Desirable places to live in Tempe. (Phoenix, Maricopa: apartments, to rent, houses)

[Pollux]

Hi, I'm new to Arizona and I've lived in the west valley of Phoenix for about 3 months (35th and Greenway). I have a job in Tempe and I'm looking for a place to rent around there but I don't really know what areas are good and which are not. It seems like one block is upscale then you travel 500 feet and you're in a ghetto-ish area.

So can someone tell me where in Tempe I want to live? I don't mind young people, as I'm in my late 20's....I just want to stay away from a ghetto area. I don't wish to see crackheads or panhandlers or drug dealers, or to get my car stolen.

Specifically, how is the area around W. University and S. Hardy? There's an affordable please right around there I was contacted about, but I want to know if the area is nice.

The more details you can give me, the better. Thanks very much

[Bondurant]

Tempe has some dumpy looking areas on the north and west sides. Your income will be a major factor in where you look. Honestly, just drive around a bit and you will get a feel for what you're comfort zone is. There's place I wouldn't call home in Tempe but I never once felt in danger in these place driving or walking thru.

[AZ Tracy]

Try using google maps. Put the little orange man on the map where you want to explore - almost all of Tempe has been mapped out, so you can see the neighborhoods.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Pollux

Hi, I'm new to Arizona and I've lived in the west valley of Phoenix for about 3 months (35th and Greenway). I have a job in Tempe and I'm looking for a place to rent around there but I don't really know what areas are good and which are not. It seems like one block is upscale then you travel 500 feet and you're in a ghetto-ish area.

So can someone tell me where in Tempe I want to live? I don't mind young people, as I'm in my late 20's....I just want to stay away from a ghetto area. I don't wish to see crackheads or panhandlers or drug dealers, or to get my car stolen.

Specifically, how is the area around W. University and S. Hardy? There's an affordable please right around there I was contacted about, but I want to know if the area is nice.

The more details you can give me, the better. Thanks very much

I know this is a personal peeve of mine, but if I never saw the words "ghetto" and "ghetto-ish" in any of the Arizona forums again, I'd be happier.

That said, there are no "ghetto" or "ghetto-ish" areas in Tempe. There are older, lower income areas, yes, but to use either of the adjectives in question would be wrong. University and Hardy is one of the older sections of town, it is not a bad area, although there are better ones as you move east and south. Since you are here in the Valley already, come out to the area and spend a little time, including in the evenings/weekends. That will give you a better idea of whether you will see those people you are concerned about.

[kremit]

Originally Posted by observer53

I know this is a personal peeve of mine, but if I never saw the words "ghetto" and "ghetto-ish" in any of the Arizona forums again, I'd be happier.

That said, there are no "ghetto" or "ghetto-ish" areas in Tempe. There are older, lower income areas, yes, but to use either of the adjectives in question would be wrong.

I'd say give him/her a break. There are a lot of dumpy looking neighborhoods in Phoenix that you could easily mistake for a "ghetto." If you look at Apache by the 101, that trailer park by the post office, yikes!

To the poster. Check west and south of downtown, lots of air traffic but beautiful neighborhoods. Anything south of broadway to the 60 is ok. South Tempe is really nice too, but more burb feeling then anything else. Since you work in the avenues, I would try making an adventure of exploring around the areas surrounding downtown Tempe, you would be really surprised how nice they are.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by kremit

I'd say give him/her a break. There are a lot of dumpy looking neighborhoods in Phoenix that you could easily mistake for a "ghetto." If you look at Apache by the 101, that trailer park by the post office, yikes!

To the poster. Check west and south of downtown, lots of air traffic but beautiful neighborhoods. Anything south of broadway to the 60 is ok. South Tempe is really nice too, but more burb feeling then anything else. Since you work in the avenues, I would try making an adventure of exploring around the areas surrounding downtown Tempe, you would be really surprised how nice they are.

It's not just this poster. People here in Phoenix, most of them younger than me, haven't grown up with the same concept of what a "ghetto" is, and throw that term around to describe any lower class neighborhood. I live in Tempe. The area you describe is not a "ghetto".

The rest of your post is right on.

[LocoAZnative]

OP I grew up around there, and currently live near Southern and Hardy. The area you are looking at is the older area of Tempe. The houses are fine around there it will have more college kids when ASU is in session. Go up towards Broadway/Southern/Baseline and there are less college kids and more middle class like myself.

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by observer53

I know this is a personal peeve of mine, but if I never saw the words "ghetto" and "ghetto-ish" in any of the Arizona forums again, I'd be happier.

That said, there are no "ghetto" or "ghetto-ish" areas in Tempe. There are older, lower income areas, yes, but to use either of the adjectives in question would be wrong. University and Hardy is one of the older sections of town, it is not a bad area, although there are better ones as you move east and south. Since you are here in the Valley already, come out to the area and spend a little time, including in the evenings/weekends. That will give you a better idea of whether you will see those people you are concerned about.

Thank you, thank you. I have written about this several times. That label is thrown around in the most unproductive ways. And no matter how one defines the pejorative, I can't imagine a single one that would be applicable to Tempe.

[JHG722]

Yeah, I have to laugh at that. I'm currently interning at ASU and go to school at Temple in North Philly. There is nothing ghetto about Tempe.

[SageCats]

Look in the zip code 85283, which is South Tempe. It's very nice there.
As far as 85281 goes, I used to live on University Dr between McClintock and Smith. There are a lot of college undergraduates who party and have fights at odd hours of the night :-( Most of the apartments along University all the way to ASU will tend to have this type of element. However, if you'd like to live close to Mill Ave, look at the apartments W6 and the Brickyard on the corner of 7th and Mill. They are pricey but I don't know what your price range is. Good luck!