Odessa-Midland, TX

Odessa received its name from homesick Russian railroad laborers in the 1880s, and until recently was combined with Midland to form one metropolitan area. Like Midland, the economic base is concentrated mainly in the oil and gas industry and employment prospects are mainly dependent on that industry. Recently though, the high cost of oil is spurring new exploration and development so the local economy is very vibrant. Odessa has two higher education facilities: a small University of Texas campus brings 3500 students and there is a health science center run by Texas Tech. The region is famous for its fervor for high school football, chronicled in the book and movie “Friday Night Lights. Midland is the county seat and more of a commercial center, and oil money brought an attractive, skyscraper-centered downtown. The area’s real story is low cost of living and affordable housing.