If you're considering moving to AZ READ THIS! (Phoenix, Mesa: relocating, apartment complex)

[HAMMERHEAD46]

You forgot two towns in your DO NOT LIVE THERE list and I am sorry to say it is MESA ARIZONA as I grew up there, and TEMPE ARIZONA.
The crime rate is out of sight in Mesa and Tempe both

[SpeedyAZ]

Tempe isn't all that bad; it has a bunch of colleges kids which usually translates to a higher crime rate. Overall I think Tempe is a pretty good city; Mill Ave. has a ton of bars/ clubs that are pretty popular.

[aj661]

Originally Posted by HAMMERHEAD46

You forgot two towns in your DO NOT LIVE THERE list and I am sorry to say it is MESA ARIZONA as I grew up there, and TEMPE ARIZONA.
The crime rate is out of sight in Mesa and Tempe both

Stop it!! I live in Mesa on the east side, It is a huge city and there are a LOT of quality areas to live. I'd stay away from where you grew up (did you go to Westwood HS?).

Tempe is land locked so it won't continue to spread like Mesa and Gilbert. I haven't lived there in over twenty years so I'm not going to comment other than I know it still has some nice areas on the south side. I have an old friend who lives there and loves it. Here's a sample pic of a home for sale from south of Warner, west of Rural in the 85284 zip code, near my friend's home.


My point is you can find decent areas in just about any city. I used to put down Mesa because it was old and boring. Well, now that I'm old and boring it's not so bad.

[J.J.1982]

This thread has a lot of wonderful information. Very nice!

Anyhow, I am a college student and Air National Guard man. For a while now I have been considering my options - as far as career progression is concerned - and I have been leaning toward transferring to the AZ ANG at Sky Harbor (the one with the KC-135s). My ultimate goal is to become a pilot there. Hopefully.

I lived in Tucson for a little while last year while "on tour," and I liked the area. I have heard good things about Phoenix, all of which have been identified in this and other threads, and I want to know what everyone's take is on good areas to live in that are low crime (my biggest concern), affordable, near a small airport, and most importantly: an area where the commute to work will not kill me! I have been considering Chandler area, but what I'm hoping for is any specific info. on any area that may be useful in helping me decide.

I do reside in Cali. and for that I am sorry b/c I know how bad many of us have made AZ. When I was in Tucson I was shunned because of this dreadful fact (correct me if I'm wrong, but many AZ natives do not like Californians). Prescott even has an acronym for my kind. Oh well, but any and all help is appreciated!

[MotleyCrew]

Just a matter of attitude. My husband and I are also CA escapees and we feel AZ is lucky to have us. We left our politics and beads behind.

[LBear]

A couple of weeks ago I had a rental car and it had California plates. WOW! Did I get the evil eye from SO MANY people. Everywhere I went, people would stare at me after seeing my plates and give me dirty looks. It was not fun...

[HAMMERHEAD46]

[quote=aj661;511240]Stop it!! I live in Mesa on the east side, It is a huge city and there are a LOT of quality areas to live. I'd stay away from where you grew up (did you go to Westwood HS?).

NO I DID NOT GO TO WESTWOOD!
IT WAS NOT EVEN GRADUATING STUDENTS WHEN I GRADUATED!
I WAS IN THE LAST CLASS TO GRADUATE FROM THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL IN MESA!

THE ONE THE ONLY MESA HIGH SCHOOL! State AAA football champions with a 13 - 0 record (That would be AAAAA in the new reworked world with no C schools, where EVERYONE has to be an A school! HA HA) That is also the year that a future Mayor of Mesa had a hand in releasing Alligators into the Canal system around Mesa raising a bit of a fuss.

I was coming in from Los Angeles on a 727 (The year (1967) from proposing to my first wife) I saw this HUGH fire under the flight Path and my mother told me when I got off of the plane that it was my High Schools 'OLD MAIN' BUILT IN 1893 IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. (During fire drills we could empty that 3 story building in less than 90 seconds!)

No the HEART OF MESA is now run by the gangs, I went back to look at my old school about 6 years ago and I was sorry I had as there are now 10 Ft fences around about 1/3 of what was OUR school to keep the students in and try to keep the Gangs and drugs out HA HA.
It looks more like a prison than a school, with the Social Studies building now a Elementary school again, the Amory is gone (Girls Gym, Welding, Electrons) I don't remember if the automotive building was still there or not.
2 nd Ave has been closed and is inside the fence as part of the school along with (FRANKLIN? Elementary) The English and Library building.

Yes Central MESA has gone to POT!

[J.J.1982]

Originally Posted by Pettrix

A couple of weeks ago I had a rental car and it had California plates. WOW! Did I get the evil eye from SO MANY people. Everywhere I went, people would stare at me after seeing my plates and give me dirty looks. It was not fun...

I still had Cali. plates on my car for quite a while when I lived in Tucson, and NO JOKE....about every two weeks I was pulled over. After about two months of this I finally broke and RE-REGISTERED my car with AZ. Once I had AZ plates on I never had a problem again! I even passed a cop once coming home from work, he saw me and shook his head, but didn't pull me over. I bet if I still had my Cali. plates it would have been all over for me!

[jco]

I want to know what everyone's take is on good areas to live in that are low crime (my biggest concern), affordable, near a small airport, and most importantly: an area where the commute to work will not kill me!

Have you considered around Williams Gateway Airport? It's a very small airport near in Mesa. There are very safe areas right around it. The commute to Sky Harbor wouldn't be so fun, though, if you end up there. Sky Harbor has nice areas nearby. Check out the Phoenix areas I listed in the original post.

I do reside in Cali. and for that I am sorry b/c I know how bad many of us have made AZ.

Well, you're right that several people are very disappointed with what California has done to our state, but I have to say that what California has done isn't near as bad as what Mexico has done. I guess what's hard for us is that Arizona has changed quite a bit in some ways (drove up the cost of living, worst in the nation for road rage now, brought politics to a red state, etc.), and they did it with a terrible attitude. If Californians are going to come to this state and have a pretty negative effect on it, I guess I wish they would at least be nice! Instead, we get flipped off for obeying traffic laws instead of catering to their impatience on the road, we enjoy the sunset while they complain about how horrible this state is in comparison to CA, we work hard to save money and buy a house while they come and slap 75% down on a home and drive up the prices.

Not all Californians are bad, though, and I don't assume just because I've had the experiences listed above that every person from CA will be like this. Californians have done some good things. Like bring In n Out Burger and IKEA with them!

[aj661]

Originally Posted by HAMMERHEAD46

NO I DID NOT GO TO WESTWOOD!
IT WAS NOT EVEN GRADUATING STUDENTS WHEN I GRADUATED!
I WAS IN THE LAST CLASS TO GRADUATE FROM THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL IN MESA!

THE ONE THE ONLY MESA HIGH SCHOOL! State AAA football champions with a 13 - 0 record (That would be AAAAA in the new reworked world with no C schools, where EVERYONE has to be an A school! HA HA) That is also the year that a future Mayor of Mesa had a hand in releasing Alligators into the Canal system around Mesa raising a bit of a fuss.

I was coming in from Los Angeles on a 727 (The year (1967) from proposing to my first wife) I saw this HUGH fire under the flight Path and my mother told me when I got off of the plane that it was my High Schools 'OLD MAIN' BUILT IN 1893 IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. (During fire drills we could empty that 3 story building in less than 90 seconds!)

No the HEART OF MESA is now run by the gangs, I went back to look at my old school about 6 years ago and I was sorry I had as there are now 10 Ft fences around about 1/3 of what was OUR school to keep the students in and try to keep the Gangs and drugs out HA HA.
It looks more like a prison than a school, with the Social Studies building now a Elementary school again, the Amory is gone (Girls Gym, Welding, Electrons) I don't remember if the automotive building was still there or not.
2 nd Ave has been closed and is inside the fence as part of the school along with (FRANKLIN? Elementary) The English and Library building.

Yes Central MESA has gone to POT!

I forgot, you're an even older dinosaur than me! I agree about central (and west) Mesa. (I graduated from Coronado in 1973. AAA Baseball. I lost one game that year, to McClintock 2-1. Went 7-1 overall, with a 0.49 ERA.) Now that part of Scottsdale is run down too.

Most, not all, but most east Mesa neighborhoods are okay. The Red Mountain area, out here by Signal Butte and US60, etc. are just fine. We're only a couple miles from a bad unincorporated area (University to just south of Broadway, Sossaman to Crismon - aka METHa, AZ), but it doesn't affect us.

Originally Posted by J.J.1982

I still had Cali. plates on my car for quite a while when I lived in Tucson, and NO JOKE....about every two weeks I was pulled over. After about two months of this I finally broke and RE-REGISTERED my car with AZ. Once I had AZ plates on I never had a problem again! I even passed a cop once coming home from work, he saw me and shook his head, but didn't pull me over. I bet if I still had my Cali. plates it would have been all over for me!

It wasn't just because they were Califronia plates. Arizona residents with Oregon plates got my attention faster. They only pay about $30.00 per year in Oregon for tags. The fine for 'resident with out of state registration' runs from $150 to over $500.00, depending on which statute the violator is cited under.