1,703,080
Population
Sunny Days: 299
48100 Affordability
85100 Schools
61100 Diversity
66100 Safety
You know you live in Phoenix when the four seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and are you freakin' kidding me. -Unknown
Phoenix, Arizona
The Spicy Chicken
Downtown Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix, Credit: James Day / www.jamesdayart.com
Four Peaks, Phoenix, Credit: Donald Giannatti
Phoenix Countryside, Credit: Jeremy Alford
The Best Thing About Phoenix?
Making Hay While The Sun Shines
300 days of sunshine a year make it the sunniest major city in the country. While some of those days are obscenely toasty the great majority are just plain nice. Which makes it hard to not enjoy being outside hiking, or biking, or outdoor yoga, or poolside cocktails, or whatever it is people do when it is nice out all the time. If you like a casual lifestyle of shorts and t-shirt this is going to be your nirvana.
Here's a local on the weather and outdoor culture:
LIKES: weather is awesome in general .. take away the 4 months where summer is brutal and most people would rather take it over the alternative plus driving distance to snow
Things to do… MANY places to hike, skiing/snowboarding in the winter up north, down south and to the east.. various lakes around the state.. closest beach from the Phoenix area is in Mexico but driving distance to California.. plenty of casinos here but if you wanna go big then Las Vegas is driving distance as well
For more reviews from locals check out: The Reviews
The Worst Thing About Phoenix?
Sprawl
All the boom Phoenix experienced had to end up somewhere. People come here in part for the same reason people have been coming west for hundreds of years: lots of space. Which means that as far as the eye can see the homes and commercial strips stretch out into the dessert. Phoenix lacks green, and trees, and many tall buildings so this sprawl is visually striking and detracts from the sense of Phoenix having character.
Here's a local on the sprawl issue in Phoenix:
The sprawl is utterly depressing and it’s a horribly boring and bland city. The “downtown” area feels like a mid 2000s open world game - utterly nondescript copy and pasted buildings and almost no one around. Not to mention the city is an absolute environmental disaster. And once you get past all of that, hey, it’s only absolutely miserable to live in Phoenix like 6 months out of the year.
For more reviews from locals check out: The Reviews
Lifestyle Of Phoenix
Like most sunbelt cities, Phoenix is a mix of: retirees/snowbirds, families who flocked here for inexpensive housing, young professionals from throughout the southwest looking for a lively city, and finally work-from-home refugees from more expensive cities.
What all these populations have in common first and foremost is an appreciation for the outdoors. If you live here you’re going to spend most of the year hiking, camping, golfing, biking, running, swimming, kayaking, jet skiing or any other activity that takes advantage of the weather or helps you get cool relief from the weather.
If you’re looking for something to do after you finish your hike or swim, then expect to enjoy a massive outdoor culture of rooftop bars and beer gardens. That is the Phoenix lifestyle. Play outdoors during the day, and have a cocktail and fine meal outdoors at night. This is how they roll here.
If you want to see what's happening in Phoenix check out the calendar of events: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/phoenix/Event
Workstyle Of Phoenix
Phoenix has a small number of Fortune 500 companies relative to its size but with wfh on the rise that’s likely increasingly irrelevant. Where Phoenix excels is in the small business community. Consider the costs of starting and running a small business in NYC or San Francisco v. Phoenix and it is easy to understand why Phoenix was the fastest growing city in the U.S. between 2010 and 2020. Neighboring Scottsdale is home to a big percentage of the Arizona tech businesses so if you don’t mind a small commute that could be your huckleberry.
While there isn’t much venture capital here there is tons of human capital that appreciates the low tax rate and inexpensive real estate. Generally the population here works in mid-pay to low-pay service jobs and now increasingly a side-hustle lifestyle. The low cost-of-living makes all of this possible where you can feel like you’re drowning in other parts of the country. One oddity to the Phoenix job market is the large volume of call-center jobs available here. The lack of natural disasters that would force a closure, the low cost of land/office space for housing lots of cost-center workers, and the neutral accent of most of the locals seems to pull in the business.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
Take Down Your Temp
Even though Phoenix has boomed it remains an extremely inexpensive option for a big city. Much of the stress that goes with trying to slug it out in one of the other big cities comes down here. The economy is good, the cost of living is low, there are no city taxes, and the lifestyle is healthy. That makes it perfect for youngsters looking for an inexpensive place to get a start or raise a family, and ideal for empty nesters or retirees looking to stretch a relatively fixed buck.
Living in Phoenix
Neighborhoods in Phoenix
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The Area
As was noted in the workstyle section the Phoenix metropolitan area, known as the Valley by locals, includes Scottsdale, which is just a few miles from downtown. It also includes the city of Mesa, which at over 500k in population, is no slouch itself. The suburban cities of Glendale, Peoria, Tempe, and the aforementioned Scottsdale are all 200k+ populations making “the Valley” a booming metropolis.
Most of the area gets around by car but there is a light rail system, called the METRO Light Rail, that runs 20 miles from Mesa, through Tempe and into Phoenix. The line connects these three downtowns, the major Phoenix airport and two of the four metro area campuses of Arizona State. It ain’t much by New York standards but there are expansions in the planning and construction stages so expect the public transport scene to improve here.
Downtown
Young Professionals
As with most cities, Downtown Phoenix is the starting point for young professionals looking for a place to live. It sits right next to the financial and business districts so you can walk to work but perhaps even more importantly it’s where the greatest concentration of bars, restaurants, entertainment venues and rental properties sit. Neighborhoods that border the downtown area, and so get the walkscore benefits, but without some of the density, include Encanto and Camelback East. Both have their own commercial districts for more casual nights out, but they also have quick access to downtown nightlife but have the benefits of not only reasonably priced apartments but also single-family homes.
- Downtown Phoenix
- Encanto Village
- Camelback East Village
Estrella
Young Families
One of the most popular neighborhoods for families getting started is Estrella. Just 20 minutes from downtown it has newer subdivisions with great homes at very low purchase or rental prices. It also has a robust commercial district for restaurants and shopping. It also is home to the Tres Rios Wetlands, a 700- acre reclamation project that offers free outdoor exploration for you and the little ones.
- Estrella
- North Gateway
- South Mountain
Ahwatukee Foothills
Established Families
Established Families:
One of the most highly rated neighborhoods for families in Phoenix is Ahwatukee Foothills. Located on the southernmost border of Phoenix in the foothills of South Mountain Park and Preserve it has the highest rated public schools in the area and beautiful shaded homes and blocks for kids to play. The immediate proximity to 16,000 acres of parkland with trails for hiking and horseback riding don’t hurt either. Paradise Valley Village is another great option for those with the $ for a bigger home and more of a country club lifestyle. It sits near Old Town Scottsdale, which has a jumping social scene, but has a small town feel with its own police and fire departments. We should finally note that Encanto, which has great options for young professionals, also has a historic district that has great big beautiful homes for those who crave the manor but want to be in a more dense urban district.
- Ahwatukee Foothills
- Paradise Valley Village
- Encanto Historic District
- Desert View
- Deer Valley
- Arcadia
Sun City
Retirees/Empty Nesters
The Phoenix area, it probably goes without saying, is one of the most popular locations for retirees, empty nesters and snowbirds in the country. This includes quiet neighborhoods in the city that satisfy the peaceful part of the equation. It also includes vast developments like Sun City that are outside the city limits but serve the needs of those looking to live near the city. Sun City is the original 55+ community and while it is not a gated resort like some it has a self-contained neighborhood feel that attracts full-time retirees and snowbirds. Sun City, like many of these resorts has its own pools, rec centers, restaurants, event center, banks, & shopping, all reachable by golf-cart. If you’re looking for this lifestyle then the Phoenix area should be on your list.
- Sun City
- Sun Lakes
- PebbleCreek
- Trilogy at Verde River
- Victory in Verrado