Gilbert vs. Chandler? (Mesa, Tempe: 2014, homes, neighborhoods)

[knicksin8]

What are some of the best schools in both towns (Public, charter or Catholic)?

[gabejen]

We are moving to Gilbert (from Colorado) next month. Looked in both Chander and Gilbert for housing. We ended up deciding to live in Gilbert but chose Chander district schools. We have one child starting High School. We visited 6 different High Schools in Gilbert and Chandler districts and found Basha High to be the perfect match for our son. Definitely take the time to visit as many schools as you can. There were several that were good.

[libbyjo]

I am a Realtor in the SE Valley, so I can't answer a lot of these questions due to Fair Housing laws. However, I would say that the suggestion to rent for a while if you can, before you buy, is a good one. It lets you get a feel for the area before you make that major purchase.

That said, there are many really nice neighborhoods in both Chandler and Gilbert - it just depends on what is important to you. There are gated communities in both cities, but since these are a little more pricey, they don't usually have community pools. A lot of the houses in the communities would have their own pool.

As far as Crime Statistics, you should be able to Google them and get some good ideas, there are a lot of websites out there with that info.

Schools are a little more personal. You can Google them for statistics, but a site like this is invaluable if you can get other parent's honest opinions and evaluations. A lot of the websites that you Google will also have reviews from parents.

Just do as much research as you can before you come out to see the area. If you have any specific real estate questions, I would be happy to answer them for you, absolutely no obligations.

Best of Luck!

[PhxMan500]

Originally Posted by knicksin8

What are some of the best schools in both towns (Public, charter or Catholic)?

Here is a link to all the "A" Graded schools in both towns. Chandler has some "Academy" schools that offer more homework and accelerated learning programs for gifted students who are bored in traditional public schools. They treat students as though they are in private schools for public school costs.

The most prominent Catholic school in the area is Seton Catholic in Chandler.

As most posters have mentioned, Chandler is still relatively new neighborhoods, but has had numerous hi-tech companies within its borders that have attracted enough people to the city to make it feel more established and diverse than Gilbert.

Gilbert has grown even faster in recent years, has newer neighborhoods in general, and is further away from Phoenix, Tempe, the airport, etc. I often hear Gilbert referred to as a suburb of Salt Lake City because of its "feel."

[knicksin8]

Originally Posted by PhxMan500

Here is a link to all the "A" Graded schools in both towns. Chandler has some "Academy" schools that offer more homework and accelerated learning programs for gifted students who are bored in traditional public schools. They treat students as though they are in private schools for public school costs.

The most prominent Catholic school in the area is Seton Catholic in Chandler.

As most posters have mentioned, Chandler is still relatively new neighborhoods, but has had numerous hi-tech companies within its borders that have attracted enough people to the city to make it feel more established and diverse than Gilbert.

Gilbert has grown even faster in recent years, has newer neighborhoods in general, and is further away from Phoenix, Tempe, the airport, etc. I often hear Gilbert referred to as a suburb of Salt Lake City because of its "feel."

Thank you for the reply, but where is the link?

[asufan]

I will speak for Chandler because that is where I live. For elementary schools, some of the best schools are CTA's (Chandler Traditional Academies). A google search or Chandler district website search will show where the CTA only elementary schools are, as well as some schools which have the CTA and normal curriculum, you can choose either from the same school. The schools that are strictly CTA and not a mix require uniforms, the schools with a mix of both curriculum's do not require uniforms. On top of that, some of the elementary schools without the CTA option also score 10/10 typically, some that come to mind are Ryan, Fulton and Jacobsen. For High Schools Hamilton HS is one of the best in the valley, private or not and it is a public high school.

Keep in mind you may buy a house in Gilbert and end up with a Chandler district school. Weinberg for example is a Chandler school (with CTA option) but is located in the City of Gilbert.

[asufan]

I should also mention, CTA teaches above grade level, and my son is in that (finishing Kindergarten). There is homework every night and a decent amount of it. The classic curriculum also has homework every night but it's a smaller amount. This gets a little difficult because I keep my son active in sports and it's tough balancing getting all the homework done every night and also find time for the practices. Something to keep in mind, we like that he is pushed academically though.

[pbenjamin]

Be aware that Gilbert schools have gotten some bad press lately. There is a tea party faction on the school board that has caused a lot of controversy, and there have been a large amount of staff resignations. You should also know that school district boundaries do not conform to city limits, so, for example, you can be in Gilbert and yet be in the Chandler school district. There is also open enrollment, so your child can attend a different school than the one designated for your neighborhood, if there is space and if you are willing to provide your own transportation.

Trouble in Gilbert Schools

[Java Jolt]

Gilbert has a pretty strong Mormon influence and is highly conservative but Chandler not so much.

I like the clean suburban feel of Gilbert but Chandler is more to my liking because it has more diversity, better shopping choices, good schools, and easier freeway access.

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

Gilbert has a pretty strong Mormon influence and is highly conservative but Chandler not so much.

I like the clean suburban feel of Gilbert but Chandler is more to my liking because it has more diversity, better shopping choices, good schools, and easier freeway access.

THAT ^^^. From my way of looking at it, the two communities are quite different. I see Chandler as being more sophisticated and its proximity to the university in Tempe is attractive.