Glendale or Gilbert? Where to live

[aj661]

Congrats to your husband and good luck with the rest of the process! Mesa is a good city overall. The PD, well, they're overly micro-managed IMHO. I worked for the Highway Patrol for 22 years from Apache Jct east. We often worked alone and had to be somewhat more self reliant than city cops (I worked for Tempe PD in a previous life and felt suffocated). Enough of that-back to the subject:

There is a new hospital going in on Crismon Rd just north of US60 (east Mesa) Banner Baywood is a few miles northwest on Power Rd and Baywood Ave. Then there's Banner Mesa at Country Club and Brown, Banner Desert on Dobson Rd just north of US60 and Mesa General hospital on Mesa Dr. Banner Gateway on Higley at US60 in Gilbert will open in about a year. (Hospitals in the east valley are like Circle K's and Walgreens: one on almost every corner)

Superstition Springs Mall is on Power Rd just north of US60 with many restaurants and movie theaters nearby. Another large shopping complex with theaters is going in on Signal Butte just south of US60. There is a waterpark on Country Club north of US60.

Bottom line, it will be much easier for your husband to drive to work from Gilbert, or the far east valley like Apache Jct or Gold Canyon.
CodyW is right about the east-west thing. My only experiences with Glendale were in the downtown area. It was just a pain getting there and if you can avoid driving on Grand Ave, do it. It 's a major diagonal artery that starts in downtown Phoenix and runs northwest through Glendale. One very GOOD thing about Glendale though: They took the local football team away from us so we don't have to deal with that traffic nightmare anymore - suckers! (There's always been a rivalry between east valley and west valley ).

[sassieb75]

Ok, I agree with all of you, staying on the East side is probably a good idea. Although, I do think the arrowhead Ranch area would be desirable also. It really isnt worth the commute. John C. Lincoln is on the west side of the valley with 2 locations(one being more central) but probably too far for you if you are planning on living on the East side. St. Joe's is a good hosital and Good Samaritan hospital are some other good places to work(or so my R.N friends say). Really you will find good things about any area unless you are specifically told otherwise. Like S. PHX or S.Glendale. (my opinion)

The Metro area is pretty easy to figure out as far as direction. Im not familiar with Mesa all that much. But, from the far west out to the far east end of the valley they have roads that run all the way from one side to the other. For example you can live on bell Rd and can be in the far west and also you can live on Bell rd and be in the far east. Then you have the avenues(run on the west side) and then the streets(that run on the east) with central being the division between the St's and AVE's. It may sound confusing but you will get it pretty quick. Good luck to you and your family!

[MRHOSE]

Hi, Just I Question, We Are Thinking About Moving To The Seville Golf And Country Club. But One Of My Concerns Is The Mesa And Chandler Areas. Does Crime From Either Community Spill Into That Area Or Is It Too Far To Be Worried About. Just A Foot Note, I Check The Sexual Criminal Locator And There Seems To Be Quite A Number In Chandler And Mesa..should I Be Concerned.. Thanks For Your Reply

[Prescott Valley mom]

I also agree, if your husband is going to work in Mesa then living in Mesa would be a good idea.
As a nurse you can get a job in so...many hospitals if that what you want. The commute IS bad IF you are going with most of the traffic. I'm a nurse who lived in Apache Junction for 12 years and worked at Banner Desert Hospital for 10 years. It was not the closest hospital but I liked it there. They are working on Magnet status. Anyway what I was going to say is, I lived 23 miles away from work. It only took me 20 mins. to drive, straight west on hwy 60. I trick is I worked 12 hr 7pm shift so I was going the opposite way of most the traffic. I would be sailing by at 60 or so looking at the bumper to bumper traffic barely moving. Heaven for bid an accident happen then NO one goes anywhere for long time. Really sitting on a hot highway running your air conditioner at full blast for an hour ruins the day. And thats not even talking about having to be to work on time.
I hope your husband likes the hot sun. Yes 6 months of the year being a policeman out side, weather would be good, but the other 6 (May-October end) it's very uncomfortable to be in the sun for more than 5 mins. If your husband is going to work nights or you then your comutes will be alot easier. So whoever is going to work Days needs to be the closest to their work.
Mesa is a large city in itself. It has a nice water park with a big wave pool, water slides, game arcade, and goffy golf, whole place is call Golfland. I would stick to anywhere in Mesa except central or west/central Mesa. Schools are as good as any other. You might want to check out Charter Schools. There are several to choose from. Usually smaller classes/ better teacher to student ratio than public school. They don't cost anything to attend.
Gilbert or Chandler are ok in certain parts. I perfer Chandler. Being the whole area is very heavy with Mormans, they have alot of influance on decisions. So is family oriented area.
If you are wondering why I live in Prescott Valley now, it's after 12 years of being roasted and toasted clear thru, we couldn't take the heat anymore. Running the car air conditioner at full blast and still being hot, especially the back seat. The kids( now out of high school) I feel sorry for gowing up in the heat. They never knew what it was like to just go outside and play all day. Unless you have a pool, its to hot. Then if you have a pool , being out in the sun for long times isn't healthy (skin cancers etc.) So basically when the kids are out of school its to hot to go out to play.
Then in the winter ones has to deal withall the extra traffic on the roads , resturants and store from the snow birds (winter visitors) from the northern states.

Oh sorry got off the subject.........

[HollyhockGarden]

Hello -- Congratulations on your husband's new job in Mesa. My family and I live in Glendale and like it very much. We live within the Peoria Unified School District boundaries, which are further to the north. I would agree with the posters that I would move closer to my husband's job if he is the main bread-winner and will be earning more money than you will be. I know RN's make very good money, too, so if you will be making more $$, than move closer to your job! I commute to downtown Phoenix, which takes about 25 minutes each way, not too bad. I also have the option of taking public transportation if I need to, which is re-assuring in these days of turmoil in the Middle East. I would try to keep my commute as short as possible as a shorter commute will increase your quality of life. Be careful when checking out neighborhoods -- check out the local school districts, sex offender website, crime reports,and check out the # of students at the school who are eligible for free school lunches,etc. Be aware that Mesa has had tremendous changes in population during the last ten years, and there are many neighborhoods there, as everywhere in the Phoenix metro area, where English may not be the primary language spoken in the home. There may also be more than one family living in each home, which increases enrollment at local schools without increasing the property tax revenue. Mesa citizens recently voted down a property tax referendum and as a result, there have been major governmental cutbacks due to the funding shortfall. Good luck with your move! You will find a nice spot -- there are many nice people here in Phoenix.

[sweattea]

Originally Posted by aj661

Congrats to your husband and good luck with the rest of the process! Mesa is a good city overall. The PD, well, they're overly micro-managed IMHO. I worked for the Highway Patrol for 22 years from Apache Jct east. We often worked alone and had to be somewhat more self reliant than city cops (I worked for Tempe PD in a previous life and felt suffocated). Enough of that-back to the subject:

There is a new hospital going in on Crismon Rd just north of US60 (east Mesa) Banner Baywood is a few miles northwest on Power Rd and Baywood Ave. Then there's Banner Mesa at Country Club and Brown, Banner Desert on Dobson Rd just north of US60 and Mesa General hospital on Mesa Dr. Banner Gateway on Higley at US60 in Gilbert will open in about a year. (Hospitals in the east valley are like Circle K's and Walgreens: one on almost every corner)

Superstition Springs Mall is on Power Rd just north of US60 with many restaurants and movie theaters nearby. Another large shopping complex with theaters is going in on Signal Butte just south of US60. There is a waterpark on Country Club north of US60.

Bottom line, it will be much easier for your husband to drive to work from Gilbert, or the far east valley like Apache Jct or Gold Canyon.
CodyW is right about the east-west thing. My only experiences with Glendale were in the downtown area. It was just a pain getting there and if you can avoid driving on Grand Ave, do it. It 's a major diagonal artery that starts in downtown Phoenix and runs northwest through Glendale. One very GOOD thing about Glendale though: They took the local football team away from us so we don't have to deal with that traffic nightmare anymore - suckers! (There's always been a rivalry between east valley and west valley ).

We also have that fabulous new Gilbert Emergency hospital on Power and Ray. I love that hospital, unfortunately I had to go there twice, but boths experiences were great.

[Singlemom2specialneeds]

Originally Posted by cassiern73

Hello everyone!!My family and I are relocating to Phoenix area after the first of the year. We have 4 kids, my husband is a police officer and I am a nurse. We are looking for a family friendly area with low crime and good schools. We will be renting so price of housing doesnt matter. We want to be sure first we like the area before we buy, so a 1-2 year lease for us is the way to go.

We have looked at many areas and have narrowed our search down to Glendale, Gilbert,Chandler and possibly Litchfield area. We would like some opinions of these areas. I believe correct me if I am wrong Glendale is shorter distance into Phoenix than lets say Gilbert or Chandler;However I have heard Gilbert is a great town. We also would like to move to an area where maybe there are waterparks ect. for the kids.

Now I have heard many people say that there isnt anything to do and Az is boring but I believe that you can make anyplace a good place and hey as long as there are restraunts, malls, and movie theaters we as a family are set.

We are running out of time because we are moving right after the 1st of the year and will be flying out to put money down on a rental house in December.

Thank you in advance for all your input and your time!!!!

from way to cold in Wisconsin!!!

These are my opinions from having lived in the midwest and have been in the Phoenix Metro Area for 10 years..
The Phoenix PD will RUIN your husband and your family.. the officers are WAY underpaid (you will be the bread winner in your household as a nurse!!).. My ex was a wonderful person until the stress from being a Phoenix Police Officer became too much and he snapped!!! Making what? $40,000 a year?? Give me a BREAK!! Having to put up with the abuse of the "homeboys" the technology is horrible for the officers... their lives are at stake!! Google the cases of Phoenix Police Officers and the increased amount of domestic violence. They don't have enough officers to handle the rampant crime rate. THREE of my ex's colleagues were really good guys and one women.. and guess what? They are now very violent alcoholics. The detective who worked on my daughter's case.. he even said that the PD turns men and women violent...

You have children??? Hahahahahaha the schools here are an absolute JOKE. The only way they will get a decent education is going private. I hate to break it to you, but I found that the senior HONORS classes were things I learned in 8th grade back in Kansas.

Phoenix Metro is good for singles NOT for families.

[NYCtoWarm]

"The Phoenix PD will RUIN your husband and your family."

If you can predict the future can you tell us the powerball lotto numbers? What happens to certain people who can't handle stress, doesn't happen to everyone. Being a police officer in a big city is stressful. This doesn't mean that all the cops will turn into violent alcoholics.

$40,000 is the starting salary with a max pay of $60,000. This is for patrol officers. A person will make more as a detective, etc.

NYPD starts at $25,000 and the cost of living in NYC is much higher.

[Nurseterry7]

Congrats on the move and your husband's job! I, too, recommend living in Gilbert..the schools aren't that bad-you just have to assume responsibilty as a parent to stay on top of your kiddo's grades and their progress...AIMS is always fun! Also-as a fellow nurse-I would not recommend Banner for their pay, but they do offer excellent benefits. The new IASIS hospital is on Southern and Crismon-not a bad drive from south Gilbert-fifteen minutes-tops and they pay EXCELLENT wages-usually over $ 30.00 an hour for RN's....plus our "hot" season is fast approaching for nurses.....nice Gilbert communities are Seville and Power Ranch, plus there is nice shopping, new restaurants, etc....I love Gilbert, even though we just moved to Queen Creek......good luck on your new jobs and home!! Hope you decide to stay with us in sunny Arizona!
Terry