? for people who live/work in Phoenix

[angelwing]

There's a possibility that I may be able to move to Phoenix. The hospital that I currently work at now is building a new facility (think in South Phoenix if that makes a difference) that should open by December 2008 and I was wondering how the cost of living is out there, housing prices, etc. I know the weather is nothing like it is in Philadelphia (you get a dry heat, not the humidity we get here)and I know there is no shore to go to like out here, but before I put in an application to see if I wanna go, I'd like a little input if possible. I've been told so many things here already (ie you're salary stays the same, your salary will decrease, etc)that I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to give this a shot.

Thanks in advance for all replies,

Mary

[azsnowman]

SOUTH PHOENIX???

Just my 2 cents worth....it's OK to work there but you DO NOT want to live there! It's on the "south side of the tracks"...lots and LOTS of crime e.g. numerous shooting EVERYnight, rapes etc etc. Not meaning a SINGLE thing by this but South Phoenix is where 99.9% of the minorities live, primarily Hispanics (illegal type one each). I am NOT prejiduce but typically AND statistically crime in areas of such diverse populations are known to be crime riddled!

Now...another issue, the heat!! I know Azskyman used to be an Eastern type person one each, don't know how he's accustomed to the heat.

Cost of living, eh, probably bout the same as back yonder!

[Beam]

I'd recommend staying in Philly, but only because I think really hot weather sucks and I like it cold.

[vbhoutex]

I don't know anything about the taxes in PA, but AZ has a state income tax also. When I thought I was moving to Phoenix from Houston(back in 1989)the cost of living difference from here to there was around 16% more expensive if I remember my numbers correctly. Phoenix and surrounding areas are really relatively scenic(at least I thought so), but even though it is a dry heat once you hit that threshold around 105-110 it really doesn't matter.

[Aslkahuna]

Plus the fact, that there are times in the Summer when that heat is not so dry (something we call the monsoon causes that to happen). If you're into ugly urban sprawl and horrendous traffic and smog then Phoenix is for you (and so is Vegas and Los Angeles). To give you an idea of my opinion of Phoenix, I've lived in Arizona for over 20 years now and I've NEVER spent one night in Phooey-nix-haven't even gone shopping there. But then again, i'm prejudiced because I HATE big cities.

Steve

[ohiostorm]

I was in Phoenix for a few days in March. I enjoyed my time there. I didn't get to experience the heat. But I wouldn't mind it. I hate winter and the cold. It was 90 when I was there and I enjoyed it. As far as the city is concerned... their highway system is great. Of course I'm comparing it to Pittsburgh's defunct highway system. Yeah there is traffic, but it is so easy to navigate. Everything is set up on a grid system. Most highways loops the city so they pretty much can lead to the same area which is good. The airport is nice. Good layout, unlike Philly's airport which sucks! I hate that place with a passion. There wasn't too much there to do as far as attractions. The scenery around the city is awesome. All the mountains and desert areas. Alot different than what we are used to here in PA. If you travel a bit east you run into Canyon Lake which is BEAUTIFUL! Phoenix and its suburbs are rapidly growing. If you are into that then this is the city for you. Mesa, Chandler, and areas near there are very good areas to live in. We stayed in Mesa. I'm not too fimiliar with South Phoenix though. But I do like the Phoenix area.

[Andrew92]

I have never been to Phoenix, but I have also been considering moving out there. Part of that reason is my sister lives there and she has a friend who may help me get a job there.

However, I have thought of another city relatively (for that part of the country) close to Phoenix that I'm considering as an alternative. And after reading about costs of living, what I know about the heat, and maybe crime and/or smog, the other city may rise up, depending on what people say about it. The other city will have a thread of its own.

Back to Phoenix. I definitely would like to visit Phoenix and see my sister. Plus, it does sound like a pretty nice city. But based on a new thought I have, I now wonder if Phoenix is the right decision.

-Andrew92

[Aslkahuna]

Actually the place you are thinking about isn't even close to Phoenix for this part of the Country. PHX is on I-10 the other Place is on I-8 which leaves I-10 near Casa Grande and is otherwise connected to from I-10 via AZ85 which goes down to Gila Bend. The other option is to take I-10 to the 5 in SoCA and take 5 through Los Angeles-something to be avoided if at all possible. Admittedly, I haven't been to PHX in a number of years so maybe they have finally finished working on I-10 and I-17 (they are now screwing up I-10 in Tucson).

Steve

[angelwing]

Well I found this in my search-how my current salary would compare:

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/costofli ... &x=47&y=15

For giggles I tried various amounts, to more from Philly to Phoenix it would be a heck of a lot cheaper, but then again I have to take into account the crime rate and the hubby's health. Decisions, decisions...

[gtalum]

Don't let other people and their prejudices dissuade you from this if you want to make the move. Every city has its positives and negatives, and Phoenix is no exception. If you're interested in the desert and the job is a positive move for you, then make the move. As for where to move, I would recommend going out there and spending some time before making that decision. If you do decide to move, rent for a year before settling on buying a home so that you can get a real feel for the different neighborhoods of the city.

[alicia-w]

i'm not a fan of big cities but lived in Phoenix from 1973 until 1998 (with a few years off for military service) and it's a great place to live. Every large city has it's crime problems, but I wouldnt knock the desert for anything. I dont know what home prices are like in your area, but my brother just bought a brand new 3500 sf house, 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, and a nice yard for $320K. There is a lot of culture, tons of shopping, cultural diversity, and in any direction 2 hours will take you to some of the most beautiful places in the state. The health care industry is booming there. Take an exploratory trip to discover it for yourself.

South Phoenix used to have a horrible rep. but it's been changing a lot and evolving into a much better place. The heat is something you can get used to. It's the intensity of the light that gets me, but that's what good shades are for.

good luck! you can always move to one of the suburbs and commute....

[azsnowman]

i'm not a fan of big cities but lived in Phoenix from 1973 until 1998 (with a few years off for military service) and it's a great place to live. Every large city has it's crime problems, but I wouldnt knock the desert for anything. I dont know what home prices are like in your area, but my brother just bought a brand new 3500 sf house, 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, and a nice yard for $320K. There is a lot of culture, tons of shopping, cultural diversity, and in any direction 2 hours will take you to some of the most beautiful places in the state. The health care industry is booming there. Take an exploratory trip to discover it for yourself.

South Phoenix used to have a horrible rep. but it's been changing a lot and evolving into a much better place. The heat is something you can get used to. It's the intensity of the light that gets me, but that's what good shades are for.

good luck! you can always move to one of the suburbs and commute....

Umm, are we talking about the same South Phoenix? I was just down there 2 weeks ago for a 3 day training at Phoenix PD and the number of calls on their board in the patrol room for South Phoenix out numbered calls in Downtown Phoenix 60 to 1!!!

Don't get me wrong, there are parts of Phoenix and the outlaying areas that are BEAUTIFUL and if it weren't for the heat I would LOVE to live there (Snotsdale being one of them and Paradise Valley!)

[Ed Mahmoud]

I said this in the San Diego thread- but even with central AC, two months plus with daytime highs of 110ºF? I mean, even in Texas, which is a lot cooler (sure, it is more humid, but I was near Odessa, TX in 1994 when it hit 118º, and it was a dry heat, sure, but it still is worse than 90º with humidity), I fear having to steer the car if I parked in the sun.


How much more can the population of Phoenix and Las Vegas grows before potable water becomes an issue? I've heard that the Colorado River doesn't always reach the Sea of Cortez anymore, so I'm guessing the Desert Southwest has to be approaching some kind of limit.

[Ed Mahmoud]

I don't know about Phoenix and housing costs, but I watch 'Flip this House' on TV sometimes, and small little 1300 sq foot homes that would go for about a $100k in Houston goes for $300k or more in SoCal, and that is before they fix it.


Really, some people who don't know better complain about the humidity, but if you want low cost of living, a temperate to Mediterranean climate (it snowed here Christmas Eve 2004, enough to dust my car and palm trees), then you want suburban Houston.

Not in the city, unless you have enough money for the really nice neighborhoods like River Oaks or Tanglewood, especially since the Katrina refugess arrived and nearly doubled the city's murder rate, but even the suburbs have reasonable cost of living, and a mild climate.

[azskyman]

My wife and I have been here ten years. Other than leaving family and friends back in the Midwest, this has been a terrific experience for both of us.

While we don't live in south Phoenix, like all cities there are good and bad places to live and work. There are parts of the southern metropolitan area of Phoenix that are terrific places to live and work.

The healthcare field out here is in great need of good people, and you would have ample opportunity in any part of the city to find not just a job, but a career. At least one of the top hospitals in the country is located in Phoenix, and the Mayo Clinic has expanded and grown every year since we arrived.

Traffic compared to other places we travel can be miserable, but not nearly so much as San Diego and L.A. where we spend a lot of our time. You are six hours by car to the Pacific Ocean beach, and just 50 minutes by plane.

We didn't know the "old Phoenix," since we have just been here a decade, but we can't imagine living anywhere else.

Heat is intense, and rain is rare. If you need sunshine to help your disposition like I do, I can wear smiles on a lot of days. But be prepared to develop a dislike for late June sunshine. It is brutal.

There are plenty of opportunities to grow in a career, volunteer in service to others, or otherwise

Housing is not cheap, and you can expect smaller lots. But taxes are dramatically less than the Midwest (2/3rds less). And compared to neighboring California, you can own a very nice home for half the cost.

If you want to send me a PM for more specifics or more details on a particular part of town or healthcare facility, please do.

This is not the perfect place on earth to live every day of the year. But the pluses far outweigh the minuses in my book.

[decgirl66]

"especially since the Katrina refugess arrived and nearly doubled the city's murder rate"

Wow, Ed, I think some people may take offense to that.

[Regit]

"especially since the Katrina refugess arrived and nearly doubled the city's murder rate"

Wow, Ed, I think some people may take offense to that.

According to Phoenix.gov

Murders 1/1/04 - 5/31/04 - 97
Murders 1/1/07 - 5/31/07 - 98

I didn't check the population increase over the same period, but if it was more than 1%, the murder rate is down.

[alicia-w]

i think he was talking about Houston's murder rate doubling, not Phoenix...

[alicia-w]

http://www.gpec.org/InfoCenter/Topics/D ... ation.html

[Regit]

i think he was talking about Houston's murder rate doubling, not Phoenix...

Ah, I see that now. I have no idea what their murder rate is. But to Angelwing, at least murders aren't on the rise.