Any reason to stay in Phoenix? (Tempe, Flagstaff: credit, home, employment)

[FrAZToCO]

I recently got a job offer in Denver so I found this site researching info on Denver. I have lived in Arizona most of my life and the last 10 or so in Tempe. My family all lives here and they don't want me to leave and I hate leaving them but it's a good job offer (not great) and I would kind of like to try living in a cooler climate. The cooler parts of Arizona don't have a work for me. I've been reading and posted a couple time in the Denver Forum and they seem to have mostly good things to say about life in Denver. Some people on here don't have a lot of good to say about Phoenix. I know what I expect if I stay but I wanted others opinions or experiences.
What are the reasons you stay? or would leave?
Given a choice of Denver or Phoenix where would you live and why?

[irwin]

Originally Posted by FrAZToCO

I recently got a job offer in Denver so I found this site researching info on Denver. I have lived in Arizona most of my life and the last 10 or so in Tempe. My family all lives here and they don't want me to leave and I hate leaving them but it's a good job offer (not great) and I would kind of like to try living in a cooler climate. The cooler parts of Arizona don't have a work for me. I've been reading and posted a couple time in the Denver Forum and they seem to have mostly good things to say about life in Denver. Some people on here don't have a lot of good to say about Phoenix. I know what I expect if I stay but I wanted others opinions or experiences.
What are the reasons you stay? or would leave?
Given a choice of Denver or Phoenix where would you live and why?

Depends on what you want and what is important to you.

I have never lived in Denver so I can't talk about the specifics. That being said, I have heard a lot of really good things about LoDo and that it is a really neat neighborhood. I personally dislike Phoenix for a whole lot of reasons, but others seem to like it for those very same reasons. Finally, if being close to family is important, that is also something you need to think about.

[Ponderosa]

Very tough and very personal decision. Since the motivating factors for moving don't seem to be all that strong to you (a little better job and the chance to try some cooler weather) and you have so many family ties here, if it were me, I'd stay. Maybe something really irresistable will come along in time and then you will know for sure. It's so easy to discount the value of family and friends until they are no longer there.

[Cj81]

Well, first of all I am not sure that I am staying here. The only thing I don't like about Phoenix is that its a giant suburb. I want to live in a city not a suburb, however I am in no position to leave now. If I were to decide to stay here even when I am able to leave it would be for the weather, I love the sun and the dry heat, I hate cold and I hate humidity. Also the location, I love that I can be in LA or LV in 4-5 hour drive. I also like the fact that Phoenix is a city of opportunity for ownership. Prices have been increasing but they are still pretty low, so there is a lot of opportunity to own a home or small business. I won't be in a position to leave for a couple of years but downtown is developing pretty nice, so I might just stay. I have never been to Denver but my advice is -- you only live once so just do it, if you hate Denver then just move back

[FrAZToCO]

I should probably add that part of the motivation to move is my wife she has asthma and the either the air quality in the winter or heat in the summer get to her. My family and fear of unknown maybe the only reason we've stayed. I admit if I was single I may have gone already but with a wife and 3 kids it's tougher to move or move back if I don't like it. To their credit they all seem to want to do it.

[sablebaby]

Is asthma better in Denver, with them having the high altitude? I looked into Denver for a while. It seemed like the place for me, decided against it for now. I think the altitude will affect me, plus this last winter scared the you know what out of me! I know that was more severe than usual, but still.

[FrAZToCO]

My reseach on asthma has told me the cleaner air is better along with still very dry and the cold kills dust mights and other allergens which are all good for my wife she has asthma brought on by allergies. The altitude is harder for people who's attacks are cause by exercise thats not the case for my wife.
It's also harder to recover if you do have an asthma attack. We visited Denver last year just after my wife got out of the hospital here with asthma problems we spent 3 days walked around and she never even needed an inhaler that almost sold me right there. They also have a highly rated hospital that specializes in respitory issues.

[irwin]

One thing to consider is NOX problems at higher altitudes. I think Denver has a problem.

[vegaspilgrim]

I'm from Denver, at ASU for college. The climate here has been an interesting change; when I first came here I was totally enamored with the desert, with the palm trees, with the warm summer nights (I actually liked that). When we do get clouds here it can be really beautiful, especially the sunsets. That stuff is awesome, no doubt. But with the days already heating up, and we are barely into March, I'm already getting reminded of the oven baking conditions to come. I like the combination of sunny yet slightly chilly and windy, with REAL mountain views-- which is what Denver is like most of the year.

I'm looking forward to graduating next year and getting the hell outta here-- and there's probably a 3/4 chance I'll move back to Denver. I think that the climate here is exotic and can be beautiful at times, but it is not in tune with the way of life of mainstream American/European culture-- which is deeply influenced by the rhythm of four seasons. The whole Christmas season is a great example. Although, everybody knows the trends-- the fastest growing cities are in the southwest and the south.

Ideally, I think it is better to live in a four season climate, and take vacations to Arizona/Nevada (hence, the "vegaspilgrim" name) /California, than the other way around. Other than the climate/scenery differences, Denver has a much more built up core/historic city with beautiful (and gentrified) older neighborhoods like Washington Park, and a more fun downtown. I think Denver also has more of a hometown feeling and local pride (go Broncos, etc). But I'm not trashing Phoenix either-- when it comes down to it, both Denver and Phoenix are more alike than not. It all depends what your situation is; one metro area is not wholesale better than another one. As other posters have said, there really is something to be said about having family and connections in an area.

[steve22]

I'm sure you've probably read some of my previous posts on this very subject if you've browsed around enough, but to reiterate: Denver vs. Phoenix = NO comparison. I lived in Denver, then moved here to Phoenix, and have regretted it ever since.

Denver's a much nicer city, IMO. Great weather, 4 seasons but lots of sunshine- rarely they'll get a big snowfall, but bottom line is, having moved to Denver from the midwest, the winter is MUCH milder there than common perception would lead you to believe. It's very similar to Flagstaff, actually; and when it does snow, it doesn't stick around long between the sunshine & the low atmospheric pressure. There's never a time of year when you're stuck indoors & can't enjoy the beautiful Colorado outdoors, whether biking, skiing, hiking, fishing, camping, ww rafting, etc., etc. Contrast that to here in Phoenix, where you're literally housebound for your safety & comfort 5 months out of the year during the summer months. The mountains there are absolutely beautiful, and so much to do so close. Phoenix has some decent outdoor parks & rec options also, but it's not the Rockies. Not even close.

Also, as far as the city itself, I found Denver to be much friendlier, centralized, and cosmopolitan. Denver actually feels like a real city, with a great, vibrant downtown & vibrant central core; Phoenix, by contrast, is really just a huge agglomeration of suburbs with a pathetic, lifeless & virtually nonexistent downtown for the number of people living here. They've taken some initial steps to improve the state of the downtown here, starting with the lightrail; however, there are numerous obstacles to overcome in that regard, particularly with respect to zoning restrictions & lack of employment in the city's central core.

Denver statistically has the highest percentage of college-educated young adults between the ages of 22 and 40 of any major city in the country. It's a more sophisticated populace on the whole, less NASCAR-trash and K-Fed clone gangster wanna-be morons than you'll find here. At least it felt that way when I lived there. And there's less crime- not so much a surprise. I've never figured out what attracts so many low-lifes to Phoenix, but there certainly are many of them here. Probably it's the relative abundance of jobs which don't require college degrees in telemarketing, clerical work & construction... whatever. I'm sick of ranting about it.

Bottom line: if you have a choice between Denver & Phoenix, choose Denver, unless you really hate cold & seasons so much that your weather preferences trump everything else that factors into overall quality of life. No question about it.