Considering a move to NE Oklahoma any advice?

Originally Posted by calliemoonbeam

I guess I'll be the lone dissenter here, lol. I absolutely hate Oklahoma, as all the long-time posters already know. Right now I live about 40 miles southwest of Tulsa, but lived many years in Tulsa, and a few northward between Owasso and Collinsville, which I will admit was better but also much more expensive.

We really only have TWO seasons, a way too-hot and steamy summer and a way too cold and icy winter...with about a week each of spring and fall, if we're lucky. We have weeks and weeks on end of 100+ temps (some up to 120) with high humidity usually, although right now we're headed into our third year of drought, which is predicted to stay the same and/or worsen and to last at least 10 years. Gardens have been a total loss for the past two years.

We get very little snow, but many ice storms which take down massive trees like matchsticks and power lines for weeks at a time almost every winter. We've also just had almost 10 days of temps at night below 20, and this has been a very mild winter for us.

Speaking of not liking wind...have you ever heard the song "Oklahoma" where the "winds come sweeping down the plain"? We have plenty of wind year round, but especially in spring, which brings along with it roaring, fast-moving prairie grass fires that burn thousands of acres almost every summer. Tornadoes are also frequent and sometimes catastrophic, and no you don't always have warning, especially rurally. Of course, living with them all my life, I've learned what to watch for and how to read the signs, but still no picnic, although I'd pefer them to earthquakes, which we've also been having for the past few years. A small one a little over a year ago was enough to damage buildings, including my house 35 miles from the epicenter.

Land is really cheap here, I'll give you that, but as someone else said you've really got to pay attention to what you're getting. It ranges from nothing but sand to huge rocks to thick clay that won't grow anything until you spend a fortune amending it or building raised beds, especially south and west of Tulsa. East and north are better, until you get into the foothills area. There are a lot of trees and greenery, as well as a lot of lakes (they say we have more shoreline than the East and Gulf coasts combined), but with that comes a lot of bugs and snakes and the never-ending maintenance to keep all that greenery in check.

The crime rate is really bad in Tulsa with lots of gangs and drugs. Even rurally there are lots of meth labs, thefts and break-ins, but I guess those are common pretty much anywhere any more. And I don't know where all these open, friendly people are. I've found people here to be very closed-minded, judgmental and standoffish, especially on trying to move into a small community where everyone has known everyone forever, unless of course they want something from you, lol.

So, I just thought I should point out that everything is not as rosy as some might paint it, although I do readily admit I hate Oklahoma and have health problems that make living here extremely miserable. In fact, I'm dreaming, scheming and praying to find a way to move out of here within the next year or so.

Out of the four states you mentioned, I'd probably go with Missouri. It's a very pretty state with a lot of good qualities (though still too hot and humid to suit me personally, lol). Texas is even worse temp and drought-wise than Oklahoma, and Kansas has even more wind, possibly more tornadoes (though it's pretty close I think) and more big snow storms.

Good luck with your decision! There will be ups and downs to any place and I'm sure some will think I'm too negative, but personally I want to know ALL the facts about a place I'm planning to uproot my entire life for, not just the good stuff.

Originally Posted by francismilker

I'm with Callie, I've been here most of my life but have traveled enough with former jobs that I HATE Oklahoma. The weather regularly goes from 40 during the night to 85 in the day. (and that's in January). Then, for the last 3 years we've been in a record setting drought. Some parts of the state had over 60 days last summer with 100+ temps. Then, when you factor in the red clay, the dopeheads, the methlabs, ticks, chiggers, copperheads, and did I mention red clay!!!!

If my wife didn't have family members to take care of and tie her down here I would move in a heartbeat!!!

Originally Posted by vanet

Where?

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

Ive known there were around/over 2 doz okies in here for several years. Ive tried to get an Okie get together around 3 times with no success.

Originally Posted by francismilker

Where?

I would make my choice from one of the following:

NW Missouri, Alaska, Northern Montana, Southern Illinois, or Eastern Nebraska.

My ONLY reason for these places are from excellent experience while at these places for extended amounts of time while traveling for work.

I liked the weather they happened to be having while there for months at a time. However, I'm not silly enough to not take into account that they too have bad years without rain and extreme temps. I also know that grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.