In spite of the heat and sometimes crazy politics is anyone else happy to be living in Arizona? (moving, best place to live)

[robabeatle]

@odannyboy: you would like Scottsdale more than Tucson after what you wrote. HAHA. I just gotta laugh at that.
Go check out the Loft Theater, watch a sunset at Gates Pass, Hike Blacketts Ridge, Desert Museum, etc.

[phxgreenfire]

I did enjoy living there at one point, but as time progressed I just got frustrated with it and eventually left...

I notice people say they travel, but still love Arizona most. I originally started to become dissatisfied with life there when I started to travel more frequently. After over 100 cities in 20 countries across six continents... I know I could never live there again. The more I traveled, the less I looked forward to returning at the end of the trip.

I loathe driving and the responsibilities that come with owning a vehicle, and much prefer walking and/or public transportation. The light rail was a step in the right direction, but come on... I don't want to wait 20+ years for a system that may or may not ever be built.

There are just so many areas where Phoenix and Arizona are lacking, or is lacking in comparison to other cities: cultural amenities, job diversity, creativity, entertainment options, etc. Job diversity was a big reason I left. The jobs I was looking for are scarce in Phoenix, and the ones that are there don't pay well. The absolute highest I heard was $14/hour, and the interviewer made that sound like she would be doing me a favor... but the national average for that same job is $65K. To me, it just didn't seem like any of Arizona's leaders really cared about the state's prosperity or well-being, which also soured my disposition on the state.

Anyway, the biggest reason I liked it then, but started to dislike it was ignorance. At that time, I really didn't have all that much to which I could compare Phoenix and even thought I would stay there forever. As I got exposure to the world, I just realized it wasn't a good city for me. And the more the city and state seemed to want to stay their course, the more I wanted to leave.

[khuntrevor]

I choose Phoenix over NoVa--so much cheaper. Two months of the Summer are Hell. Work scene will aggravate you. Take peripheral jobs in education--bus driver, sub teacher, cafeteria worker....you can live off a job like that in many places. If that is your only income here--you could possibly starve. I spent 9 months in LV in 2009, and I think Phoenix is a clear winner over LV, and will have some sort of recovery well before. Home construction is at 10% of what is was.

[R_Cowgirl]

Well, it has a really great airport to fly out of!

[Michael_RE.C.]

I can honestly say that I like it. Being from many different places, and have had the opportunity to visit many more other places. In my opinion AZ is one of the best places. I can honestly say I've been to every State of the U.S.A. except for Hawii and Alaska.. I have been to many places in Canada and a few places in Mexico as well. All thanks to my 1st career choice. After traveling around our U.S. for about 10 years due to the work I was in during that time. I find AZ to be the best because of the 300 days of sunshine, the low humidity, the more laid back people type here, and even though we're in the middle of a desert. There's still a ton of things to do if you wish for every type of person.

Where as a lot of big cities only have a few things to do for a select few type of people. The traffic congestion here isn't nearly as bad as LA, Chicago, NYC, Louisville KY, most the of state of FL if as much as a duck flys across the road for example. Sure if your trying to get on the 101 N from the 202 W your going to be there for a lil bit at 730 am or 5pm. Or if your traveling across i10 or down i17 same deal. But Like the other cities I mentioned, other large cities congestion is almost at least a all day event.

I like AZ, I can't really say to many bad things about it.. I've only been here for a couple of years. (Though I have come an gone to and through it for the past doz or so).

[jjsjourneys]

My son lives in Mesa and loves it, even when it is 116 with a sand storm and a monsoon coming in. Myself I love northern AZ, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff. I usually support their politics too! Live in SoCal now.

[Hondacub85]

I moved here from orange county, California. Having the beach and Disneyland both within twenty minutes of me plus countless other amenities that OC offers. However, after losing my job after five years and finding relatively nothing for over a year... I looked into AZ. My mom and stepdad moved here and couldn't stop raving about it. I took one trip and fell in love, in one week I landed a great job making twice what I did back in OC (which I know isn't common but hey, im not complaining!). You couldn't pay me to leave. I love love love it here, dust storms and all. Arizona gets under your skin, it's hard to explain but once you get it, you get it. Anyway, as far as heat goes, yeah it was hot this year but it really didn't last that long and as far as politics go... Lets just say I'm from orange county which is one of the most conservative counties in California so I'm happy as heck to escape the mess that California is sadly becoming. Much of the Phoenix area reminds me of how southern California was years ago. Very laid back, very safe and clean for the most part and everybody seems to be prospering, even if the statistics don't show it!

[autism360]

I Love AZ best place to live in the USA

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by Hondacub85

I moved here from orange county, California. Having the beach and Disneyland both within twenty minutes of me plus countless other amenities that OC offers. However, after losing my job after five years and finding relatively nothing for over a year... I looked into AZ. My mom and stepdad moved here and couldn't stop raving about it. I took one trip and fell in love, in one week I landed a great job making twice what I did back in OC (which I know isn't common but hey, im not complaining!). You couldn't pay me to leave. I love love love it here, dust storms and all. Arizona gets under your skin, it's hard to explain but once you get it, you get it. Anyway, as far as heat goes, yeah it was hot this year but it really didn't last that long and as far as politics go... Lets just say I'm from orange county which is one of the most conservative counties in California so I'm happy as heck to escape the mess that California is sadly becoming. Much of the Phoenix area reminds me of how southern California was years ago. Very laid back, very safe and clean for the most part and everybody seems to be prospering, even if the statistics don't show it!

Rare to hear someone who moved from the coast to the desert respond in such a positive manner, but thanks for your feedback! You are absolutely correct when you say "Arizona gets under your skin" because that's what happened with me.
When we first moved here from North Carolina I figured we'd be moving back within two years. Well, 12 years later here we are and now this is home.

[goolsbyjazz]

R_Cowgirl, you are funny!