East Valley vs. West Valley: How different are they? (Phoenix: college, to live in)

[asufan]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

Not exactly, the West Valley is a Mecca for older and retired people whose income is sufficient enough to make most of us pretty envious; but they worked for it. It also is a medical and healthcare hot-bed with the emergence of medical centers, research and specialty hospitals, and some of those warehouses are not distribution centers but fabrication facilities for tech equipment, medical devices, etc etc. The West Valley in the last 10 years has experienced heavy development of fine and upscale shopping, dining, entertainment, etc. Exceptional schools, excelling schools, and schools that compete with Chandler, Scottsdale, etc are everywhere in the West Valley as well. The only difference as mentioned before is the ultra pricey mansions, most of which aren't in the East Valley but in Central and East Central Phoenix and Paradise Valley. The West Valley can match the $1, $2, $3 million Scottsdale McMansions however.

Not sure I agree with you. Most of those DC's are DC's/warehouses with low paid employment. Chandler has some of those as well (Cardinal Health?). The North I-17 corridor (which I already mentioned) has some nice employment, but you really can't argue that the West Valley holds a candle to the East Valley as far as high paid employment. I only mentioned Chandler.

Regarding health care, the East Valley also has several hospitals just finished, including a new banner in Mesa, Gilbert Mercy, and one in Queen Creek, which is quite a ways away in Pinal County, but I guess still EV. There's also a prestigious cancer institute being constructed in Gilbert. I think the health care centers are equal, as they should be, but employment is not even close.

As far as high paid zip codes. I think the West valley has about two with really high income (85308 - where my parents live, and I grew up, in Arrowhead Ranch), which is a MASSIVE zip code. I think it was 8-9 years ago that it was mentioned that this zip code was home to the most millionaires in AZ. I don't know if it had to do with the zip code encompassing so many people, or the retirees, etc. But the East Valley has several in Chandler, S. Tempe, Ahwatukee and Gilbert which are on the same level or higher as far as median household income (these facts can all be found online from the census bureau.)

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by asufan

Not sure I agree with you. Most of those DC's are DC's/warehouses with low paid employment. Chandler has some of those as well (Cardinal Health?). The North I-17 corridor (which I already mentioned) has some nice employment, but you really can't argue that the West Valley holds a candle to the East Valley as far as high paid employment. I only mentioned Chandler.

To an extent you are correct. The population of the East Valley for one is much greater than the West Valley, hence the greater job opportunity. However, in the recent decade the employment sectors have diversified in the West Valley. I have lots of family on both sides who work in similar industry in every section of the valley, east, central, north and the salaries are similar. We aren't talking State v State here but the same regional and metro area. Nurses in Gilbert make the same as nurses in Peoria as someone working with advanced medical devices in Glendale is making competitive pay with someone working for Intel in Chandler. Is there more opportunity and jobs in the East? Of course because of its longer establishment as the faster growing region but that has changed; especially in the last 10 and 5 years.

Regarding health care, the East Valley also has several hospitals just finished, including a new banner in Mesa, Gilbert Mercy, and one in Queen Creek, which is quite a ways away in Pinal County, but I guess still EV. There's also a prestigious cancer institute being constructed in Gilbert. I think the health care centers are equal, as they should be, but employment is not even close.

You are right they have equal amounts of hospitals and health care facilities including a prestigious cancer center and institute that just opened in Goodyear and is one of only a few in the country. This speaks for the medical industry in the West Valley. A smaller population yet the same number of facilities and the same types of prestigious centers. There are over 1.5 million people in the East Valley and less than 1 million in the West Valley just for a comparison.

As far as high paid zip codes. I think the West valley has about two with really high income (85308 - where my parents live, and I grew up, in Arrowhead Ranch), which is a MASSIVE zip code. I think it was 8-9 years ago that it was mentioned that this zip code was home to the most millionaires in AZ. I don't know if it had to do with the zip code encompassing so many people, or the retirees, etc. But the East Valley has several in Chandler, S. Tempe, Ahwatukee and Gilbert which are on the same level or higher as far as median household income (these facts can all be found online from the census bureau.)

Correct about Arrowhead Ranch in Glendale as having the most millionaires in Arizona for the 2000 census and the 2006 partial recount. However, since that time other areas of wealth in the West have popped up while the same established areas in the East have remained static; while adding some population haven't really established a tremendous amount of wealthy areas compared to those added to the West Valley; Litchfield Park, Surprise, Estrella, expanded areas of Arrowhead, Northern Peoria, Pebble Creek, Verrado, Sun Valley, etc. etc. Also, Ahwatukee isn't the east Valley it is the Central Valley as it is directly below central Phoenix on the other side of S. Mountain and is a neighborhood and Village of Phoenix.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

Also, Ahwatukee isn't the east Valley it is the Central Valley as it is directly below central Phoenix on the other side of S. Mountain and is a neighborhood and Village of Phoenix.

Well, I lived in Ahwatukee after college, and I would argue that if you access a part of town at ~52nd street, it's in the East Valley. I lived at 44th and Ray. After a year there, I moved across the freeway only a few miles East to my first home at Warner/Rural in Tempe, and that is definitely East Valley, and it's in the same school district, share the same shopping, etc.

Now Scottsdale, for instance, I would call in a region of it's own, although some call it East Valley. Maybe South Scottsdale is EV, but I generally consider the E. Valley everything South and East of the Salt.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by asufan

Well, I lived in Ahwatukee after college, and I would argue that if you access a part of town at ~52nd street, it's in the East Valley. I lived at 44th and Ray. After a year there, I moved across the freeway only a few miles East to my first home at Warner/Rural in Tempe, and that is definitely East Valley, and it's in the same school district, share the same shopping, etc.

Now Scottsdale, for instance, I would call in a region of it's own, although some call it East Valley. Maybe South Scottsdale is EV, but I generally consider the E. Valley everything South and East of the Salt.

I lived in the same general area of Ahwatukee and we definitely thought of ourselves as east valley.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I lived in the same general area of Ahwatukee and we definitely thought of ourselves as east valley.

I sure most of think of themselves as east valley but would be wrong. It is a part of Phoenix and thus is central...but asufan's logic would have Laveen and parts of Estrella as being in the East Valley which isn't true. Also, Scottsdale has always been the East Valley as far as I can remember. Ever since going to even Los Arcos back in the 80's. Even when Fashion Square was a set of open air centers back in the 60's my parents and grand parents and natives referred to Scottsdale as the East Valley or east side. Being that South Mountain is in central Phoenix and Ahwatukee is on the other side of that landform, it is also central. But I can see why people would want to consider it east valley. However, as for the OP's question, there is little difference between both sections and increasingly so as time goes on.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

I sure most of think of themselves as east valley but would be wrong. It is a part of Phoenix and thus is central...but asufan's logic would have Laveen and parts of Estrella as being in the East Valley which isn't true. Also, Scottsdale has always been the East Valley as far as I can remember. Ever since going to even Los Arcos back in the 80's. Even when Fashion Square was a set of open air centers back in the 60's my parents and grand parents and natives referred to Scottsdale as the East Valley or east side. Being that South Mountain is in central Phoenix and Ahwatukee is on the other side of that landform, it is also central. But I can see why people would want to consider it east valley. However, as for the OP's question, there is little difference between both sections and increasingly so as time goes on.

We had t-shirts. East valley is about a state of mind and sense of superiority. And yes, Scottsdale is about as east valley as you can get.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

We had t-shirts. East valley is about a state of mind and sense of superiority. And yes, Scottsdale is about as east valley as you can get.

LOL! That's awesome! I wonder if I'd have a family divided if they had any of those t-shirts...LOL...I'm on neutral ground however, I "straddle" both sides as much of the central corridor does. But I can see the debate's roots from history. Trust me, those of us in the central valley have just a high of sense of "superiority" as those on the east side as we can claim the real money, old money, and true superior neighborhoods of the Valley, LOL! But it is ALL in fun, so NO one get upset! LOL

[asufan]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

I sure most of think of themselves as east valley but would be wrong. It is a part of Phoenix and thus is central...but asufan's logic would have Laveen and parts of Estrella as being in the East Valley which isn't true. Also, Scottsdale has always been the East Valley as far as I can remember. Ever since going to even Los Arcos back in the 80's. Even when Fashion Square was a set of open air centers back in the 60's my parents and grand parents and natives referred to Scottsdale as the East Valley or east side. Being that South Mountain is in central Phoenix and Ahwatukee is on the other side of that landform, it is also central. But I can see why people would want to consider it east valley. However, as for the OP's question, there is little difference between both sections and increasingly so as time goes on.

Well Laveen starts at roughly 51st avenue, so that would be West Valley. Even though Ahwatukee is a part of Phoenix, it can still be East Valley, much as Maryvale can be West Valley. Why would it be that 46th Street and Southern in Tempe is East Valley, but 50th Street and Ray in Ahwatukee is Central? I can see anything west of 32nd street being central (maybe). We even got the same free community paper in Tempe as in Ahwatukee, so case closed.

Now, if the S. Mountain Freeway ever get's built, and people can access the western part of Ahwatukee from Laveen, that western end will immediately be considered West Valley, and the property values will plummet. J/K

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by asufan

Well Laveen starts at roughly 51st avenue, so that would be West Valley. Even though Ahwatukee is a part of Phoenix, it can still be East Valley, much as Maryvale can be West Valley. Why would it be that 46th Street and Southern in Tempe is East Valley, but 50th Street and Ray in Ahwatukee is Central? I can see anything west of 32nd street being central (maybe). We even got the same free community paper in Tempe as in Ahwatukee, so case closed.

Actually no cased closed... Laveen's central corridor is 51st Ave, it doesn't start there and extends east of Central Ave and along South Mountain. You don't seem too versed on sections of the city or Valley. Well, one reason Tempe is in the East Valley is that it is categorically in a land section of the valley that rises up to a "mesa" that lifts the city of Mesa and north into Scottsdale. Tempe is a section of this mesa that rises above the Central Valley. Ahwatukee is not a part of the rising mesa but is a part of the foothills of the Estrella and South Mountain that are distinctive landforms of the CENTRAL salt river valley. Being that Ahwatukee is south of central Phoenix, it is the central valley.

Now, if the S. Mountain Freeway ever get's built, and people can access the western part of Ahwatukee from Laveen, that western end will immediately be considered West Valley, and the property values will plummet. J/K

LOL, are they ever building that freeway? If it gets built it will be in the central valley...much like the SR 51 or the I-17. But yes a part of Maryvale is in the West Valley because of the characteristics of that part of the far west section of Phoenix. However, Ahwatukee is nowhere near the size of Maryvale and doesn't reside in any part of the East Valley. Case closed.

[fcorrales80]

But pondie is somewhat right, East Valley can be "a state of mind." LOL