Tempe, Arizona

Tempe is in the Phoenix Metro Area and is home to ASU. It’s a short drive up the highway to Scottsdale but a world away in terms of demographics. It’s college kids and university staff and the residents like the nightlife, they like to party. Tempe, Arizona is a college town smack in the middle of one of the United State’s most sprawling metropolitan areas, Phoenix, Arizona. It has its fair share of hip urban things like nice coffee shops, delicious craft beer, and excellent local, affordable dining. Politically, Tempe is considered to be a liberal enclave within the valley, otherwise the Phoenix area is visibly conservative.

Frank Loyd Wright designed some of the University’s buildings and nearby Papago Park is very near campus for recreation and beautiful visages. The “main drag” in Tempe leads directly into the heart of Scottsdale just a fifteen-minute drive away and Scottsdale is a hub of upscale shopping, golf resorts, and horse riding locations.

It’s pretty easy to get around the city without a car. The light rail ferries students and professionals around with ease. North of Route 60 is good public transport, South of Route 60, not so much. It’s a young town filled with young people doing young people things. Also, you’d better have a pool.

Tempe is built all around Arizona State University and its 90,000 students and employees so if you want to attend classes there, people there are attracted to the college style of living; sports, etc. It’s easy to be from out of town here as many of the city’s residents are.

South Tempe appeals to those who like to be just out of reach of the college scene but close enough to partake should the spirit move them. If you’re a student look at renting a house with some roomies west of campus. Alternatively, there are several apartment complexes close to the light rail along Apache. Stay west of McClintock to avoid overpriced student-oriented complexes.

If you want to know what's happening year-round in Tempe check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Tempe and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

The Phoenix Metro Area (known as The Valley) is hard to beat for value and comfort. Tempe is the most walkable part of Arizona, and the cost of living here is quite low for a young person just starting out -- it's not difficult to get by in Tempe,