Montgomery County is a very desirable area. I'm in north Harris myself for the last 27 years and I have watched the area grow. There are multiple hospital system all brand new and growing. The area is becoming an extension of the huge hospital systems in downtown Houston. Your wife would have a huge selection of work opportunities.

Also, there is a 1000 yard range with pits (and etargets) with a very active match program including F-class, Service Rifle, Garand Matches and so on throughout the year. I have been working on putting the final touches on the match program for 2022. There are several ranges throughout the area, some private and others public.

I totally understand about staying away from the big cities. However, my wife and I enjoy going to see concerts, the theater and visit museums for special exhibits and Houston has that in spades. We don't got there much, but it's nice to be able to go there for an evening; there are fantastic restaurants, you see the show, and then go home, away from the city.

As for property taxes, it all depends where you live. I'm outside city limits, in the county and they are not bad. Pick wisely.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Been thinking about doing the same, found surprisingly the places I looked had high housing costs. I was basing this on being in/near cities. Richardson was where I was looking closest and it was only 70% of the cost of where I live currently (outside DC in the richest county in America).

I'm sure there are much cheaper options, but I need to be near large fiber optic cables for work.

I live in NE Dallas and my church is in Richardson. I moved to this area 40 years ago following being reared in Detroit, Michigan and then 20 years USAF (retired Captain). After retiring and moving here I worked 26 years for Texas Instruments and retired (again) from them.

Although Dallas is one of the more "Liberal" locations in Texas, it wouldn't be judged "Liberal" by California standards. I like it here. There's a pretty nice indoor gun range just 3 miles from my house and there are outdoor ranges within a couple of hours drive. All the big-city conveniences are here, of course, and excellent WiFi is certainly available. If you want a taste of less-Liberal more "Old West" flavor, it's only an hour's drive to Fort Worth. There are more than a half-dozen excellent hospitals within 30 minutes of my home.

I've not compared cost of living with other places in the US, but I don't think it's all that high around here. Right now gas is just under $2.60/gal--higher than it has been, but not exorbitant in my opinion.

I'm single and have no intentions of moving, so I've not done any research in areas that matter to you, but I like it here.

flashguy

Did you know Mike Cochran?

The name does not spur recognition. Sorry. How would I have encountered him?

flashguy

He invented the microchip while at TI went on to open his own company Cochran Undersea Technology. CUT was one of my customers about 12 years ago

I spent a week at a TimeShare in Conroe. There is a very nice indoor range there. It's just changed its name to the BTO Range and Training Center, I understand. Great facility and nice folks. https://www.bto-range.com/

flashguy

If you don't mind drinking your air the Houston area is a decent option.

I'd get near a 1000 yard range if I have a choice for sure.

Don't forget Allergies. At least in DFW. Few weeks outta the year at least, felt like I was fighting the flu till I got used to it. Others deal with it annually.

quote:

Originally posted by Slippery Pete:
If you don't mind drinking your air the Houston area is a decent option.

I'd get near a 1000 yard range if I have a choice for sure.

Don't forget Allergies. At least in DFW. Few weeks outta the year at least, felt like I was fighting the flu till I got used to it. Others deal with it annually.

That's a good point, if you live anywhere near the chemical plants or refineries you will end up with sinus issues. 26 year ago an old doctor told me that. He was probably in his 80's but back then he reviewed the yearly physical results for the plant workers. He was a neat guy, had old fashioned remedies. He asked if I had sinus problems and I said no. He said you will. I asked why and he said you work in a chemical plant. I blew it off but he was right.

BTW, if you ever get swimmers ear pour some Everclear in your ear. That was one of his remedies. He also mentioned something about drinkng it too.

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:
Did you know Mike Cochran?

The name does not spur recognition. Sorry. How would I have encountered him?

flashguy

He invented the microchip while at TI went on to open his own company Cochran Undersea Technology. CUT was one of my customers about 12 years ago

I knew about Jack Kilby, who invented the Integrated Circuit at TI; I was not aware of Mike Cochran, who invented the microcomputer at TI. I never met either of them.

flashguy

I live on the northern border of Harris County (Houston) and Montgomery County (Conroe and the Woodlands), and work in Harris County.

Houston is a big city, and it has some crime. However, I have driven 70 miles to work and back every day for 12 years now, and spent 75% of my time in the city limits of Houston over the last 40 years and haven't been murdered once. My car has been broken into once in Houston, and once in a small east Texas town, so burglary isn't a peculiarly Houston problem. Those are the extent of my run-ins with crime in Houston. There are parts of the city I rarely visit, but I am not especially careful or choosy. (There are too many good tacquerias in dodgier parts of town.) Houston (and Dallas) are not the Bronx in the '70s. Or Compton. Or the south side of Chicago.

If you want to live in or a near a big city, Houston is a good choice. It has all the amenities and "culture" of a big city, without being super densely populated like NY or LA. If you don't like big cities, don't move to Houston. But unlike the commenters above who don't like Houston (and Dallas), they are good cities compared to many. They aren't Mayberry, which, reading between the lines, seems to be what the complainers want.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I spent a week at a TimeShare in Conroe. There is a very nice indoor range there. It's just changed its name to the BTO Range and Training Center, I understand. Great facility and nice folks. https://www.bto-range.com/

flashguy

Just up the road from me. It is a nice range.

We live in a suburb North of Dallas and it has been good for us.

We only go into Dallas occasionally as one of our daughters live there.

My work is in Collin County and that is where we usually stay as we can find everything we need here.

Previous to McKinney, we were North of Atlanta for two years and then in the San Antonio area for 25 years.

We loved San Antonio but after all the children moved on and a brief time (work related) in Georgia, we moved closer to family.

If you have questions about San Antonio or North Dallas, let me know.