Anyone move from new england (NH) to Arizona?

[Boatdrinks]

Originally Posted by MsB23

For a point of reference, it's supposed to be 107 degrees today, & the low is supposed to be 80.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

I actually thought it was pretty nice out today. It was overcast much of the day here in our little corner of the east valley 'burbs and it didn't feel as hot as it would have if the sun had been beating down on us. And I think it's gorgeous out this evening - 80 degrees at night is fabulous, to me

I'm with ya on the air quality though - it does seem to be getting worse every year.

[Hatetheheat]

I live in Surprise and it was voted one of the safest cities in the US. Moving here is expensive. They do not tell you about the taxes you have to pay. You pay State and Federal income tax. Now that is the same from many NE states. However they then hit you with taxes on everything. Sales tax is high here too up to 12% in some areas. You also have to pay into state retirement fund if you work for any government agency.

See http://www.azasrs.gov/web/index.do

So be prepared to lose out on 10% you did not count on. The salaries are real low here too. The cost of living has went up since I moved here from Florida in July 07. It is now as expensive to live here as in Florida and I make less after taxes. I make 3k more a year here but take home 100 less per check. That is high taxes. Also be prepared to run into a lot of people who do not speak English. 40% and higher Spanish speaking population. If you love pizza, this state has more pizza places than NYC.

As for temperatures. Highs are in the 100's from May to October. Cold in the winter too but no snow. If you miss snow drive 2 hours up I-17 and you will be in Flagstaff and snow during winter. They have humidity here so dont let anyone tell you they dont. No it is not 100% but they have it and during the summer of 110 degrees it can be bad.

Truthfully, I would have never moved here if I knew about the high hidden taxes and cost of living going up. The heat is bad during the spring and summer so you may not like it. I plan on moving to NE in July. I have been here less than a year and hate it.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by ji603

I moved from Quincy, MA.


It's hard to answer your question really .... yes, it's warmer here but not humid. There are no blackfly here, and I haven't seen a mosquito...Most everything is paved over here, and the blacktop keeps the heat in. The traffic's worse than 93 and the pike during rush hour, and there are more illegals than in Brockton/Dorchester.... auto insurance rates are about the same as MA, registration costs are about the same as NH.

Heating bill in the summer here is like oil bill in the winter back there. Cars last a lot longer though because there's no sand/salt.

Wages are lower for construction type jobs - housing prices are far more reasonable than anywhere near the seacoast NH/MA...

2008 is a ways out ... you guys should visit the grand canyon and drive south to Phoenix and check it out. I used to check continental's webpage and found round trips from Manchester to Phoenix for $250 during the slow season. (no one wants to fly to AZ in the summer)

PS ... there are no Dunkin Donuts stores here anywhere !!!

There is a Dunkin Donuts on Southern and Dobson in Mesa across from Desert Sam. hospital. There are sceeters, we had a pretty high case of west nile last few years. They are just small and sneaky here. It is dry here, very dry! Your skin will peel off like a lizards but you will love it if you hate snow. The only real reason people move here is because they are sick of snow. It is one of the only affordable options for getting out of the snow. It seems most people hate the snow so this helps us become popular. So, if you hate the snow then come on down, it is cold here though, just no snow. Just like humidity warms you in the summer, a dry winter temp at 40 feels like a humid 20, so bring a jacket. lol Dry cold is colder than a humid cold.
Otherwise you will probably love it here, at least for the first 2 or 3 years. Thats about the amount of time people last before reality sets in and they see past the weather. We defiantly show the signs of growth. Both good and bad. Google it, we have had enough publicity on it.

[Alex2]

Yes, my family moved from Canton, MA to the Phoenix/PV border. It is like a Boston, just really hot! There is alot to do, many jobs, great restaraunts. If moving from NE to to the Valley of the Sun. Phonecians will cheer you on!

Originally Posted by exlexisnexis

PS ... there are no Dunkin Donuts stores here anywhere !!!

I read recently they are building about 40 new Dunkin Doughnuts in AZ
I am from Massachusetts and love it here and if it was not a great place to live it would not be the fastest growing state in the USA.
let the naysayers explain why it is growing so fast if it is a lousy place to live?

There are actually 14 Dunkin' Donuts in the Valley. Sadly, unlike MA there are no drive-ups to be found. Although thera are no drive-ups most have a 1/2 Dunkin' Donuts 1/2Baskin Robins. Check out here

[ginnyninaz]

Originally Posted by hollyrose

Hello Everyone,
Just wondering if anyone has move from new england to Arizona? My husband will be graduating in december 2008 for his MBA and we will be looking to move out of New Hampshire. I grew up in Salem,NH and he grew up in Medford,MA. New Hampshire is a nice a place but we are getting sick of the weather. We had a good amount of snow on April 15th this year! My husband is a project manager so we would probably be moving somewhere close to Pheonix. I would appreciate any advice or thoughts about this possible move. We would love to move to California but it's to expensive. We would prefer a warmer climate but not humid. So that doesn't leave us with many options.
Thanks,
Holly

I am from NY but I know about the weather on the East thats why we moved. You will Love Surprise Arizona west of phoenix the fastest growing citites and the lowest crime rate in the state. Moderator cut: advertising

[bunmi1215]

I moved from Boston to Queen Creek,Az...about an hour from phoenix, i would say u should move if u are a family, the house are nice and the cold...not a problem...i must say they say it gets really hot in the summer, so if u can handle it...go ahead!
Good luck!!