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Both places have their pros and cons, and you're going to hear a variety of opinions on both places, which might create more confusion on what to decide. One of the things you should do is, like somebody else mentioned earlier, if you can, visit Phoenix, and Southern California. Fly into LA, Orange County, or Ontario, and check out the area for 3 or 4 days, then either drive or fly to Phoenix. It's also best to do it in the middle of July, which would be helpful in giving you an idea of what it's like when it's 110-115 degrees at 2 o'clock in the afternoon here in Phoenix. Of course every place you want to live in and visit will have central air-conditioning, so that's definitely a requirement here, as well as A/C in the car, unless you can handle driving in the hottest part of summer with no A/C. As hot as it gets here in Phoenix in June, July, and August, the good thing is it's a dry heat for the most part, and when it does get humid, the humidity will never reach the levels you might see in some areas in the midwest and the south. The dry heat does make a big difference, I know 110 degrees sounds scary, but when the humidity is less than 10%, it's still tolerable.
It starts getting warm in April, and it's not unusual to see a few days of 100 degrees starting in mid to late April. The hottest period of summer will typically start in late June, and end in August, when the monsoon season comes in. One thing to note also, the high country of Arizona is about an hour away from Phoenix. Prescott, which has an elevation of 5300 feet, is a good place to get away in the summer, and it's about 75 miles northwest of Phoenix, and there are even more areas with higher elevations close to Prescott. Flagstaff is also another good summer getaway, with an elevation of 7,000 feet, and other areas around it, including the San Francisco Peaks, elevation 12,633 feet, they are an ideal summer getaway. The Grand Canyon is also about an hour away from Flagstaff.
The weather starts cooling down in September, we'll still see a few days of 100-degree highs, but mornings and nights will be cooler. October can still be warm, but it's perfect, we might see a couple of days of 100-degree highs in early October, but for the most part, that's when the cool and warm weather starts, and stays until mid to late May.
The coldest months in Phoenix are December and January, and being a native of Phoenix, I've seen the lows dip down to the low teens, and I've even seen it snow here in Phoenix, but that's rare.
Another thing that I need to point out, and I'm not sure if it'll make a difference with both of you; with a few exceptions, Arizona is a conservative state, and we've been a red state in the presidential and congressional elections for as long as I can remember, with the exception of maybe the 1996 elections, whereas California is a blue state, and very liberal for the most part, and probably more liberal than Oregon.
Last edited by Magnum Mike; 09-23-2009 at 05:38 PM..
I'm from So Cal and plan on retiring back there somewhere within walking distance of a beach. If you can find a home that you can afford in or near a nice beach community, and the drive to work is not too bad, then So Cal is superior to PHX. It gets worse if you have to commute further for work, or if you can't afford to live in a nicer location and have to settle for less.
To put it simply: The best that Southern California has to offer far exceeds the best that PHX has to offer. But the worst that So Cal has to offer is much worse than the worst in PHX. Makes sense to me.
Interesting take! LOL Mostly makes sense to me except the far superior thing. Can't really think of anything far superior except if you work in certain industries, like Hollywood. LOVE the beach, but not really those around L.A., gross!
Interesting take! LOL Mostly makes sense to me except the far superior thing. Can't really think of anything far superior except if you work in certain industries, like Hollywood. LOVE the beach, but not really those around L.A., gross!
The Phoenix area has NOTHING that compares to Corona del Mar, Hermosa, Carlsbad, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, or even Pacific Beach for that matter. That is what I was referring to.
The Phoenix area has NOTHING that compares to Corona del Mar, Hermosa, Carlsbad, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, or even Pacific Beach for that matter. That is what I was referring to.
Well, yeah since we're inland makes sense that no Phoenix "beach" could compete with a beach in California...San Diego beaches, YES! Very nice...
I'm from So Cal and plan on retiring back there somewhere within walking distance of a beach. If you can find a home that you can afford in or near a nice beach community, and the drive to work is not too bad, then So Cal is superior to PHX. It gets worse if you have to commute further for work, or if you can't afford to live in a nicer location and have to settle for less.
To put it simply: The best that Southern California has to offer far exceeds the best that PHX has to offer. But the worst that So Cal has to offer is much worse than the worst in PHX. Makes sense to me.
Living within a mile or two of the beach is great..............going inland in the LA metro area----------pass.
Note too that coastal California is not affordable for regular working people so it is of no interest to me-----------besides, SoCal is too damn crowded $$$$ or not.
One thing I should note about most southern California beaches is, they are too crowded, and you'll have to pay to park your vehicle, even in the beaches near Oxnard, and Port Hueneme. I don't know if there are other beach towns around the LA area where it doesn't cost you to park your vehicle, but from my experience, if you have to drive to the beach, parking will cost you.
Beach towns around San Diego are not as crowded, I was in La Jolla Beach in June of 2007, and I enjoyed it.
Living within a mile or two of the beach is great..............going inland in the LA metro area----------pass.
Note too that coastal California is not affordable for regular working people so it is of no interest to me-----------besides, SoCal is too damn crowded $$$$ or not.
That's exactly what I said, minus the too crowded part. PHX is just as congested as So Cal as far as I can tell. In fact, the freeways move faster for the most part in CA, just more area to cover, which is why I won't live there while working. I don't like many places in So Cal that are more than a few blocks from the beach, when the exception of places like Pasadena, Camarillo, etc.
One thing I should note about most southern California beaches is, they are too crowded, and you'll have to pay to park your vehicle, even in the beaches near Oxnard, and Port Hueneme. I don't know if there are other beach towns around the LA area where it doesn't cost you to park your vehicle, but from my experience, if you have to drive to the beach, parking will cost you.
Beach towns around San Diego are not as crowded, I was in La Jolla Beach in June of 2007, and I enjoyed it.
There's definitely places that are free, you just need to know where to look. If you go in the middle of Summer on the weekend, you won't find a free spot. If you go in November on a work night to watch the sunset, you should be able to find plenty of free parking. Some beaches are way too crowded. Laguna, La Jolla Shores, and several others aren't too bad.
That's exactly what I said, minus the too crowded part. PHX is just as congested as So Cal as far as I can tell. In fact, the freeways move faster for the most part in CA, just more area to cover, which is why I won't live there while working. I don't like many places in So Cal that are more than a few blocks from the beach, when the exception of places like Pasadena, Camarillo, etc.
What??? The freeways move faster in CA than Phoenix? Well true in Bakersfield and Indio but not in L.A, San Fran, and San Diego; that's just crazy now. It is a well known fact that traffic in L.A. is amongst the worst in the world and amongst the worst in the country for San Fran and that is not the case in Phoenix.
i lived in the phx area the last 15+ years and lived in l.a. areas to the age of 28 yrs.
i think as a 20-30 yr old u may find phx to be a big city but stil somewhat smalltownsy feeling to me.
i would also think homes are easie to buy here once u r ready.
things i would miss out are beaches, better climates, food and entertainment variety which inmy minds blows phoenix out of the water imho.
there are many 100+ degree days in phx.la tmops are many days mid 70s.
you may find it easier to survive in phx someone sai everythhings cheaper in phx. electricity to cool
yr home is not. in y 1600sft home i pay 250aveage monthly and inmy 3000ft home i pay 340mo avg
and i keep the dial about 82.
the only thing i see cheaper is quality of housing dllar for dollar in phx.
theres so many things like differences in culture, attitudes in driivng and schooling.
asu is mch cheaper than usc or ucla.
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Mostly makes sense to me except the far superior thing. Can't really think of anything far superior except if you work in certain industries, like Hollywood. LOVE the beach, but not really those around L.A., gross! 
