Is there a muslim community anywhere in Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson: school districts, university)

[Haleema12]

My husband and I are thinking about relocating to Arizona with our 12 year old son.

We are looking for a family-oriented place to live in that has good schools, is safe and cost of living is cheap.

We have no idea which county or town to live in, so any advice would be appreciated. Also, we are muslims and are wandering whether there is a small community of muslims or mosques in Arizona.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

[observer53]

I know there is a mosque in Tempe (suburb of Phoenix) , near the University, it has been there a long time. The larger cities of Phoenix and Tucson would have the largest numbers of Muslim residents.

I did a Google search using the words Muslim community Phoenix, and came up with several mosque locations and contact information.

[saffordpastor]

seems like I have seen a mosque in Tucson....somewhere around Pima and Broadway???...not sure.

[Haleema12]

Thank you for your replies.

Do you need a car to get around in Arizona or are there buses and trains?

[AzDesertRat86]

The public transportation in Arizona is well below par. Phoenix has buses, but I have never used it. You will need a car. There is no train service at all like they have all over Europe or the very large cities in the US.

If you moved to a smaller city/town, you would be able to get around without a car no problem; though still an inconvenience.

[Haleema12]

It would take some getting used to having to drive everywhere. I'm sure it'll be fine eventually.

Where are the better schools in Arizona and where would you recommend a small family to live? We have a 12 year old son that loves to play football. He wants to become a professional footballer when he's older. We love to eat out, especially to Italian restaurants and occasionallly go for walks or for a run in the park.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Haleema12

It would take some getting used to having to drive everywhere. I'm sure it'll be fine eventually.

Where are the better schools in Arizona and where would you recommend a small family to live? We have a 12 year old son that loves to play football. He wants to become a professional footballer when he's older. We love to eat out, especially to Italian restaurants and occasionallly go for walks or for a run in the park.

There are good schools in several areas, including parts of north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe (Kyrene district, an excellent district, covers south Tempe, west Chandler, and a portion of southeast Phoenix known as Ahwahtukee or the Foothills. Once you locate the mosques, if you want to be near one of them, you can look into the school districts in those areas (www.greatschools.com)

[Haleema12]

Originally Posted by observer53

There are good schools in several areas, including parts of north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe (Kyrene district, an excellent district, covers south Tempe, west Chandler, and a portion of southeast Phoenix known as Ahwahtukee or the Foothills. Once you locate the mosques, if you want to be near one of them, you can look into the school districts in those areas (www.greatschools.com)

Thanks so much for the website Observer53.

I've popped it into my favourites. There are some pretty good reviews on the schools in the Kyrene district. Yes, you're probably right in advising to locate the mosques first and then looking into school districts.

Is Arizona quite built up? Are there shops, malls and restaurants. I had a look at some of the photos in the photo thread and it seems like a desert. I was born and grew up in London, which is a pretty big city. Will it be much of a shock going to live in Arizona? We're basically looking for a warm climate, close to a beach with plenty of activites to do for my son, especially football and parks to walk in. I'm researching into other states too and this was the first on our list.

[Ponderosa]

You might be able to get more info here: Islamic Center of Arizona

There is a good-sized muslim population here, but I doubt much of a concentration. It is a Phoenix characteristic that racial, ethnic, and religious groups are generally dispersed throughout the metro area.

Life here is not pleasant without a car. You'll get used to it.

[Haleema12]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

You might be able to get more info here: Islamic Center of Arizona

There is a good-sized muslim population here, but I doubt much of a concentration. It is a Phoenix characteristic that racial, ethnic, and religious groups are generally dispersed throughout the metro area.

Life here is not pleasant without a car. You'll get used to it.

Thank you for this useful website Ponderosa.

Are there any areas in Arizona that are close to the beach?