Weddingbee boards

I grew up in Phoenix. Also lived in Tucson for 7 years (approx. 2 hours south of Phx).

To answer your Qs about Phx . . .

Is Arizona a nice place to live and raise a family? We have a toddler so I am concerned with schools, safety etc. Like anywhere else, check out the different neighborhoods and school districts. Some areas are rough. Others are very new and safe. I'd check out the crime stats too. It's a big city and there is crime. Growing up, I didn’t experience any violent crime. Our house was robbed 2x - but it was just teens from the neighborhood going through all the houses in the area (not that it makes it any better - teens vs. career criminals).

The rental prices are way less than up here from what I've seen. FI could transfer with his work and I'm a SAHM. Rents were less $$ in AZ than any other place I have lived. Again, just watch the neighborhood. Some are more expensive than others. I can't comment on which neighborhood to look at anymore. Every time I go back, there are new developments and massive sprawl. Also, realize your air conditioning bill will be high. Growing up, ours was almost as high as our mortgage. Many homes have pools too - so this is another monthly upkeep cost if you go this route.

Are people generally friendly to non Hispanics? Yes. I always recall a mix of cultures. I'm Caucasian. We learned Spanish in school which was nice. Phx. does tend to be very conservative. Tucson is less so (college town) and has a lot of hippies.

I love hot weather and sunshine.  You have to love the heat to live there!! :) It's nice to have so much sunshine year-round, but the summers are HOT and dry. Have you experienced a really hot day? Maybe go down in July or August to see what it feels like - if  you haven't already. Growing up, I never knew anything else. Since moving away, now when I go back, I just can't handle the heat. I feel like I can't breathe on those really hot days. A day of 120 something would kill me now. Also, the desert can get cold in the winter (well cold for me anyway :)). There's not really other weather issues. There are monsoons - big storms, but that's about it. But, looking back, people just learned to live with the weather - same as people who live in the snow. You don't go out running the summer afternoon, you always have water with you and in your car, you do things in the morning and evening, etc.

There was good outdoor activities - hiking, etc. There were lots of activities for kids. I recall community centers, parks, and community activities.

It has a large snow-bird population - so increases in population in the winter and then people clear out in the hot summer months.

A lot of people absolutely love Phx. and the surrounding areas. However, it was never a good fit for me, which is why I left Phx right after I graduated high school. I wanted out since I was little. I personally didn’t like the suburban sprawl - house after house that all blended together. Strip mall after strip mall. It's not a walking city. I don't know, it just wasn't what I wanted. I ended up moving to NYC and now to LA. But, that's what makes cities great - everyone one is different and has something for each individual personality. If you can, I would spend a week or longer there. Just to get a sense of the different areas, the feel, and the weather.

Hmm... I wouldn't really call it "crazy conservative politics". It isn't as much of a "red state" as people tend to think. I actually believe AZ is somewhat moderate (leaning to the right) when you consider all counties as a whole. For example, Tucson and the rest of Pima County tend to lean left (see Gabby Giffords, elected Democrat). I guess the only thing that most people in AZ really agree on is illegal immigration -- but you get that when you live right at the border and experience it firsthand. And it's not like the debate seeps into their every day lives, that's way overdramatic.

OP, I think your view of AZ is a bit narrow. People are certainly kind to "non-hispanics" -- there are lots of races and cultures there. I actually never saw or experienced racism firsthand until I moved to the East Coast -- and I lived in AZ for over two decades. In fact, the thing I loved most about AZ was the people. People were super kind, very friendly. Strangers wave and say hello rather than shoulder you out of the way to get where they're going. Small town atmosphere for sure.

I personally am not a big fan of Phoenix, it's a HUGE city and very, very hot. Many places in AZ are much more reasonable in temperature (Tucson is usually about 10 degrees cooler; northern AZ is much cooler as well). In Southern AZ, winters definitely get colder than 50-60 though. 30-40 is not uncommon, and nights are almost always below freezing in the middle of winter.

@sweetkate: lol, you will definitely get a taste of the REAL AZ visiting Phoenix in August. Be ready to sweat :)

I don't think the OP's comment about wanting a town who was friendly to non hispanics is a racist comment. There is a stereotypical attitude that the media pushes (all media, not just the news) about border towns and how outsiders are treated. There are small border towns in So Cal where outsiders don't always feel so welcome. And it isn't just hispanics, and this isn't racist. I lived in Hawaii for 5 years. They don't like outsiders. Not every individual was unfriendly, but the majority were. It's just how it is. The same can be said for certain towns all over the country.

I spent some time in Yuma in the summer. It was HOT. I mean, we hit 110 here in the summer (CA) but Yuma was dreadful. 

A couple I'm friends with from Michigan moved to a suburb of Phoenix and they think its great. They just love the warm weather (although I couldn't handle that shit, it sounds miserable) and everything about it.  I don't really know about race relations, though.  My friends are white and they've never complained about anyone hating on them for being white. 

I grew up in Mesa (a suburb of Phx) and my family still lives there. I was a pre-teen when we moved, but I think Arizona is as nice a place as any to raise a family. Like anywhere else, you just have to find the right neighborhood. However, as a teacher I can't say that Arizona's school system is all that great. Personally, I feel that the state legislature doesn't think much of public education and greiviously under-funds schools. I think kids can still get a pretty good education, but it frustrated me as an educator.

I agree with others that the state is pretty conservative. I think that many of the actual citizens might be more moderate, but the decisions and bills that are made into law are definitely more conservative. Like others also said, I don't think you need to worry about race issues. At least while I lived there/where I lived the majority of the population is still white.

And, as I'm sure you're understanding by now, Phx is HOT. It is hands-down the hottest place I've ever lived. You can definitely visit in the summer months, but as someone used to other temperatures you will feel like it's unbearable (I feel that way now when I visit family).  I think you just gradually get used to the heat and adapt to spending a lot of time inside/in a pool/letting your car run for 10 minutes to get the air conditioning going so you can touch the wheel. So, yes rent is cheaper, but you have to budget in the high cost of constant air conditioning for 3-4 months.  On the flip side, the fall/winter months are magnificent (my husband wants to snowbird when we're older and we love visiting for Christmas & hanging out in shorts).

There's lots of good things about Arizona and I thought it was a great place to live. Good luck with your choice!

My parents are currently in the process of purchasing a vacation home in Awatukee. (Right near Chandler, suburb of Phx)

I am from Dallas/Fort Worth and have lived here the majority of my life. I HATE IT! I'm sure you could find tons of people that would love it here! Just the same as Arizona! :) I just came back from a mini vacation a few months ago to see the neighborhood my parents were looking at buying a home and I fell in LOVE. While I've traveled to Arizona many times, this place just melted my heart! I am fast tracking things to move on out there! There are so many outdoor activities to do and the Chandler/Awatukee area was adorable! I love the spanish style houses, I love the mountains, I love the walking trails, the cactus, even the beautiful flowers I saw growing everywhere. I would TOTALLY raise a family there! Don't even get me started on the prices...I mean for the same cost to buy a beautiful new 4 bedroom home, I would barely be able to purchase a 25 year old 2 bedroom dump here in Dallas! I get the complaint about the heat- if you don't do heat you may not like it. I personally HATE humidity- I don't even step foot outside during July/August here in DFW unless I'm walking to my car. On the other hand, I love dry heat! 120 degree dry day? No problems here! It doesn't feel the same and IMHO it's much more tolerable. Bring it on!!

Best of luck to you!!

We currently live in AZ, the Mesa/Gilbert area. The people are great, the drivers can be crazy, the heat is almost a constant, but the winters are gorgeous. Great family area.

However, if you are looking for entertainment, there doesn't seem to be much to do unless you are willing to spend. Then again, I'm from Utah where there are mountaints and lakes and various activities every which way you look.

We plan on moving back to UT next year.

@7-9-11bride: My sister actually lives in Medford OR now and is also talking about moving on out to Arizona sometime soon. She said this year has been just cruddy and is hardcore affecting her mood. Although I thought Oregon was so pretty out near Jacksonville- I wouldn't be able to handle it either. Especially when you have a little that just wants to go outside and play!