Moving to Borger, TX? (Amarillo, Pampa: apartments, rentals, house)

[Coming_from_Hotlanta]

We may be moving to Borger for a job. I'm interested in current opinions of that area, including the surrounding areas to live in like Panhandle. I've already searched the threads and the last updated ones are from 2 years ago. They had of course good and bad opinions but I'd like to know what its like now if possible.

My biggest concern is housing and schools. I want the best schools possible for my elementary age kids. I've heard that housing is hard to come by. I might not be buying but would like to rent a house and not be in an apartment. Of course I would also like to have stuff to do - a movie theater, some shopping, restaurants, etc. but I don't mind driving a little way either.

Any opinions you can give me would be great. Thanks.

[losttechnician]

Not a lot in Borger, except solid blue collar labor type folks. A couple of great restaurants, and plenty of honest work from the folks there. I don 't know much about the schools there. Have some family, and occasional work there.

Pampa is about 30 minutes up the road, schools are pretty decent, town is pretty nice, have some family there too.

Panhandle is about 25 minutes down a different road, schools there are (word of mouth) supposedly real good. A much smaller town than Pampa or Borger, however it is a little closer to Amarillo. A lot of the town works in Amarillo, or the one of several industrial places between there and Amarillo. A nice place, but it is real tiny.

Stinnett is north a bit, but a real small place. I know very little about it.

Fritch is 1/2 way between Borger and Amarillo, a nice little place, except it is drying up (literally) with Lake Meredith drying up. Have some friends who live there.

Basically any of those places are gonna require trips into Amarillo to take care of normal every day life, (doctors, shopping, entertainment), but there has been industry in Borger so long that lots of folks have done tours of duty there. Enough blue collar money there to make some real nice stuff, but enough hillbillies to drag some of the neighborhoods down. Overall it is a nice town in the Tx panhandle, but it will be a serious culture shock coming from a metropolis.

[Coming_from_Hotlanta]

Thanks losttechnician -

I'm from a small town in Michigan - similar in size to Borger - so I'm actually looking forward to maybe a smaller town but my husband is from Chicago so yes, it might be a shock to him. I have heard the same about the town of Panhandle - good schools - so I'm looking there. Amarillo might be best to get the most shopping and entertainment. I'm looking forward to going out there in the next couple weeks and seeing it for myself.

[losttechnician]

Best of luck to you! Keep an open mind, and look over the entire area and see what you think! Was talking to a co-worker today, he is in his mid 40's, who has lived his entire life in Borger and Fritch. He kind of likes it, obviously!

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by Coming_from_Hotlanta

Thanks losttechnician -

I'm from a small town in Michigan - similar in size to Borger - so I'm actually looking forward to maybe a smaller town but my husband is from Chicago so yes, it might be a shock to him. I have heard the same about the town of Panhandle - good schools - so I'm looking there. Amarillo might be best to get the most shopping and entertainment. I'm looking forward to going out there in the next couple weeks and seeing it for myself.

Hey, everybody's gotta be somewhere.

Good idea to hit it in August to see if you can deal with the Heat (and Wind), I guess being from Michigan, you will be able to deal with the Winter Cold (and it is Windy, then, too).

Best thing about the area is the people. Real go-to-work, love-their-family, love-their-community, love-their-country people. If the folks did not like the area and their community, they would not be there.

[Jestyle]

Originally Posted by losttechnician

Not a lot in Borger, except solid blue collar labor type folks. A couple of great restaurants, and plenty of honest work from the folks there. I don 't know much about the schools there. Have some family, and occasional work there.

Pampa is about 30 minutes up the road, schools are pretty decent, town is pretty nice, have some family there too.

Panhandle is about 25 minutes down a different road, schools there are (word of mouth) supposedly real good. A much smaller town than Pampa or Borger, however it is a little closer to Amarillo. A lot of the town works in Amarillo, or the one of several industrial places between there and Amarillo. A nice place, but it is real tiny.

Stinnett is north a bit, but a real small place. I know very little about it.

Fritch is 1/2 way between Borger and Amarillo, a nice little place, except it is drying up (literally) with Lake Meredith drying up. Have some friends who live there.

Basically any of those places are gonna require trips into Amarillo to take care of normal every day life, (doctors, shopping, entertainment), but there has been industry in Borger so long that lots of folks have done tours of duty there. Enough blue collar money there to make some real nice stuff, but enough hillbillies to drag some of the neighborhoods down. Overall it is a nice town in the Tx panhandle, but it will be a serious culture shock coming from a metropolis.

Hi Sir,
I am also landed a job and moving to Borger. I am 20+ single(not a party guy), finding an one room apartment/studio.

I have got some apartments online but seems like some of them don't really have good reviews.
May I know is there any bad/unsafe area to avoid in Borger? Would you mind to give me some suggestions?

Would you think Fairlanes Square Apartments(3111 Fairlanes Blvd Borger, TX 79007) is fine? Is the area safe?

Thanks and really appreciate for your helps.

[jtur88]

When you get to Borger, let us know how it's pronounced. I keep forgetting. Does it rhyme with "forger", or is the G hard?

[Marat]

Originally Posted by jtur88

When you get to Borger, let us know how it's pronounced. I keep forgetting. Does it rhyme with "forger", or is the G hard?

The G in Borger is a hard G.

[losttechnician]

Originally Posted by Jestyle

Hi Sir,
I am also landed a job and moving to Borger. I am 20+ single(not a party guy), finding an one room apartment/studio.

I have got some apartments online but seems like some of them don't really have good reviews.
May I know is there any bad/unsafe area to avoid in Borger? Would you mind to give me some suggestions?

Would you think Fairlanes Square Apartments(3111 Fairlanes Blvd Borger, TX 79007) is fine? Is the area safe?

Thanks and really appreciate for your helps.

I can't lay claim to knowing the town well at all, just the locations of my company's property and a few restaraunts around town. Can find my way around just fine, but don't live there, so absolutely would be the wrong person to give advice at this depth.

Best of luck!

[borgerboy]

saw your posts on here and as a native borgan who left many years ago for greener pastures i do enjoy going up there for a visit when the opportunity exists. as far as an apartment to start out i think the fairlanes would be fine. i would be surprised if they had vacancy though, because of the oil "mini boom" rentals are hard to come by. for the single guy in his 20's with a job there i would grab it if you can and then look around for more permanent arrangements in 6 to 12 months. for the guy with the kids, i would lean more towards panhandle. it is getting a reputation for decent schools and somewhat progressive people looking for country life near amarillo. i might mention that borger has a restored movie theater and bowling alley. there a few bars (honky tonks) that aren't too rough and would be an acceptable place to go out. of all things, there is a new bennigans in borger and when we went last summer it had a nice crowd and atmosphere. good luck and please keep us posted.