Was LA ever like Phoenix? (Los Angeles, Glendale: house, neighborhoods, to buy)

[New Horizons]

I've always wondered, was there ever a period in LA, where it felt like what Phoenix is today? I'll be straight up honest, I love LA but just can't afford it, afford to buy a house anyway. So Phoenix was the next best thing. Like LA, it's sprawly, has an arid climate, abundant sunshine, and mountains. Both cities have alot of post WW2 development with lots of ranch style homes.

But that's where the similarities end. The population density alone distinguishes LA from Phoenix, and of course the international diversity of LA.

Some people call Phoenix, a young version of LA. Is there any truth to that? Phoenix population is 1.45 million people over 516 sq miles. LA is a whopping 3.9 million over 503 sq miles. (data from wikipedia)

But if you went back enough decades, was LA ever like Phoenix in terms of population density? Also Phoenix attracts midwesteners looking for cheap sunshine. But at one time, before LA became a global city, it attracted average Americans who sought reasonably priced homes there too, such as the San Fernando Valley.

[BeatAngMoh]

No. El A has no equivalent of Sherriff Joe Arpaio to lay down the law and clean up the riff raff. Even El A PD Chief Daryl Gates couldn't match him.

[goldenglory18]

I've always referred to PHX as "LA without any of the good stuff"

I'm an AZ native....

[bpeeps]

Unless you're an immigrant, Phoenix is cool.

[Mr_Geek]

Phoenix is like LA but smaller, less congested, hotter, less moisture, and without many different microclimates.

[UB50]

I don't think they are comparable.

The borders of LA City are on the map on this page: About the City Government | City of Los Angeles

It says that LA has 465 square miles but you'll note that some of that area includes mountains that aren't developed.

[munchitup]

When I was in Phoenix it looked a lot more like the Coachella Valley than anywhere in LA/OC. Maybe parts of IE?

Keep in mind that before WWII, Los Angeles was already one of the biggest cities in the country. There is a lot more classically urban development in Los Angeles than there is in Phoenix - there are no neighborhoods like Westlake, Mid-Wilshire or Hollywood in Phoenix, and no urban satellite cities like Pasadena, Glendale, (though they have a Glendale), Santa Monica, even downtown Burbank in the Valley of the Sun. There are a few mildly urban areas like Tempe and Midtown (not sure if that's the right name), but they pale in comparison to the Southland's.

I believe that back in the mid-century, the San Fernando Valley and perhaps the South Bay had sort of similar development patterns to Phoenix. But still, it seems like even the suburban development of those areas is a great deal more dense than most of Phoenix. While very thickly settled, it is not uncommon to see some undeveloped land / leapfrog development in the Phoenix area. This is much less common in the LA Basin.

This does look like the SFV.

This, not so much.

This looks like Palm Springs.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by Mr_Geek

Phoenix is like LA but smaller, less congested, hotter, less moisture, and without many different microclimates.

And without beaches.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by BeatAngMoh

No. El A has no equivalent of Sherriff Joe Arpaio to lay down the law and clean up the riff raff. Even El A PD Chief Daryl Gates couldn't match him.

Arpaio is enforcing the immigration LAW, something that few cities do enough of these days.

[Gurbie]

Originally Posted by wehotex

Arpaio is enforcing the immigration LAW, something that few cities do enough of these days.

Arpaio is a megalomaniacal racist closet case with sado-masochistic tendencies, who is an embarrassment to a great metropolitan city.

Not to hijack the thread or anything...