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

[borborygmi]

Originally Posted by TurcoLoco

The only 2 things I noticed or gave a crap about the difference between the two:

1. Going East in the morning there is way more traffic (and the other way around in the late afternoon).
2. Going East in the morning, the sun is in your eyes, damned near blinding (and the other way around in the late afternoon).

I think you hit on the one single biggest reason I'd never live on the west side, crime and other issues notwithstanding: the sun. If you have to commute downtown to work, as I do, it means the damn sun is in your eyes going both directions. As intense and constant as the sun is in Phoenix, that would absolutely drive me insane in a very short time.

That being said, I do like downtown Glendale a lot- it's really transformed itself into a pretty fun, funky and unique place, without the snotty pretentiousness or ludicrously overpriced cost of living you get in Scottsdale.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by trudawg

The west side is Mexico, and the East side is America.
There I said it................I know you all were thinking it......LOL

That is so funny. I came from a city in California that was 78% hispanic and moved to Surprise where it is 78% caucasion (I think, may have to check tose numbers again.) I seldom see anyone from south of the border in Surprise. My wife is Mexican though so we are continually looking for all those people from south of the border. On my travels I have found most people that are Mexican or from South America on the central and South East parts of the valley, but then I am still new to the area.

[sablebaby]

I think we need to REALLY separate the areas with N, S, E, and W, instead of just E and W. The North Valley is completely different than the West Valley. I think that's one problem with some arguing. You can also be MORE specific and say the NW or SW valley and the W valley, or the NE, SE and E. You CANNOT say that the entire WEST side of town is bad, because that's a completely IGNORANT thing to say. Let's all be more specific.

[w1ngzer0]

Originally Posted by trudawg

The west side is Mexico, and the East side is America.
There I said it................I know you all were thinking it......LOL

I don't think you've ever heard of mesa

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

I don't think you've ever heard of mesa

Add Guadalupe and parts of Gilbert.

[hootie]

Summary:

-West Valley is not that bad. But west of Central does contain the worst parts of the valley (el mirage, maryvale) thus the rep.
-Mesa is ghetto.
-Scottsdale IS 90% the same house as everywhere else on more expensive dirt.
-Gilbert/Chandler are great places to live
-Paradise Valley is the nicest of all

And I have no clue why everyone in Phoenix is willing to live 40 miles away just to have a new tract home for 5 years and then move 50 miles away to have a another new home.

[Great Joy]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

I think we need to REALLY separate the areas with N, S, E, and W, instead of just E and W. The North Valley is completely different than the West Valley. I think that's one problem with some arguing. You can also be MORE specific and say the NW or SW valley and the W valley, or the NE, SE and E. You CANNOT say that the entire WEST side of town is bad, because that's a completely IGNORANT thing to say. Let's all be more specific.

I completely agree with you!

[Valley Native]

It would be better to just stop separating the metro area into "east Valley", "west Valley", "north side", "south side", etc. There wouldn't be so many stereotypes of how bad or good one side of town is from the other if it were all one inclusive Phoenix metro area.

However, being as big as we are now, in a way I can understand how the separation happens. A lot of the separation began to be noticeable when the area code splits happened about ten years ago. Most of Phoenix kept 602, while the east areas obtained 480, and the western suburbs got 623. That in itself created a lot of this separatist notion (and rivalry) between the east Valley & west Valley.

[movin'on]

You do NOT want to live in the west Valley. Honestly. Stick to Scottsdale or Tempe or Ahwatukee. Of course, Paradise Valley is nice and then there is Arcadia. But forget about the west Valley.

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

It would be better to just stop separating the metro area into "east Valley", "west Valley", "north side", "south side", etc. There wouldn't be so many stereotypes of how bad or good one side of town is from the other if it were all one inclusive Phoenix metro area.

However, being as big as we are now, in a way I can understand how the separation happens. A lot of the separation began to be noticeable when the area code splits happened about ten years ago. Most of Phoenix kept 602, while the east areas obtained 480, and the western suburbs got 623. That in itself created a lot of this separatist notion (and rivalry) between the east Valley & west Valley.

Well, the east Valley is honestly nicer. And the north is honestly nicer.