Scottsdale ranked #8 nationwide for families. (Phoenix, Tucson: best cities, real estate, renting)

[AZJoeD]

Parents magazine has named Scottsdale #8 for "Best Cities for families" for 2010, beating out such stalwarts as San Diego, San Antonio and Charlotte.

Survey ranks the top 50 cities based on "health, safety, education, economy and recreation".

Phoenix was #44.

Best Cities 2010: Top 50+ Cities - Parenting.com (Page 9)

[Mares84]

Gilbert, Az was just ranked on best small cities too by cnn. I guess this is the area to be.

Best Places to Live 2010 - Top 100: City details: Gilbert, AZ - from MONEY Magazine

[Ritchie_az]

The cool thing is that cities like Glendale, Peoria, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Surprise, Goodyear, etc, could have just as easily made the lists. I mean, is there really any significant difference between Gilbert and Surprise? Or Gilbert and Goodyear? It just goes to show that Phoenix metro is a really good place to live....

[OurNextAdventure]

Money really helps in that catagory. Scottsdale isn't exactly the broken home neighborhood.

[roosevelt]

The city let south Scottsdale deteriorate something awful beginning in the 1970's.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The city let south Scottsdale deteriorate something awful beginning in the 1970's.

South Scottsdale isn't the best ... but there are other areas much worse. It's really just an older area that has become more lower middle class. It's not very typical of what most people envision Scottsdale as being. Further south (north side of Tempe) seems to be even more questionable than south Scottsdale.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The city let south Scottsdale deteriorate something awful beginning in the 1970's.

Deteriorate as in having the best restaurants in the Valley, the W Hotel, the best night life in the entire state etc.?

Sorry but I prefer South Scottsdale to barren desert with a high price tag otherwise known as North Scottsdale. I personally don't understand the appeal of North Scottsdale. I mean who wants to live out in BFE except you are paying a lot of money for that barren land? I don't want to live near Grayhawk or TPC next to nothing. Sure, I'll play golf there but there is nothing there that warrants its prices. At least in California, most of the pricey real estate makes sense; I mean if an area is expensive, it's usually because its on the ocean or near Hollywood. A beach/ocean, I get that but why should I pay more money to stare at dirt? At least Paradise Valley makes sense. You are still within the metro and not isolated like people who live in North Scottsdale.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Deteriorate as in having the best restaurants in the Valley, the W Hotel, the best night life in the entire state etc.?

Sorry but I prefer South Scottsdale to barren desert with a high price tag otherwise known as North Scottsdale. I personally don't understand the appeal of North Scottsdale. I mean who wants to live out in BFE except you are paying a lot of money for that barren land? I don't want to live near Grayhawk or TPC next to nothing. Sure, I'll play golf there but there is nothing there that warrants its prices. At least in California, most of the pricey real estate makes sense; I mean if an area is expensive, it's usually because its on the ocean or near Hollywood. A beach/ocean, I get that but why should I pay more money to stare at dirt? At least Paradise Valley makes sense. You are still within the metro and not isolated like people who live in North Scottsdale.

I'm talking about south, south Scottsdale from McDowell south past Roosevelt. The Thomas Road area is not so hot either anymore.

[Steerpike]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Deteriorate as in having the best restaurants in the Valley, the W Hotel, the best night life in the entire state etc.?

Sorry but I prefer South Scottsdale to barren desert with a high price tag otherwise known as North Scottsdale. I personally don't understand the appeal of North Scottsdale. I mean who wants to live out in BFE except you are paying a lot of money for that barren land? I don't want to live near Grayhawk or TPC next to nothing. Sure, I'll play golf there but there is nothing there that warrants its prices. At least in California, most of the pricey real estate makes sense; I mean if an area is expensive, it's usually because its on the ocean or near Hollywood. A beach/ocean, I get that but why should I pay more money to stare at dirt? At least Paradise Valley makes sense. You are still within the metro and not isolated like people who live in North Scottsdale.

I can't give you any tangible reasons, but - the only place I'd consider moving to in the metro area is North Scottsdale, as defined by your 'barren desert' descriptor. I find most of Phoenix Metro to be utterly bland and lacking in many ways. It 'tries' to look like a 'normal' place, but a few watered lawns and lush gardens/trees don't fool my sensibilities that we are really in the middle of a desert and it's crazy to deny that. Scottsdale, and North Scottsdale in particular, have found a way to 'embrace' the desert 'look and feel' in a way that I find unique (the only other place that has a similar ambiance is Santa Fe).

I've spent the last 27 years in the Bay Area and am loving the 'North Scottsdale' environment. The housing architecture is predominantly Spanish / Italian / Mediterranean / Southwestern, compared to 'generic USA Ranch' style in the rest of the metro, and the landscaping along roads, medians, freeways, etc is gorgeous. Scottsdale is relentlessly 'consistent' in it's look/feel, and I really like that. And of course, it's easy to get to that good stuff you speak of in the 'downtown' Scottsdale area - great restaurants, shops, etc.

I'm not trying to argue with you - I respect your opinion, and it's one probably shared by many long-term residents. All I can tell you is, as a recent arrival, I find North Scottsdale utterly appealing and the rest utterly bland. I can pretty much afford to live anywhere and that's where my money is going.

I did, btw, check out downtown Chandler and it's really making an effort - that little 'square' they have going, with the San Tan brewery and the Mexican place, is really worth a visit.

[Ritchie_az]

I guess you've never been to Buckeye.










(Verrado is far from "generic USA Ranch style"....)



In all seriousness, "north Scottsdale" reminds me a lot of Oro Valley (north suburb of Tucson). Yeah, it's really nice, and I'm sure everyone who lives there enjoys it very much, but it's not really my cup of tea.