Houston,Tx to Phoenix,AZ (Scottsdale, Tempe: car insurance, find a job, school district)

[Jeanell93]

I'm 22 currently living in Houston TX. I have a 4 year old son. I'm looking to relocate to Arizona by January. I would like to know some good affordable places to live that's 4 hours or less from California. Good public school district for my son to attend. I would be moving there with out a job. Please Help?

[Az_Mitch]

The title of your post says Houston to Phoenix but your subject just says relocating to Arizona. Do you want to move to Phoenix or just somewhere in the state. Also, when you say 4 hours or less from California, do you mean the border or somewhere specific? What kind of job will you be trying to get when you move here?

[Jeanell93]

I've been looking mainly in Phoenix but I want to see different options first. As far as work I'm pretty much well rounded in most fields. I currently work as a Dietry Aide. My fiance has family in California.

[magnum0417]

You are 4 hours from Palm Springs if that is what you mean.As far as So Cal goes, unless you are within an hour of the ocean, might as well live in Arizona.

[yellowbelle]

What part of CA do you specifically want to be within 4 hours of?

Why Arizona? Others can provide better advice if you give some more detail. Your request is very vague.

[Belmont_Boy]

What is your impetus for moving to Arizona as opposed to just moving to California?

If you have any intentions of earning a more competitive living wage with more comprehensive non-wage benefits, having the ability to take advantage of public assistance programs for the welfare of you and your son (most young, unwed mothers do) and providing you and your son with more and better opportunities for higher education while being geographically closer to your fiancee's family, then you should move to California instead.

Thing is, for someone with a young child who's working as a dietary aide for $12-15/hour, there are many parts of inland California that would probably fit the bill better than Arizona.

People in more conservative states with allegedly lower taxes than California, such as Arizona and Texas for example, will often dismiss California as having extremely high taxes, but that's really only true of high-income earners, as California has a progressive tax rate.

Essentially, a progressive tax rate is one by which your tax rate increases as your taxable income increases. In California, low-income earners, a category into which the average dietary aide falls, pay very low taxes.

Dietary aides are largely unionized in California, too, so once you find a job, your employment will be more secure, you will have more rights and protections as an employee (not only through your union, but through the State of California as well - California affords healthcare workers with lots of rights and protections not legislated by other states), your benefits will be comprehensive, and your wage will be more competitive.

Laborers unions are highly frowned upon in Arizona, which is a RTW state like Texas, so don't expect to join one if you move there. For line-level employees, that presents numerous issues with regard to job security, compensation, etc.

Furthermore, costs such as food, healthcare, childcare, higher education, etc. are more affordable and/or better subsidized for low-income earners in California relative to Arizona. So as a young mother, you will have more opportunity to take advantage of state and local subsidies during the transitional process of moving and becoming established.

Also, other costs like car insurance and utilities are generally cheaper in California than Arizona. For low-income individuals and families, these costs are highly relevant to the big picture.

Overall, don't be turned off by the high COL in California, as it's really only super expensive in the coastal areas and inland resort areas (i.e., Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, etc.). Outside of those areas, much of California is fairly affordable.

Plus, if you move to California, you will have your fiancees family nearby for support, if necessary, and you won't be driving for hours on end (and wasting tons of gas) to visit them!

[Jeanell93]

Thanks so much for the advice. I'm thinking San Bernardino or some where close to it because that's where his family lives. Just tryna find something affordable and looks nice.

[i'm not a cookie]

I drive from LA to PHX multipul times a year, I usually do it in 5 hours, but it takes most people six, if we are talking San Bernadino county it's probs 5 fours from SB to PHX. IF I were you I would seriously look into Tempe(south Scottsdale also has affordable places also). If you are young and want to be around a young seen plus have a safe environment for your son to grow up in I HIGHLEY suggest the East Vally, and as I said Scottsdale and Tempe are best in my opinion, gilbert and chandler are cool also, but it's not really a fun place for a 22 year old in my opinion. I'm 22 and I split my time between Scottsdale and LA, Scottsdale is a fabulous city and just next door to phoenix.