Life in Aggieland is glorious. Lots of growth. As you would expect, living next to TAMU has lots of benefits. Great area for families, lots of good family-centric, conservative neighborhood communities. Lots of church choices too. The area just got a new charter school that focuses on discipline, respect, and try-lingual education. Founded by an Aggie Marine '82...20th version of one of these in the State of Texas. Cost of living is excellent.

Not sure if you're aware but CSISD does not zone for proximity and are constantly readjusting attendance boundaries. Please do not buy or rent your home based on the schools!! We did and we got rezoned last year and will likely be rezoned this year. Other than that......we love CS! Welcome back!!

I love living here. As far as schools, I don't think you can go wrong in CSISD. As above poster mentioned, I wouldn't base your house on it, zones are constantly being adjusted. Many think the new HS is better, but just as many prefer the old high school. I think focusing on the type of house and neighborhood will serve you better. And there is the new charter school that another poster mentioned.

If you need help with anything let us know! I know a few great realtors too.

Creek Meadows and the estates will likely stick with all three of the new lower grade schools going forward. All walking distance. Hopefully no rezoning shenanigans until your kids go to highschool.

No kids, so I won't speak to the schools aspect, but one of the only knocks I hear about BCS is "there isn't anything to do." I couldn't disagree more. In addition to Aggie sporting events which you could go to multiple a week most times of the year, you have other sports organizations (Brazos Valley Bombers, Brazos Valley Calvary F.C., College Station Spirit), arts like the MSC Opas and Brazos Valley Orchestra. Downtown Bryan has a lot of great shops and restaurants, First Friday every month is a lot of fun, the newly renovated Queen Theater shows classic movies regularly, and the Bush Museum is constantly doing events, Century Square is a new area with a great restaurant and shop variety and a dine-in theater. Century Square and Lake Walk Town Center are frequently doing outdoor music or movie events, etc.

BCS is a great community with a lot to offer people of all ages.

One thing to watch out for is any time a medium sized accident occurs, whatever roadway it is on, no matter how large or busy, will be shut down for several hours.

In Houston, major accidents complete with injuries, fire, gas spills, etc., are cleared to the side within less than an hour. We're still doing it Mayberry style, which is great for most things in life here except for traffic.

We moved back in June. I chose an older, established neighborhood in Bryan.

There are many great neighborhoods in Bryan.

We're building in Bryan. Traditions

Considered CS but the traffic is horrendous at the busiest times of the day. Really bad. Bryan downtown has really started to take off and did I mention the traffic in CS?

Schools I cannot speak to as ours are grown and gone.

I like Johnson Elementary in Bryan. National Blue Ribbon school. The boundaries are fairly stable. Without looking on the map to be certain, I'd say you could live anywhere from E. 29th to the bypass, south of Bryan High and be zoned for Johnson. All those neighborhoods are fine.

Also, with the charter school and Bryan Collegiate there is no longer any reason to choose CS over Bryan anymore, unless you just like higher taxes and more traffic. Find a good neighborhood, settle down and raise those kids.

Traffic is horrendous in CS. Bryan is actually easier to get around. Plus downtown is picking up. If you are a halfway decent parent your kids will end up as valedictorians.

Traffic is relative. It is horrendous compared to 10-15 years ago but nothing to complain about. It takes 25 minutes to get all the way across town (south College Station to north Bryan is about 16 miles). An occasional accident like today when it rains can jam things up but there are lots of ways to get from here to there.

The schools are excellent. You have lots of good choices between public and private and charter. There was a kerfluffle over a recent rezoning in College Station but that happens in districts that are growing and have new schools opening.

It is a great place to raise a family and a tough place to be a single 20-30 something, in my opinion. Lots to do and see with several larger cities a short drive away.

I think the biggest downside to the area is the weather. You might be giving up 4 seasons to have only 2-- hot and hotter. I suppose some people like it hot.

We moved back to College Station 24 years ago after graduating from TAMU 30 years ago. Raised 3 kids. It has been a wonderful place for us. And yes, the traffic has gotten worse, but who cares? Other people have discovered what we figured out long ago. Aggieland is a great place to call home.

Welcome back to "God's Country"!

So how terrible would the commute be from south College Station to Bryan in the industrial park off 2818 and 21?Say somewhere like Creek Meadows, Castegate II, etc.

Have they done anything to 2818 in the last 4 years since I lived there?

My guess 30 minutes. Traffic out of Creek Meadows/Wellborn. Wellborn traffic and traffic on 2818 between Wellborn and campus (and possibly further). I don't go that way often but when I come home 2818 I always ***** how long it takes.

At five o'clock in the morning? I've hit every light green from Rock Prairie to George Bush before at that time. No sweat! After that, it depends. Since you've been away, there have been a few additions to that stretch of road. Seriously, it does depend on the time of day, the day itself, and if there have been any accidents. JMac03"s estimate is a little longer than I would have said, but it does account for the unexpected. Since you would be turning off at 2818, you might be able to get around some of the traffic that jams Wellborn straight thru campus.

We live in the Oaks in Bryan, I work in Downtown Bryan, and kids go to a nationally recognized school (Johnson Elementary). We have it pretty good here and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Aggiedoc31, I am a realtor with Keller Williams and moved here 26 years ago. Would love to help you look for a home and neighborhood when ready.

Mikegreenjr@kw.com I have helped several people on Texags already and would love to h elp you as well.

Copperfield in Bryan.

Thanks for the commute info!

BCS is full. I suggest Houston.

Before we moved to Missouri, we lived in Copperfield. We loved that neighborhood.

Deer everywhere and very family oriented.

We moved back 8 years ago and never looked back. My wife, not an Aggie, and I lived here in the mid-90's and she swore she'd never come back. She likes the amenities of a big city. She's loved being back. Great restaurants (which weren't here then), great shopping (and then there's Amazon - not available then), and great schools (better than from where we came) add up to a solid decision.

Agreed on the CSISD being the class of the county. If you want to avoid the irrational insanity that is rezoning in CSISD, there's a new charter school that will be every bit as good, and the kids will come out fluent in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. If you choose the charter school, it doesn't matter where you live.

One other piece of advice, if you're going to live outside either city, make sure it's where they are less likely to annex you. We currently live just outside College Station. So, we don't pay College Station city taxes. We already have trash service, water, electricity, a septic system and police protection (I see a sheriff's car in our neighborhood with regularity). If we get annexed, we'll be taxed but will receive no city services. Not a fan of annexation. There are not enough houses out where we live to entice the city to annex us, but one never knows. Texas considered a bill last year that would give homeowners the ability to vote on annexation, but it was defeated. I'm hoping it comes up again in this legislative session.