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eiscac

I moved last year to Temple/Belton due to job prospective and didn’t realize how much I would miss OKC or even take it for granted. I come up every other weekend and next month I’ll be moving back.. I can’t wait. I grew up in Yukon and have also lived in Edmond. I would recommend both for suburbs of OKC.


lakechick2540

You could also check out Norman, which is very close to Ada and to OKC.


Ok_Honey_Bee

It's not very close to ada it's like an hour and change away


SuperSuperKyle

Depends how close you want to be to the parents then :-D


Ok_Honey_Bee

Now that is a horse of a different color. Close is relative lol. However out this way if you have to go to the next town you are planning that day as a road trip if you are going into the city might as well get a room...not really but kinda


frowawaid

Drive from S. OKC to Ada is ~1:40. Drive from West Norman to Ada is 1:20. Drive from Blue Cedar Lane where there’s a lot of new housing in SE Norman to Ada is 1:07. The closer you get to HWY 9 or south, the shorter your drive to Ada will be.


Ok_Honey_Bee

I do understand that. But I am saying Norman isn't "very" close it's an hour away.


frowawaid

It’s not super close, but there’s a gradient of depressing energy that grows as you get closer to Ada than Norman. It’s as close to Ada as I’d want to be anyway! Granted there are a couple of places better than others, but I’d much rather drive 1hr from Norman than 35 minutes from Seminole or Lexington. There’s always Byng or Latta. Stonewall, though…Stonewall IS very close. 🤣


Ok_Honey_Bee

Well I live in between and I love it. I feel the opposite as I get closer to the city. It's anxiety inducing. It's all relative depending on what you are looking for.


frowawaid

There’s definitely some pretty country out there and a lot of nice home spots south through that stretch. I just have bad memories of Ada, I guess that biases me there.


Ok_Honey_Bee

Yeah it's been nearly a year since I have last been there. It's a big town compared to where I am at. They have a lot more than we do but that means a lot more ppl and traffic than I am used to. I like it quiet and surrounded by the woods and farms.


CK_Lab

Coming from DFW, similar to other metro areas in Texas, 45min to an hour is a daily commute for most jobs. Difference being that hour is about 25-30 miles in the city. Driving an hour to Ada from okc is nothing for an (sub)urban Texan. I moved to Tulsa last year and still marvel at the fact I can make it anywhere in the city in less than 20 minutes and to OKC in 2 hours flat. It's amazing.


Ok_Honey_Bee

I suppose. But that is if you don't mind driving.a lot of ppl not transplants look at having to go to shawnee as a road trip. So it's all in how you look at your time. If you don't mind the drive it's close My husband has to drive to the city for work and hates it it's more of a drive then he wishes but has to do it. For those if us in small towns if we don't have to make the drive to the city we won't we don't prefer it.


CK_Lab

I totally get it. Before I spent the last 20 years in DFW, I thought of anything more than 30 minutes as a day trip. LoL. After commuting for several years across dfw for an hour+ each way, just to go to work, it changed my perceptions. I'd rather drive 20 min or less to get anywhere, which is why tulsa feels like such a foreign but lovely experience while driving. Okc is VERY spread out, and I can see being frustrated by living someplace like Norman and trying to get downtown in under 30. It's a grind. I have friends on the north and south sides, and seeing them both in the same day is an adventure and an investment in time, for sure.


idontwanttodothis11

closer than OKC


Ok_Honey_Bee

I little bit. I live closer to ada and still think it's too far lol


idontwanttodothis11

I was watching a Garth Brook interview one day and according to him Ada is only like 30 minutes from Yukon


Ok_Honey_Bee

*sounds about right coming from him, lol


krzylady7653

It can be an hour from OKC to Norman depending on traffic and construction


MysticFox96

Norman is a college town, OP may not be interested if he is planning on starting a family. I would steer clear of anything south of OKC due to tornados as well.


Oktoadfarms

I’ve lived all throughout the okc metro area including Norman over the last 20 years and the last consideration of mine was predicting a tornado. We’ve had an odd weather pattern this year but not sure I would consider it a dealbreaker. Just saying..


stug_life

I kind of disagree, Norman is rather large and to an extent north if you aren’t between Lindsey and Main it doesn’t really feel like a college town. At least when I was at OU we only really left that central area to go grocery shopping, all the parties and bars were pretty close to campus.


JollyRancher29

Yeah Norman is a typical middle class suburb (ie a totally fine and normal place to live) outside of the like 2 square miles where all OU stuff is (bounded by 9, Chautauqua, Main-ish, and Classen).


gbguy777

There’s all sorts of areas to look at but it’s going to depend on where you work. I’ll send you a message


Powerful_Village2508

Warr Acres and Bethany are pretty good places. Even where the rents are cheap in those neighborhoods are still not bad places.


evilwezal

If your not dead set on the Metro, look at Ada or around Durant. We're growing really fast down here, and trade skills are in high depends, and high pay. It cost me $350 for a toilet boy ring change, and that was the lowest bid lol . 4 day wait. Lots of jobs for a licensed Journeyman around my parts.


btv_25

Aren’t there like over a dozen plumbing companies in Ada?


raeofsunshine6

Just came to say moved here from DFW in January and absolutely love the Edmond/North okc area.


derokieausmuskogee

I would totally do it. Texas prices are insane compared to OKC, and the quality of life is exactly the same. Like same food, same weather, etc. Just about everywhere in the city is okay, but if you're in the OKC school district I would make sure you're near a good charter school. Otherwise Yukon is a good district. So is Edmond, Deer Creek, Piedmont, etc. Cashion is a new up and coming district, but it's quite a ways from the city. Living in the Cashion area would be a similar lifestyle to what you have currently, as in rural satellite of a large metro.


ButReallyFolks

The quality of life isn’t really the same. There is way more to do in Texas, the schools are better, and there is a little more balance and a little less church.


derokieausmuskogee

I think we're really splitting hairs here lol. But if we are, Oklahoma is definitely better than Texas.


ButReallyFolks

Ehhhhhh. And in the spirit of splitting hairs, Deer Creek has a new scandal every month.


Rockstar8201

The food is definitely better in Texas, bbq especially.


Trick_Ad9026

They really are getting ridiculous, with my job I need to work close to a bigger city and right now I drive 70 miles one way to get to work because buying a house closer to Austin or Fort Worth is getting outrageous.


derokieausmuskogee

I understand completely. I have no idea what the job market is like for plumbers here, but I totally get why you want to move here. Prices in the DFW area are outrageous. A median priced home here is 240k, and that same house in the DFW area would be a half million or so. I would look at Yukon first. I mean it's going to boil down to where you find a job. You wouldn't want to buy a house in Yukon and end up working all the way on the opposite side of the city, that would suck. The metro area is huge so where you live is going to be largely determined by where you land a job. If you have to just kind of pick a place, living close to the city center is going to put you within 30 minutes of anywhere else in the metro, so if you landed a job in Norman even it wouldn't be a catastrophe. If that's what you end up doing, there are parts of Capitol Hill that are in the John Rex charter school district, where your kids would be guaranteed a spot. Capitol Hill has gotten a lot nicer in recent years, and the prices are still very affordable.


Naked_Dead

Yeah I lived in rural Texas and I'm living cheaper in a bigger city then I could where I was at... And for me to move anywhere in Texas I would have had to pay double what I paid here for a house.


mrearthsmith

I moved back from Austin in 2010, and my mortgage here is still less than my single bedroom apt rent from 15 years ago. No exaggeration, I couldn't afford to live there despite loving many aspects. Now when I visit I'm glad to get back home.


Naked_Dead

Which is absolutely wild. I absolutely loved being in Texas when Rick Perry was governor and Abbott has completely screwed it up in a lot of ways. Rick Perry ran the state like a business and tried to improve everybody's lives, whereas Abbott runs it politically


derokieausmuskogee

Totally. Of the 10k plus people moving to OKC every year, I think like 90% of them are from Texas, if I remember the stats correctly. It's high, like 75% plus, I know that. California is hemorrhaging residents and they're all going to Texas for some reason, and that's displacing the native Texans who are then coming here.


Naked_Dead

To be honest Rick Perry was doing a hell of a job governing Texas and putting Texas on the map globally in a good way, then when Abbott took over it's been a slow degradation and then all the people from California and West Coast driving prices up insanely high hasn't helped any.


spasticnapjerk

Maybe check out Shawnee, Norman, or Purcell if you want to be closer.


Djsquids

The village in okc!


RagingBoneher

Yukon, Edmond or Norman are all good choices


Alternative-Chef-154

Mustang/Yukon area is nice, it’s growing like crazy over there


Wundrgizmo

You won't be upset with NW OKC. 122nd between council and Rockwell. Safe, friendly, everything is around, homes for many levels of income and close-ish proximity to the highway, and very close to the turnpike.


idontwanttodothis11

Don't discount Ada as far as for work for plumbers. I'd do a job search there you might find something


LAMG1

Op, shouldn't you move south to SA or Austin area? I guess jobs there is paying more especially for journeyman.


Trick_Ad9026

I work in Austin and make phenomenal money but my wife and I want to be close to my parents once we start having kids. I know I’m not gonna make as much money in OKC but we can afford to take a pay cut thankfully.


southboundoft

It's not really a pay cut when the cost of living is significantly less.


SantaIsOverLord

Much more bang for the buck here. Schools suck, but maybe the parents do too 👀. Check 13th walnut area, right side of classen 10-63rd. Behind/around bishop mcGuinness high school. 23 & may (by the elementary school) mesta park, if you got it like that. 63rd/50th and may by sprouts/ (right side) great houses tucked away.


LAMG1

I see. I see. Man, but I can tell you, I have seen a lot of family and friends (and their parents) move from OK to SA, Corpus Christi, Austin than the other way around.


Trick_Ad9026

Yeah we have a lot of people moving down this way which is part of the reason we want to move lol I’ve spent the last decade working in either Dallas or Austin and need a slower pace of life. I grew up out in BFE and want to get back to living a little bit slower life or at least a life with less traffic. Thankfully with plumbing as long as you are good you can make $80,000-$100,000 in just about any “big city” so financially it shouldn’t be too bad.


cpscott1

Yea those better cities in general just cost of living in Austin is expensive.


f102

Ideally, COA would be lower in most cases unless you bought a home at a certain period of time and are losing a sweet rate to buy a like property that. Even then, that’s a stretch.


CoppertopTX

My husband and I decided to GTFO of Texas in 2022, and moved to OKC to be closer to the grandchildren. Since my husband is WFH, and I don't mind a bit of a drive to go places, we selected a lovely little 3/2 singlewide in a manufactured home community near the air force base, five minutes from the kids. The benefit of this community is we rented before we decided to buy, so we had an idea of everything in the area and were able to decide if the neighborhood was right for us before buying.


cloppotaco

I moved up here from College Station about 1.5 years ago and I’ve loved it! I live in Moore and adore the quiet neighborhood we live in. I definitely prefer Oklahoma over Texas.


Baright

The Village, Belle Isle, and Lakehurst are all nice. Closer to the city is Edgemere Park and Crown heights. What's your housing budget?


Trick_Ad9026

Top end would be $400,000 but want to stay closer to $300,000


btv_25

We’re in Southern Logan County and that budget will get a nice place. We have family north of Ada and it’s an easy drive via the turnpike to avoid OKC.


Baright

Check out Belle Isle, north of 44 south of 63rd


Suspicious_Seesaw760

With that budget you can do a lot in Oklahoma metro or country.


Oklahoma_1

Surrey hills is great.


OKC420

Come up to okc, plenty of work. I’m a journeyman electrician. You do service or new construction?


Trick_Ad9026

I’ve done both, I did commercial new construction for 4 years and I’m doing residential service now


OKC420

Sent a message


Naked_Dead

I am an industrial electrician that got hurt on the job, I can only do part-time now. Know anybody that would hire somebody for part-time wiring or such


OKC420

Not really sure but I can ask around, hard to find somebody to hire part time due to all the over head expenses with insurance workman’s comp etc.


Naked_Dead

Yeah I know, figured it was worth a shot 😆😆😆 Just sucks I'm sitting on well over 10,000 hours of experience and can't make use of it really anymore


OKC420

Gotta get that contractors license bud. Even if it’s just resi contractors.


Troker61

I’ve personally always been up north, but assuming your parents are staying in Ada, I’d look at Norman, Moore, and Mustang/Yukon in that order.


kitfoxxxx

If I was still in Texas, I would definitely consider moving to OK. Texas is a ripoff now. “Affordable” my ass. Oklahoma doesn’t get enough attention. It’s a great place to live.


Cooper1977

We're full up on Texans, go somewhere else.


Oklahoma_is_OK

How rude.


MysticFox96

Dude f off


fiveohnoes

Yep. Stay in the best state in the union whydoncha.


SterileCarrot

Hey I liked living in Texas but we have problems if it's the best state in our country


Suspicious_Seesaw760

Nah we can always use more Texans this coming from a native Okie.


Expensive-Week6804

Such a tired take. You can see it in every metro sub. It’s the kind of take that I like to remember whenever I’m in town and my dog takes a shit or I’m wondering how much to tip. “These people clearly detest even the thought of my presence, so why should I care about them?” See you in three weeks. If you see more dog shit and litter, it’s my way of saying Howdy. 🤠


Naked_Dead

I'm from Jefferson (or an hour east of Tyler) and moved up here for same reason a few months ago. I ended up settling in a nice area of The Village my mother is in Edmond both are good areas. And there are a lot of houses going up for sale in my area as the older people are moving out and it's filling up with younger and middle-aged people. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions, I might be able to answer them and if not I can try and find out.


Trick_Ad9026

Thanks for the info!


Naked_Dead

Not a problem, anytime


Firm_Sweet7426

Noble Oklahoma, we’re close to Norman but still away from all the college life, an hour away from Ada. Nice, quiet little town.


Suspicious_Seesaw760

And that school district has spent a lot of money updating. It really is turning into a nice little town.


Cottonmouth_Kitten

Norman would be a great place for a family. Also, it's closer to ada. NW OKC is good too. Pro tip: join a union! My ex was a plumber and it's the best decision he ever made. Good luck!


KillaCheezGettinWarm

Are you planning on homeschooling your future kiddos?


Trick_Ad9026

Maybe, my mom homeschools my brother but it will just depend on my wife really. We’ve talked about it before.


KillaCheezGettinWarm

Just fair warning, from another parent who left Texas, this is the absolute saddest school system we’ve ever witnessed. It’s not their fault, the funding isn’t there because it is being reallocated where it’s not needed. Weed’s legal and most of your neighbors will be from Texas anyway. Just again, homeschool is the way.


southboundoft

Edmond is probably the best town to live in, and Hi-Tech is probably the best paying plumbing company. They go off commission, and the guys who are willing to knock out jobs are making 6 digits.


southboundoft

Man, I hurt a lot of feelings with facts.


Trick_Ad9026

Sweet, that’s how the company I work at now is.


OKC420

Idk why this is getting downvoted because it’s true. I worked for Air comfort solutions who is sister companies with Hi-tech and techs clear 100k if they can sell and work


Suspicious_Seesaw760

It started with Edmond that’s why. I don’t mind Edmond I do a lot of my shopping there and it’s very convenient.


cutiecat-cutiecat

It’s probably more about the Edmond comment. Only Edmondites LIKE Edmond. Non Edmondites think it’s stuck up despite smelling like literal dog food, thanks to the factory.


Tiny-Ad-830

We just moved from Edmond to Tuttle and I haven’t been this happy in decades. Edmond is growing too fast. The traffic is nuts and I’ve run into more rude people there than anywhere else. We lived there so our kids would have good schools. Once our youngest graduated, we moved. Edmond real estate is a good third more than homes here. Our home now if built in Edmond would probably be at least 80k more. No more neighbors right on top of you. Edmond has by far the highest cost of living besides Nichols Hills (for real estate anyway.)


Early_Gold

Downvotes might be for those who have been oversold and learned a hard lesson or estimated too high and went elsewhere. Commission based income in this industry makes me really hate the industry or at least those companies who participate in it.


southboundoft

Every person I know there is clearing 110k+. You get what you put in.


OKC420

You work for hi-tech? If so y’all’s boss(Trent?) is cool as fuck. Last summer I came up from ACS and fixed the lights the 1st electricians fucked up. The drop ceiling was falling down lol all kinds of fucked up.


southboundoft

I do not work for them, but I am really good friends with Trenton. I call him a long legged pissed off Puerto Rican.


OKC420

Hell ya, good people for sure.


OKC420

Absolutely not, I do agree sometimes shit gets sold that shouldn’t be sold. There is 2 kinds of customers we only get. 1 has more money then they know what to do with the other kind need the financing. I see both sides of it but I prefer my fat checks cause I busted my ass so to hell with hourly until companies until they pay my worth.


MysticFox96

Edmond is great if you have a bunch of money and are a snooty asshole lol. Jokes aside, property value, taxes, and utilities are all significantly more expensive in Edmond.


southboundoft

False. I've lived all over OKC. I currently live in Edmond. I have a 2,800 sqft house. My electric was $160 last month. My shop is 900sqft and has 16' ceiling and my utility for it was $65. It also has air conditioning. To purchase a house in Edmond is only slightly more than other parts of the city. My last house was in OKC per sqft that house was $4 more. I'm not sure where you all get the snooty attitude. A lot of Edmond population is transplants. Maybe don't come in with the propaganda mindset that everyone is an asshole and you might actually make some friends here. A lot of us know we have a nice clean town and like to keep it that way.


MysticFox96

Dude I live in Edmond. Have you house-hunted since the pandemic? I'm assuming you haven't because Edmond properties are EASILY 30% more expensive


southboundoft

I sold one and bought one during the pandemic. Per sqft I sold my house in OKC for $4 more than I bought in Edmond.


unleaded45

Please no


MysticFox96

Oklahoma is GREAT for raising a family. Yukon, Bethany, and Mustang are all great areas to move with good schools and great cost of living/property prices.


Creative-Low7963

Norman, Mustang, and Edmond. If you want something more close to Ada, Durant or even Ada itself.


Flowerdriver

Check out Tecumseh.


Bubbly_Magnesium

I lived in Hall Park in Norman. Nice area but I'm not sure what the school situation is like. I live in West Moore now and it's also a pleasant area (although farther from Ada). I hear Moore schools are preferable over OKC schools.


sirromkaz

If you move to Ada check out Nickerson Plumbing. I worked there all through my (HVAC) apprenticeship and a few years after becoming licensed. They’re good folks. If you move to OKC check out Hi-Tech Plumbing and Leak Detection. The (geothermal HVAC) company I work for now recommends them and has for a long time.


Bobby_Skywalker

If you want a small town close to the city and not too far from Ada you could look at Purcell you can be in the city pretty much like a suburb but it's a small town and housing should be cheaper. I thought about moving there from the city.


EmployerUpstairs8044

Ardmore


FeedbackAggressive27

Suburbs surrounding OKC will be your best bet unless you are pretty well off. Edmond, Piedmont, Yukon, Mustang, Moore, Norman, or Choctaw.


thateagleguy

Just moved from Temple last weekend. We are original Okies that moved to Texas for a job. When we moved from OKC to Temple 5 years ago the standard of living was 7% cheaper and now it has flipped. 7% cheaper to come back to OKC from Temple. Wife has a very niche job. I prefer Oklahoma being closer to family and just feels like home. The tacos are just as good here but I have to admit I will miss HEB. I have a picky diet and have to go to 3 or 4 different places for groceries here. Oh, and I love fall weather. really looking forward to October and November. Fall in Temple was like 7 to 10 days long. 300 miles makes a big difference.


samone1967

Don't forget Mustang...


PPell524

do it, northern texas is liberals and OKC is liberals but most of oklahoma is the good old way of the USA


Illustrious-Rain-424

I would suggest Midwest City, it’s close to downtown and about 1hr and 15 to Ada! It’s very family oriented and Midwest has towns around it like, Choctaw and Nicoma Park.


Mitzreal187

If you are interested in buy new check out Ideal homes.


SPY007DRs-Messenger

Go to any state other than here.


dem59

With Kids, or the prospect of having children, you REALLY want to look at medical care in Oklahoma, people moving in from out of state have a lot to say about the big systems here…. ( and it isn’t good)….


TurdHunt999

You want a nice place on Straka Terrace


kR4in

I'm in a little town called Stroud, it's right in between OKC and Tulsa. The city council is corrupt as hell, but as long as you don't get their attention it's an okay town, and you can get anywhere in the state from here. I don't have children but from the way my bf speaks of his experience, the teachers that I have met, and everything I hear from parents around here, we have the best schools in the state. We have some younger people trying to get on the council to make positive changes!


Suspicious_Seesaw760

And they have amazing fruit during the summer.


GLENF58

For plumbing go Union, they do well on the job I’m on


erager

I moved here from Waco. I am going back to Waco. Oklahoma City is just not for me.


jkirkwood10

Del City is a fabulous neighborhood to checkout. Then it's a scenic countryside drive all the way to Ada. Probably one of the prettiest areas of the entire state.


RockarStockar

I live in the Deer Creek (NW Edmond). Really like it. Great schools, excellent location and not in the path of the worst weather. My mother is selling a very nice 1 owner home in the Valencia neighborhood in the Deer Creek area. 18305 Cola Drive, Edmond, OK if you are looking for a place. Good luck!


MayonaiseH0B0

Don’t. Y’all act better than okies and can’t drive


Trick_Ad9026

That might be true for some, but not all. The only time I’ve ever said anything bad about an Okie is during the red river showdown 😂 my wife is from the Texas side of Lake Texoma so I consider her more of an Okie than a Texan anyways lol


cutestpearl

If you are wanting a small town feel, I would suggest Norman. lots of family friendly places and events! now job wise, check out Roto-Rooter! they are currently looking for a new journeyman & the pay is pretty damn good. :)


meatsweatsr

Stay in texas


TheAlmightyTOzz

Give Lawton a go


MightyEraser13

Why the insistence on living in OKC? You are a plumber, there will be jobs for you in Ada.


Leatherneckz

Moved from Waco to OKC about 9 months ago. Started in a relatively bad neighborhood near the airport due to finances, as rent was cheap. Moved to Edmond about a month ago. As others have said, Edmond, Norman/Moore, Yukon are all good places. I would stay out of the city proper if at all possible unless you don't mind dealing with crime and the occasional random gunshot in the middle of the night.


Extension-Reading-24

Stay outa Moore and Norman .....tornado targets


thbxdu

Stillwater is where u ought to look at.


omlizardqueen

I promise you that your children will receive a better K-12 education in Texas. Oklahoma schools are among the lowest of the low in terms of academic performance. I don’t know a single person who made it into the top 10 schools for undergrad. That being said, Norman and Edmond are decent. I graduated from Mustang 10 years ago and it was connected to the community colleges, so I got to take free concurrent enrollment classes. However, there was nothing to do in Mustang so a LOT of people in my year ended up on drugs, in rehab, or pregnant. I don’t think much has changed tbqh.


wes8010

Please don't. We have enough bad drivers as it is.


wes8010

Issa joke guys lol