Gilbert Named America's Most Prosperous City (Phoenix, Scottsdale: 2014, low crime, house)

[AZLiam]

By tracking data from over 26,000 ZIP codes, the Distressed Community Index sorted cities, counties, and congressional districts into tiers based on their economic well-being: prosperous, comfortable, mid-tier, at risk, and distressed.

Cities are ranked based on seven criteria: housing vacancy rate, adults not working, the poverty rate, median income ratio, change in employment, and change in business establishments.

Rank City Total Population % Population in Prosperous ZIP Codes
1 Gilbert, AZ 230,780 99.9%
2 Plano, TX 275,650 82.70%
3 Irvine, CA 238,470 80.7%
4 Chandler, AZ 250,200 64.9%
5 San Francisco, CA 840,760 47.9%
6 Henderson, NV 271,730 65.9%
7 Seattle, WA 653,020 52.6%
8 San Jose, CA 1,000,860 49.6%
9 Austin, TX 887,060 41.7%
10 Scottsdale, AZ 227,470 60.9%

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/...nities/541044/

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by AZLiam

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/...nities/541044/

This area is very well represented on that list

[More Rock]

Not bad, considering ten percent goes to LDS.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by More Rock

Not bad, considering ten percent goes to LDS.

In the book of Mormon, it says blessings are promised to those who pay tithing. Maybe that's why they were blessed. Here is your "proof": Malachi 3:8–10 or 3 Nephi 24:8–10; D&C 64:23 . I'm agnostic, and somehow, I too was blessed.

In all seriousness, the cities on the list have figured out a way to shed the low economically performing neighbors. It seems that designing a LDS church in the middle of nice neighborhoods that attracts educated, and family oriented folks works. PLUS, it scares away those with thinner wallets or with different beliefs. Personally, I loved Gilbert ad stared at it closely. But I refused to live in a hood with a Mormon church as the center-point of the development. With that said, I'll give the driving force behind the high rating to the Mormon dominated city council. If your goal is to shed the lower performers, their policies succeeded.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

In the book of Mormon, it says blessings are promised to those who pay tithing. Maybe that's why they were blessed. Here is your "proof": Malachi 3:8–10 or 3 Nephi 24:8–10; D&C 64:23 . I'm agnostic, and somehow, I too was blessed.

In all seriousness, the cities on the list have figured out a way to shed the low economically performing neighbors. It seems that designing a LDS church in the middle of nice neighborhoods that attracts educated, and family oriented folks works. PLUS, it scares away those with thinner wallets or with different beliefs. Personally, I loved Gilbert ad stared at it closely. But I refused to live in a hood with a Mormon church as the center-point of the development. With that said, I'll give the driving force behind the high rating to the Mormon dominated city council. If your goal is to shed the lower performers, their policies succeeded.

I used to live in Gilbert, not by choice either. As soon as I was able to afford my own place, I moved to Phoenix proper. I don't really jive with that type of suburbia

[ajonesaz]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

In the book of Mormon, it says blessings are promised to those who pay tithing. Maybe that's why they were blessed. Here is your "proof": Malachi 3:8–10 or 3 Nephi 24:8–10; D&C 64:23 . I'm agnostic, and somehow, I too was blessed.

In all seriousness, the cities on the list have figured out a way to shed the low economically performing neighbors. It seems that designing a LDS church in the middle of nice neighborhoods that attracts educated, and family oriented folks works. PLUS, it scares away those with thinner wallets or with different beliefs. Personally, I loved Gilbert ad stared at it closely. But I refused to live in a hood with a Mormon church as the center-point of the development. With that said, I'll give the driving force behind the high rating to the Mormon dominated city council. If your goal is to shed the lower performers, their policies succeeded.

In reality, only 6.5% of the population is Mormon in Gilbert. I don't even know where the closest mormon church is to my Gilbert neighborhood.

Gilbert, Chandler and Scottsdale all have much higher home values. Most people want to get the biggest house they can afford.

However, those that care about safety, great schools and great ammenities like myself are willing to pay a premium to live here. Investors also prefer to buy in cheaper areas.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz

In reality, only 6.5% of the population is Mormon in Gilbert. I don't even know where the closest mormon church is to my Gilbert neighborhood.
.

You are right. Gilbert's quoted percentage of LDS is around 6-7%. I will say, the LDS members are extremely active in Gilbert and on average, steer the Gilbert laws and culture. That includes from school boards to the city counsel. I'm not faulting anyone. But 6-7% of the population are an active bunch of neighbors.

I used the word "church" because that is how I think of a place of worship. But that's a different definition as to where the closest "Ward" or in Mormon lingo, a "Stake". So it seems I was staring at "Stakes" when I was looking at neighborhoods versus churches. Stakes are the lowest levels consisting of "Wards". Those are intertwined in neighborhoods like Power Ranch (that was on the top of my buying list before I saw the "Stake" planted in the development).

So the Gilbert Stakes are:

Gilbert Arizona Gateway Stake April 17, 2016
Gilbert Arizona Greenfield Stake August 24, 1975
Gilbert Arizona Highland East Stake November 24, 1996
Gilbert Arizona Highland West Stake May 20, 2012
Gilbert Arizona Higley Stake October 31, 2004
Gilbert Arizona San Tan Stake December 3, 2000
Gilbert Arizona Stake May 18, 1997
Gilbert Arizona Stapley Stake October 11, 1981
Gilbert Arizona Val Vista Stake November 22, 1987
Gilbert Arizona Williams Field Stake April 28, 2013

There is one "Temple" in Gilbert. That's:

Gilbert Arizona Temple March 2, 2014

Then you have a "Mission" in Gilbert where they have a lot of bike's parked out front and people with white shirts and ties hanging around.
Arizona Gilbert Mission July 1, 2013

Source LDS Temples and Mormon Church Units in Arizona

The Mission locations are also where the bicyclist try to convert you to think what Joseph Smith thought https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith . To summarize, back in 1817, Joseph Smith had special visions. Later, Joseph was told by an Italian Angel to find some 30-60 pound golden books buried in stone boxes. As luck would have it, he found them near his house in Manchester, New York. Pretty good odds! Anyways, he could not show anyone until he translated those 30 pound gold books back which was completed in 1830. It had to be done in English, of course and now called the Book of Mormon.

So as you might guess, I'm not up for living in a very nice neighborhood where someone is preaching this specific word and actively trying to convert my logical belief into the "faith" that they were convinced by their parents to believe. Nor can I really understand normally intelligent people who participate in that faith. Some even look down on me because I refuse to grasp what Joesph's visions taught. But maybe I would be up for his teaching on this topic. Home - Joseph Smith's Polygamy

I'm very sure Gilbert is a great spot to live. But being Agnostic, I just want to be left alone and not feel as if I don't belong. It sounds like you don't find it to be a problem at all. I just didn't want to take a chance.

[man4857]

I'm not surprised by this ranking. Gilbert, Chandler, and Scottsdale all have the qualities that makes up what a great place to live would be. They're all generally highly educated cities, high household income, great schools, with low crime. The only other factor would be COL, job opportunities, QOL.

But yay for Gilbert. I loved it when I lived there, planning to purchase property in the area soon to settle down.

[belgirl]

Way to go Gilbert!!! Love my town!

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The Mission locations are also where the bicyclist try to convert you to think what Joseph Smith thought https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith . To summarize, back in 1817, Joseph Smith had special visions. Later, Joseph was told by an Italian Angel to find some 30-60 pound golden books buried in stone boxes. As luck would have it, he found them near his house in Manchester, New York. Pretty good odds! Anyways, he could not show anyone until he translated those 30 pound gold books back which was completed in 1830. It had to be done in English, of course and now called the Book of Mormon.

What an idiotic bunch of sensationalized, embellished BS.