I will be starting a job in Port Arthur in January after graduation. I was born and raised in Dallas but attended school in the north. I came here because I have family and friends that are Aggies and, in general, Aggies are credible, honest, and fun people.

I know nothing about this area except what I can find online. Where should a normal college grad with 'plenty' of money be looking to live in the area? I am looking to live somewhere I won't have to be worried about being robbed all the time. I like to go out and have fun but I don't know that I will find that in the traditional post-college sense anywhere in the area.

I have read negative things about Port Arthur so should I look to living somewhere nearby? Nederland? Beaumont? Any thoughts and oppinions?

Lastly, I am looking for a roommate so if you know anyone in the area or anyone moving there, I'd be interested to hear it.

Please post any comments or contact me at txresident@gmail.com if you'd rather not share your thoughts publicly.

[This message has been edited by Timber08 (edited 10/12/2008 7:37p).]

Having been born and raised in Beaumont, here are a few pointers:
Do not live in Pt. Arthur, period.
Mid-county (meaning mid-Jefferson county), which includes Nederland, PNG, Groves, is good.
Beaumont is also good, depending where you live. The west end would be most desirable.

Just a few tips. I can give more details, but I am going to bed.

I should have added this: If you want more detail, ask here or post some way of getting the information to you.

Thanks,

I am hoping to find out if what I am reading about PA is true and if I should avoid it at all costs. It looks like you'd agree with what I am reading.

I am leaning towards Nederland or Port Neches to kind of split the difference on being near work and Beaumont. I am taking a trip down there beforehand but am looking for oppinions from 'real people'. Nederland would be a decent choice?

E-mail is txresident at gmail.com.

Nederland would be a fine choice. Pt. Arthur should be avoided at all costs. Bridge City would have been a good choice, but Ike really messed up the place.

I second everything MosesRAB83 has told you. Stay away from Port Arthur, for sure. There are some new apt complexes on Hwy 69 that might have Port Arthur addresses but are technically in Nederland, so that might throw you off. I think they are off the Nederland Avenue exit maybe, close to a new subdivision called The Dominion or something. If you end up in the Westend of Beaumont, like half my neighbors who are engineers and make the drive to the refineries, there are alot of new complexes to pick from.
Welcome to the area, we're all still reeling from Hurricane Ike but it's a good community with good folks.

Mrs.Vin1041

I recommend nederland or port neches or certain parts of groves. one think to keep in mind with nederland is the new memorial high school (port arthur's HS) is being built on the nederland end of port arthur. The mid-county area is getting a lot of new restaurants, etc. but the 'night-life' remains in beaumont. still, though, your everyday drive will be shorter from mid-cty than from beaumont. Beaumont is not a 'bad' option, though.

certain parts of port arthur are really bad, but I'm certain you would not be looking there. some parts of PA are not that bad (off of jimmy johnson blvd, for example).

are you looking for an apt. or house? I'm sure you know this, but I would definitely start looking ASAP b/c there is obviously a huge shortage b/c of Ike. I currently have a refugee sleeping on my living room floor because he can't find a place to stay (and has $1000/mth from FEMA for the next 2-3 mths if he can find a place).

Thanks everyone for your oppinions. I am looking into Nederland and the western portion of Beaumont more than I had been.

fredfred, I am pretty open at this point. Ideally I'd end up in a house with a garage because I have some toys(kayak etc) to store but I think an apartment will be easier to find. I was hoping the fact that I am looking for a long term lease might put me in a good position despite others looking for housing. Maybe I am crazy to think this or hurricane refugees are also looking for long term housing?

A lot of variables for me right now since I really would like to find a roommate or two but things aren't looking good for that so far.

As someone who was born and raised in Port Arthur through high school I am highly offended by this thread.

I don't disagree with it, just highly offended.

Read the Liar's Club by Mary Karr to get a good feel for area when I was a kid.

we have lived in nederland for 25 yrs and can attest to the stay out of pt.arthur ! Beaumont is not much better but does have a few nice areas. You can be about anywhere in beaumont from mid county (nederland, pt.neches) in 15 min. I serve on a few committes in nederland and involved locally. We are a small town, 15,000 +/-, great school district, affordable housing,etc. Let me know if I can help and will give u my email. Welcome !

My whole family is from the Nederland/Port Neches area.

I think there are some cool older houses as well as new developments around town.

[This message has been edited by AgFan1999 (edited 10/17/2008 12:45p).]

I'm a home health nurse and have worked around the Golden Triangle area for years. You'll get lots of opinions on here based on where people grew up. Most midcounty people swear by living there while most Beaumont westend people love living there. Email me if you have any questions, I have literally seen patients in every neighborhood around here.

I have yet to go to the area because its an expensive trip and there just aren't any vacancies. However, I found a potential place and wanted to get some input before I dropped big bucks on a plane ticket to go sign a lease.(It seems good places fill in a matter of hours and not days)

The rent seems low and some people have told me to avoid this area. It is right near Main between 87 and 73 in Groves. Below is a link to a more exact location. Any thoughts?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=29.93689,-93.908526&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=29.93729,-93.912088&sspn=0.003989,0.010986&ie=UTF8&ll=29.944225,-93.922806&spn=0.127624,0.351562&z=12

I am really looking forward to getting settled in and having a great time in the area.

Those on this board have given you some good advice. I, too, recommend staying out of PTA. No way I would ever live there. Nederland/PNG is a good place to live. West end of Beaumont is also good. The people I know that are from Nederland/PNG swear that it is the only place to live. I've always heard that once you get there, you never leave. It's weird...almost cult-like over there in mid-county. The ties there are really strong. Seems like very few people that grew up there ever leave that area.

I`ll reiterate live in nederland or pt. neches. Go to work in Pt. Arthur and leave at the end of the day !! Property values are next to worthless there and the schools are worse !

Timber, my high school gf lived off that street in 1972 across from Rucker Building Supply and that area was rough back then. Matter of fact, I got into a fight on the side of that road in that area after some drunk tried to run me off the road back in 1977. After Hurricane Ike my brother and I drove around Groves and that area had really gone downhill as many PA residents had moved into that area. Just my two cents.

[This message has been edited by Bullmoose (edited 1/12/2009 7:24p).]

I saw a patient today on Main. It was across 87 in the 1500 block, a few blocks down from Rucker Supply, and it was pretty rough.

i grew up in port arthur and nederland. my old man bought a house next door to his in griffing park (port arthur neighborhood) and rents it out. basically he bought it just to keep trash from moving in next door. i think some people might be overreacting a bit on the city. if you live in the north end (north of jimmy johnson blvd.) it's about the same as nederland or port neches). it's a great place to live if you like to hunt and fish. commuting all the way from beaumont might be a bit of a pain. there is a lot of history in PA. back when the schools were desegregated most of the white folks got scared and moved north to miid county, beaumont, and lumberton. personally, it's a great town. just stay away from the west side of houston ave. after sunset.

This thread got me to thinking about someone I used to work with a long time ago before he became a cop and I googled his name Milton Levy of Port Arthur. I thought for sure he would be the Chief of Police by now...

http://www.odmp.org/officer/414-detective-milton-thomas-levy-ii

Damn, he was one hell of a good guy.