Name: Odessa, TX
Rating: 0.0

( 10 Ratings )

Living in Odessa, TX

Ranks better than 74% of areas Follow

Population

122,630

Median Age

30.4 Years

Odessa Area Facts

Odessa has a Livability Score of 74_/100, which is considered excellent
Odessa crime rates are 5% lower than the Texas average
Cost of living in Odessa is 4% higher than the Texas average

What do the locals think about Odessa?

60%

Family friendly

20%

Public transit is accessible

40%

Walkable to grocery stores

20%

Yards are well-kept

40%

Lots of parks

60%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

60%

A quiet area

0%

Sense of community

Based on 5 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Odessa Reviews

Write a review about Odessa Tell people what you like or don't like about Odessa…

Dirty Industrial City. Miserable at best. 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 27, 2019) There is nothing redeeming about about Odessa Texas. It is a dirty industrial city. Quality housing is limited and costly. Crime rate is horrendous. Air quality is poor, H2S odor is prevalent most days. Among the worst drivers I have ever experienced. Cost of living depropatant ...Read More to quality of life. Nothing aesthetically pleasing. My wife and moved here 4 years ago and are searching for anywhere else to relocate to. Read Less

Odessa Oil Boom or Doom 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 13, 2015) I have lived in Odessa for quite a few years. I have to say besides being the location of Friday Night Lights I could not wait to get out of there. If Texas had an armpit Odessa would be it. The south side of Odessa has always had a high crime rate and being the bad part of town ...Read More for as long as I can remember. It was a part of town that was on the wrong side of the tracks, you did not go there unless you were looking for trouble. The east side of town used to be a safer area. However with the highest crime rate, I have ever seen in my life there really is not any part of Odessa that is safe anymore. The western side of Odessa is primarily trailer parks and the area's highest hispanic population. Last year Odessa was listed in Time magazine as having the highest crime rate in the USA. 1 out of every 94 residents is a crime victim.

As far as a sense of community Odessa the born and raised residents are extremely friendly. This is a place where manners still matter and neighbors will help each other in a time of need. As far as the public school system, there are a few good schools in the area. However the majority of the schools are behind the schools in other communities. The health care system in Odessa is below par, there is a very limited selection of good medical doctors. I have known several people who have gone in for minor surgery at the hospital and died. The hospital always uses the same excuse, they were allergic to the anesthesia. If I needed any medical treatment I would take my chances on trying to get to Dallas. Read Less

no parking in yard causing major issues 0.5 rating By shine ( Mar 07, 2014) WE LIVE IN AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE A 2 CAR FAMILY AND WE HAVE ONE PAVED PARKING LOT ONLY ...LAST WEEK OUR CAR GOT HIT WHILE ONE OF OUR CARS WAS PARKED IN THE STREET .... A NEIGHBOR ALSO GOT THEIR CAR HIT ......NOW WE WILL RUSH TO GET ANOTHER DRIVEWAY THAT WILL COST US $ 200 ...Read More 0.00 OF WHICH WE CAN'T AFFORD ITS EITHER GET THE DRIVEWAY OR GET A 2000.00 FINE SO WE DON'T CONTINUE TO GET OUR CARS DAMAGED ........NOT HAPPY WITH THE CITY OF ODESSA ..... I WOULD RATHER LIVE SOMEWHERE ELES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE RULES THAT ARE A INCOVENIENCE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD AND OWN THEIR OWN HOMES Read Less

Terrible place to raise a family 0.5 rating By Swaeg5 ( Oct 03, 2013) I have lived here for 21 years and I have never been more ready to leave! Since the oil boom Odessa has brought in the dregs of society. The crime is horrible, traffic is horrible, housing is horrible, and most of the schools are horrible. The traffic fatalities are outrageous! T ...Read More he streets aren't designed to have so many on the road. It's very over populated! Families are living in tents and hotels because there isn't enough housing/apartments. The schools are having to turn students away because they are over ran. Fortunately my kids go to Reagan Magnet school which has the highest rating of any school in the Permian Basin. It's a fantastic school with a fantastic staff! This has been the only thing that's held us back from leaving Odessa.
Thugs, vandals, and druggies are everywhere here. My house has been broken into 3 times, my car has been broken into and burglarized, my car window has been shot with a BB twice, and my husband was almost mugged yesterday and we live in the safer part of Odessa. This town is ugly and there's nothing to do here. You can't water your lawn when you want because of the drought. The weather is bi-polar and the mall is a flea market! You can't go to Walmart without standing in line for at least 45 mins. Plan on being there for a good 1.5 hrs.
Odessa hasn't always been like this and it's very sad to see it go down! The locals who have been here for 10+ years are some great people and super friendly. Unfortunately, all of this is driving us out of here. I would not recommend raising your kids here or any other town around here. If possible stay away from Odessa at least until the oil boom is down. Which is said to be here for at least 10 years and we are at the beginning of the boom. Read Less

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no parking in yard causing major issues 0.5 rating By shine ( Mar 07, 2014) WE LIVE IN AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE A 2 CAR FAMILY AND WE HAVE ONE PAVED PARKING LOT ONLY ...LAST WEEK OUR CAR GOT HIT WHILE ONE OF OUR CARS WAS PARKED IN THE STREET .... A NEIGHBOR ALSO GOT THEIR CAR HIT ......NOW WE WILL RUSH TO GET ANOTHER DRIVEWAY THAT WILL COST US $ 200 ...Read More 0.00 OF WHICH WE CAN'T AFFORD ITS EITHER GET THE DRIVEWAY OR GET A 2000.00 FINE SO WE DON'T CONTINUE TO GET OUR CARS DAMAGED ........NOT HAPPY WITH THE CITY OF ODESSA ..... I WOULD RATHER LIVE SOMEWHERE ELES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE RULES THAT ARE A INCOVENIENCE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD AND OWN THEIR OWN HOMES Read Less

Terrible place to raise a family 0.5 rating By Swaeg5 ( Oct 03, 2013) I have lived here for 21 years and I have never been more ready to leave! Since the oil boom Odessa has brought in the dregs of society. The crime is horrible, traffic is horrible, housing is horrible, and most of the schools are horrible. The traffic fatalities are outrageous! T ...Read More he streets aren't designed to have so many on the road. It's very over populated! Families are living in tents and hotels because there isn't enough housing/apartments. The schools are having to turn students away because they are over ran. Fortunately my kids go to Reagan Magnet school which has the highest rating of any school in the Permian Basin. It's a fantastic school with a fantastic staff! This has been the only thing that's held us back from leaving Odessa.
Thugs, vandals, and druggies are everywhere here. My house has been broken into 3 times, my car has been broken into and burglarized, my car window has been shot with a BB twice, and my husband was almost mugged yesterday and we live in the safer part of Odessa. This town is ugly and there's nothing to do here. You can't water your lawn when you want because of the drought. The weather is bi-polar and the mall is a flea market! You can't go to Walmart without standing in line for at least 45 mins. Plan on being there for a good 1.5 hrs.
Odessa hasn't always been like this and it's very sad to see it go down! The locals who have been here for 10+ years are some great people and super friendly. Unfortunately, all of this is driving us out of here. I would not recommend raising your kids here or any other town around here. If possible stay away from Odessa at least until the oil boom is down. Which is said to be here for at least 10 years and we are at the beginning of the boom. Read Less

Odessa,TX: Home of the Odessa Broncos! 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jul 06, 2010) I visited Odessa, Texas in January of 2008. My mother grew up in this city, so it was fun to see the places she used to hang out. In Odessa, I was comfortable right away, because of how friendly everybody was. Even though it was January, I found the weather not to be too cold. I ...Read More also noticed that the weather changes frequently. One minute it can be 80 degrees, the next it can be below six degrees. We went to see the Permian Basin String Quartet at the Ector Theater, and I was impressed. I also visited Ratliff Stadium, and watched a football game! The Odessa Broncos won! I found out that this stadium happens to be one of the largest in the country.

I went and ate at a couple different restaurants in Odessa but didn't find any to be really tasty. They have some Restaurant chains that are located in every other city. I also noticed that there isn't too much of a nightlife. Everybody said that if you want to enjoy really cool clubs in Texas you have to drive to Dallas. Overall, Odessa seemed to be a beautiful, old-fashioned country city. Read Less

Compare Odessa, TX Livability

Odessa, TX

Odessa, Texas, was made famous on the silver screen when the hit film Saturday Night Lights highlighted one of the city's local high school football teams. As presented on the show, Odessa's lifeblood is oil, and the city is a boomtown when oil prices are high. Odessa is located in Texas' Permian Basin, and it is one of the biggest towns in the west Texas desert. The city can trace its roots back to the 1880s when it was established due to the water reserves that were found deep underground. With a population of over 115,000, Odessa is a community that offers shopping, entertainment, and good dining options.

People who are looking to rent or buy a home in Odessa will enjoy affordable home prices. The cost of living in Odessa is low when compared with other cities in Texas, and residents are able to shop at the Wal-Mart and other large stores in town. Traffic is not an issue in Odessa, and drivers will be able to plan their trip from point to point without having to worry about potential delays due to traffic. Interstate 20 is the main freeway that connects Odessa with other cities in the state.

One of the most interesting sights in West Texas is located in Odessa. On the campus of the city's college, you will find a Stonehenge Replica that was built with rocks that were found in the local area. While it may not be as famous as its cousin in England, it is still a pretty cool sight to see. The Odessa Meteor Crater is another location that is worth checking out since it is not everyday that you can see an area of the earth that was impacted by a celestial object 50,000 years ago. Families enjoy spending time at Comanche Trail South Park with its fishing pond and disc golf course. While the summer days are no joke due to the extreme temperatures, you can get out at dusk when the temperatures start to drop to enjoy the area's desert beauty.

Those looking to buy or rent a home may want to look for homes along Rocky Lane Road or Warfield. These are two of the nicer areas of the city, and the homes in these areas of town are absolutely stunning. Public transit does not really exist as an option for commuting in Odessa, and most of the town's residents rely on their own private vehicle to get around town. Saulsbury and Haliburton are two of the areas top employers, and they provide job opportunities to over 5,000 of the town's residents. If you are looking to take advantage of low-cost living, Odessa is an option.