Maricopa County: 3rd most millionaire households in the U.S. (Williams: neighborhoods, construction)

[Steve-o]

Im willing to bet that most of the millionaires in Maricopa brought their money from elsewhere. If you were to gauge the amount of native millionaires in the state, it would be laughably low for the states' size and population. Just my opinion...

[az110]

What does where you make your money have to do with anything?? The fact is that a large amount of millionaires live in Maricopa County. There wouldnt be as many native millionaires for obvious reasons, 30/20 years ago there wasnt nearly as many people living here as their is now. Phoenix is a growing city and place like Chicago and New York have had millions of people for a hundred years now, and their population is either stable or slowing going up and down.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Actually the cost of living isn't as low as it used to be. When you factor in homeowners who prefer grass lawns over rock yards, the water bills are getting to be pretty outrageous. Also, auto insurance and car registration fees are higher on average than the rest of the nation. I won't even get into how expensive the summer electric bills can be!

Overall wages aren't bad, but they could be a lot better. One thing that bothers me about employment in the Phoenix area is how WalMart is the top employer ... but 15 or 20 years ago, the largest employer was Motorola. In that respect, we've taken a step backward. WalMart is high on the list of employers in other metro areas as well, but it's not #1 in most of the major markets.

True, but wal-mart is the largest employer in 26 states from the last count. I believe it is over 30 now including New York state and also growing overseas. The problem with Wal-Mart is its sheer size and demand for their prices and products. Just look at the cost of a vacuum cleaner that my parents recently purchased: they bought a Dyson that is "better and more capable" of picking up and handling the fur from their dogs. At Wal-Mart the Dyson was priced around $400.00. At a mom and pop shop that specialized in sewing machines and vacuums (weird mix if you ask me) was well over $50 more. Consumer demand drives were people shop. And unfortunately they decide to shop Wal-Mart and save money. Wal-Mart being the employer of so many people in 30 states has nothing to do with other jobs and more to do with where people spend their hard earned cash.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by artvandelay

Corrales, that must explain why the same job in New York pays so much less than in Arizona....not. I don't know how sme of your studies are conducted, but surveys can show anything the researcher wants. By the way, I did my own study last year on city walkability, and the results are:

Considered highly walkable:

Phoenix 91.4%
Little Rock 88.3%
New York 83.7%
Los Angeles 81.2%
Chicago 77.5%
Omaha 74.4%

My sample included blind elderly between ages 70 and 85, and children under the age of 4.

This isn't from a survey or study, this is from the Census Bereau that uses income taxes and IRS/employer reported forms from 2007:
US Census Press Releases (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/011342.html - broken link)

Also, yes someone with the same job in NYC will make more money but they still could not afford the lifestyle they would have in Phoenix. Imagine a lawyer at SSD in downtown Phoenix making $120,000 a year. They would live very well in Phoenix. Now imagine that same lawyer making $120,000 in NYC...not so good. Even if they pulled in twice as much they would still live rather anemically compared to the Phoenix lawyer. The Phoenix lawyer could afford a huge house or condo anywhere, but if the lawyer in NYC wanted the same lifestyle and the same purchasing power in NYC they would to have a couple of jobs to supplement their income. So while some people in NYC make more, they compromise by having no car, less disposable income, much less living space, etc. And most people in NYC are not white collar either. Their low income population is very high: Harlem, Spanish Harlem, areas of Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, etc. These areas are not so "hip and cool" like areas of Manhattan are idealized to be; however, those other boroughs are where the majority of NYC residents live.

[uconn99]

Sounds like you haven't been to Brooklyn or Harlem recently. Brooklyn is probably the most "hip" borough in NYC.


Also, that listed I posted earlier is actually "median average income" for metro areas.

The article you sent showed NYC and Boston's median income, not the metro area. Phoenix would be much lower if the burbs weren't included.


http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet...g=en&-_toggle=

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by uconn99

Sounds like you haven't been to Brooklyn or Harlem recently. Brooklyn is probably the most "hip" borough in NYC.


Also, that listed I posted earlier is actually "median average income" for metro areas.

The article you sent showed NYC and Boston's median income, not the metro area. Phoenix would be much lower if the burbs weren't included.


Detailed Tables - American FactFinder

I have been to NYC recently...for a wedding in May and Harlem is still not considered cool, LOL, are you kidding me. And Brooklyn is looked at as a bedroom community compared to "the city" a.k.a. Manhattan. Brooklyn Heights is "cooler" than Brooklyn in general, but hip? Maybe. Williamsburg? Also maybe but it is an "up-and-coming" neighborhood. Read in to that as you choose, but I wouldn't want to live there now. That would be like living in the Garfield neighborhood in Phoenix. The median income of just Phoenix is $46,950, still higher than NYC but not much lower than Boston and the cost of living in those cities are still astronomical compared to Phoenix.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I don't care where the money comes from as long as it is legally earned. My only concern is how long will it take me to get to the point where I can call myself one of them.

Not sure how many brought it with them or made it in the valley. Just nice to know that those who could afford to live where they choose, choose to live here. But then that does beg the question, how many count on the valley for prolonged economic achievment? I bet the McCains aren't leaving anytime soon. Just too many people in the area that need an ice cold adult beverage for them to leave the area. Of course there is that up coming white house thing that could be a posibility in there life, but then that is just a temp job. The McCains should feel at home in DC. From what I hear there are plenty of temp jobs in the Phoenix area. Then again those temp jobs don't pay six figures.

[uconn99]

Harlem has come a long way from where it was 10 years ago.

Did you not see all the construction going on?

As for Brooklyn, it is regarded as the most hip borough in NYC by many. There are plenty of articles claiming this as well.


Brooklyn — survival of New York's hippest | USA - Times Online

http://www.etravelblackboard.com/sho...=&email=&news=

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...k.unitedstates

[aguafria]

Originally Posted by artvandelay

I was thinking the same thing: how many Maricopa Co. millionaires earned it here?

We did.

[artvandelay]

Originally Posted by aguafria

We did.

This answers my question only if you alone are the sample.