Tyler is literally a trash can full of feces.
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2/17/2020
My family moved to Tyler when I was four and I lived through the pain of growing up there until I moved at age 22. I won’t be back...
Crime: Tyler, Texas has a serious crime problem. In the ideal city, most areas are nice and there are only a few “sketchy” neighborhoods here and there. The entire city of Tyler is ghetto. The north side is the worst, with the east and west not far behind. The south side is the “nice” side of town, but even the south side it garbage compared to most cities. The biggest problem in Tyler, as far as crime, is drugs, and the problem is MASSIVE. For example, I was in sixth grade the first time I saw methamphetamine. I was literally 12. It’s bad. Tyler is a terrible place to raise children.
Job market: The job market is absolutely dreadful unless you work in the medical field. If you want to make $15/hour your entire life like most of the people who live here, maybe Tyler is a good place for you. I believe I read that the unemployment rate is below the national average, but that statistic is deceiving. Most people are working in the food-service industry or in retail.
The culture: The culture and overall attitude towards life in Tyler is pretty gross. People aren’t ambitious in Tyler. People aren’t growth-focused in Tyler. People aren’t intelligent in Tyler. If I were to offer a peer In Tyler an opportunity to earn six-figures as a salesperson, they would surely pick a $10/hour position at a call center instead if MY opportunity, if my opportunity required them to actually work or use their brain at all... Weird people in Tyler. Tyler is a very lonely place, because it’s next to impossible to find and befriend people who aren’t too stupid to hold a conversation.
Dining/grocery shopping: Tyler is one of those cities that is full of national chain restaurants and very few other options. There are a few gems, like Stanley’s BBQ and Taqueria El Lugar, but for a city of over 100,000 people and a metro population of over 200,000, it’s pretty sad that I can count the number of eateries worth visiting on one or two hands. Also, there are no good coffee shops. As far as grocery shopping goes, you basically have Walmart and Brookshire’s, the local chain. Brookshire’s is basically a more-expensive Walmart. I recall reading on a package of ground beef from Brookshire’s that it was sourced from South Dakota, if that tells you anything. I prefer the meats i’m buying from a local chain to be sourced locally. Brookshire’s carries the same, low-quality products as Walmart at a premium price. They tried to innovate and bring something nice new to the table by opening, “Fresh by Brookshire’s,” but it’s a failure in my opinion. If you want to know what a real high-end grocer looks like, check out Utah’s Harmons.
Housing market: My parents have had their house on the market for almost two years now, for almost $50K less than they paid for it almost 15 years ago. I don’t think I need to explain Tyler’s housing market any further.
Recreation: None. There is absolutely nothing to do here. There WAS a climbing gym that opened their doors after I moved away, but I recently read on Facebook that they had to permanently close because they weren’t getting enough business... Pretty pathetic. Indoor climbing is amazing. The lack of things to do in Tyler probably has a lot to do with why so many young people end up addicted to drugs in this city.
There is so much more I can earn you about, but i’m tired and need to get ready for bed. I’m glad I left Texas and i’m VERY glad I left Tyler.
Don’t move here!!!
James | Draper, UT