rural living, I think the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros are the best places to live in Oklahoma. Elsewhere, the larger small towns that are growing rather than dying off probably can't be too bad as long as you don't mind lack of great shopping and not many various things to do. Decent paying jobs may be hard to find, though.

I'd consider that, except I don't get enough to deal with the cost of living. Small towns are cheaper, even if they are boring. Now with online shopping, I don't have any lack of good shopping options. But just going somewhere to have fun.... I miss that. I wouldn't really want to do much running around, but just once in a while.....

After flu season ends, I'll arrainge to go to do some away from home shopping, but I'm giving people a wide swath right now.

[chicagodude84]

Everyone has a different lifestyle, I'm not married and no kids, So easier for me to move where ever.


Sadly, I had business/family obligations in OK. But once those were cleared and done. BAM I found my nice bachelor studio near Chicago loop, $3K down and C'ya CRAPAHOMA !!!


And so glad i didn't "bite the bait" with females in OK, Several times I came close to being a daddy and locked in OK hell for ever !!!

So glad they dodged those "bullets" of mine lol

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by chicagodude84

Everyone has a different lifestyle, I'm not married and no kids, So easier for me to move where ever.


Sadly, I had business/family obligations in OK. But once those were cleared and done. BAM I found my nice bachelor studio near Chicago loop, $3K down and C'ya CRAPAHOMA !!!


And so glad i didn't "bite the bait" with females in OK, Several times I came close to being a daddy and locked in OK hell for ever !!!

So glad they dodged those "bullets" of mine lol

I am envious of you.

I am so sick of living in Oklahoma City, where you are pretty much beat over the head with a Bible 24/7/365. I can hardly think of another state that's more backwards, toxic, and hateful than this one. It feels like I might as well live in Iran under the Taliban. It's literally like being in a prison. I cannot wait to get out of here. Life is too short to have to live it like this.