When will Phoenix surpass Houston as the 4th largest city? (Tucson: 2009, condo)

[Guerilla]

You won't get that small feel in Austin when you are stuck in traffic. Austin was slow to build up its infrastructure because it was still a "small town" in some city leader's eyes.

[houstoniancityfanatic]

Phoenix will never beat out Houston as the fourth largest city unless they starting pushing the city limits out to include all their suburbs. Houston's economy is way too robust and the city is growing too fast. The thing about Houston is, it actually has a distinguishable downtown and the city itself is growing almost as fast as the suburbs. You cannot say the same for Phoenix. Phoenix's growth is only in the suburbs, they are not builidng up like they are doing here in Houston. The economy is too flat right now in Phoenix to really continue growing like they have and even if they do, the growth will be in the suburbs, and there is a large gap of half a million or more to close in on Houston, and that is assuming Houston doesn't grow at all; which won't happen since Houston housing is so cheap, jobs are plentiful, and your net disposable income is way higher in Houston, and the city has higher paying jobs. Fat chance that Phoenix will ever catch Houston, and with the housing crunch hitting Phoenix so hard I would be surprised if it didn't actually fall in its population ranking.

[houstoniancityfanatic]

Originally Posted by paulrigsby

It's not a question of "if" but when will Phoenix surpass Houston in population? It's no secret that people want to move near the West Coast. The weather here is perfect aside from the hot summers but at least they are dry and not sticky like Houston and Florida. We are within driving distance of LA, San Diego and Las Vegas for attractions whereas Houston natives can only really drive to New Orleans. Houston is flat whereas Phoenix offers hiking on it's mountains and snow skiing is just hours away. We don't have hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes or fires to worry about. The state has increasingly become more liberal and democratic and will likely become a Blue state in the next Presidential election. Houston is growing as well but it's still Texas and it has a very conservative and southern element that many don't like.

Do you think Phoenix will supass Houston in the next 12 to 20 years?

Phoenix will never beat out Houston as the fourth largest city unless they starting pushing the city limits out to include all their suburbs. Houston's economy is way too robust and the city is growing too fast. The thing about Houston is, it actually has a distinguishable downtown and the city itself is growing almost as fast as the suburbs. You cannot say the same for Phoenix. Phoenix's growth is only in the suburbs, they are not builidng up like they are doing here in Houston. The economy is too flat right now in Phoenix to really continue growing like they have and even if they do, the growth will be in the suburbs, and there is a large gap of half a million or more to close in on Houston, and that is assuming Houston doesn't grow at all; which won't happen since Houston housing is so cheap, jobs are plentiful, and your net disposable income is way higher in Houston, and the city has higher paying jobs. Fat chance that Phoenix will ever catch Houston, and with the housing crunch hitting Phoenix so hard I would be surprised if it didn't actually fall in its population ranking.

[houstoniancityfanatic]

I am from Houston and visited Phoenix. I like the weather in both Phoenix and Houston, they are both subtropical but in different ways. Phoenix obviously is a dry heat whereas Houston is humid. I thought the weather was all right in Phoenix and it was pretty in a desert sort of way. I went there to visit and couldn't even find anything to do or even see a distinguishable downtown for that matter. I guess there is just a lot more to do in Houston. It seems like if Phoenix is the 5th largest city there should be stuff to do. The only thing I kept hearing from everybody is how close California or that Arizona is close to the West Coast (b/c of the distance I never associated AZ with the West Coast, but apparently to the people here they got a beach in their backyard b/c it is 4 or 5 hours away), or what there was to do in Las Vegas or San Diego. It is like me showing up to Houston to go do things in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, New Orleans, Mexico, South Padre, McCallen, Baton Rouge, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shreveport, or cruise to Mexico. I mean holy crap if you want to start naming all these things to do that are not even in your city, it seems meaningless to go to Phoenix. I can name way more crap and cities within hours of houston too, but I assume if someone comes to visit houston they actually want to enjoy houston, not these things that are hours away from Phoenix like the beach. Haven't you ever heard the song about buying ocean front property in AZ. With gas prices the way they are I didn't figure I would fly in to vacation in Phoenix and have to drive half a day away to other cities to actually do something. Start looking at what Phoenix has and concentrate on upgrading that rather than wishing yourself away to San Diego or the beach, these places aren't even relatively close to Phoenix and Phoenix is not the West Coast, it is the a South Rocky Mountain City.

[houstoniancityfanatic]

Originally Posted by sheena

Visit some of the liberal city forums and you will see it's not the weather it's the taxes that drive them out. People rather cook themselves in a microwave for 8 months out of the year then pay those high taxes imposed on them.

Well basically everything evens out. AZ has income tax while TX does not. Houston property tax might be higher but of course there is no state tax and house prices are a lot, lot cheaper. Plus you get paid more and have more disposable income to live off of. There is no food tax and income tax and so naturally you have to collect taxes somewhere and that is why the property tax is higher, but if you look at the whole picture Houston is definitely a better deal. If you are only concerned about one thing and that is property tax then I guess Phoenix would be better.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by houstoniancityfanatic

I went there to visit and couldn't even find anything to do or even see a distinguishable downtown for that matter. I guess there is just a lot more to do in Houston. It seems like if Phoenix is the 5th largest city there should be stuff to do.

Hmm. Nothing like a reviving a five-month old thread to start the week off right. If you couldn't find anything to do in Phoenix and couldn't identify our Downtown, then you weren't looking very hard. I enjoy life every day in Phoenix and seldom go to California except for the occasional business trip. I have my choice of hiking, museums, festivals, great restaurants all within 10 miles of home. Sure, I enjoy a few summer trips to northern AZ in order to escape the heat, but generally Phoenix has plenty to do within its own boundaries.

None of this is meant to bash Houston. My affection for my own city doesn't translate into negativity toward other places, and frankly I couldn't care less if Phoenix remains the fifth largest, becomes the fourth largest, or slides back to sixth largest. Regardless of its placement in a population ranking, Phoenix is an interesting place in its own right, and I urge you to look again before making exaggerated and derogatory comments.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by houstoniancityfanatic

these places aren't even relatively close to Phoenix and Phoenix is not the West Coast, it is the a South Rocky Mountain City.

Phoenix isn't the west coast, true, but it ain't a "south Rocky Mountain City" either. Phoenix is nowhere even remotely near the Rocky Mountains. Anybody who would make an idiotic statement like that probably has never been to Phoenix or the Rocky Mountains. It's called the desert southwest, dude.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Phoenix isn't the west coast, true, but it ain't a "south Rocky Mountain City" either. Phoenix is nowhere even remotely near the Rocky Mountains. Anybody who would make an idiotic statement like that probably has never been to Phoenix or the Rocky Mountains. It's called the desert southwest, dude.

Well, Santa Fe is considered the desert southwest, but lies at the southernmost extension of the Rockies (Sangre de Cristo Mountains). Does that count?

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Well, Santa Fe is considered the desert southwest, but lies at the southernmost extension of the Rockies (Sangre de Cristo Mountains). Does that count?

Santa Fe isn't Phoenix.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Santa Fe isn't Phoenix.

Youre kidding!