A Clean and Comfortable City
-
9/23/2022
I'm from the northeast but I've lived a few miles outside of Abilene for 40+ years and I thank God every morning for putting me and my family here. I would say that the city of Abilene feels like a big, small town and in strange times, you can still find sanity here. Riding around the city, you would see mostly good neighborhoods- and by that I mean neighborhoods of all incomes but, for the most part, they are at least, clean and kept... you still see kids playing outside from time to time when they will put their games consoles and phones away. Crime is pretty low but what we do have, follows the highs and lows of the economy. The area schools in Abilene (elementary to high school) range from above average to exemplary. And high school football is serious business. In higher education, Abilene has three universities plus a Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, a junior college and a vocational college. There are numerous municipal and civic facilities such as a municipal airport, convention center, coliseum and fairgrounds, city parks throughout, including a couple of city swimming pools and/or small plash-pads and even a zoo that is continually being upgraded and improved. There is a wide range of churches although most are protestant. As far as entertainment, it has the typical choices, but not on the level of the bigger cities (the gripe of most teens including me in the 80's). The downtown area is going through continuous renewal and has improved significantly over the years. You will find restaurants and bars, shopping boutiques and antique stores and various art attractions, with old buildings being renovated and refurbished for a second life. There is plenty of health care options with countless doctors, dentists, urgent care clinics, etc. and two hospitals, one on the north side, one on the south side. As for grocery shopping, no shortage there. The streets are all pretty good and traffic flows well enough. We have about 20-35 minutes of busy streets starting around 4:30 pm but it clears out fast. As for the people, I don't know why these other reviews are so negative. I would say that around Abilene, you get what you give. Although I've lived here for most of my life, I have traveled a good bit and I don't see much of a difference in people in general, except that I find the people here in Abilene to be more friendly and polite than in most other areas in the US. Of course you run across people of all shapes and sorts but most are, at least, courteous. As far as the land and environment, trees and landscape, etc. , I admit there is a lack of green space here so I would recommend focusing on the sunsets because those are amazing. Abilene is a good and comfortable city, growing economically and a perfectly good place for raising kids and living life.
Tracy | Abilene, TX