Nicer place to live overall: Arizona -or- Florida ? (Phoenix, Tucson: rent, townhomes)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you live in the area and are out and about a lot, you will have seen both sides of the fence. And you would know what I can afford? LOL i can't stand people who are obsessed with money and status and things. For your info, I am in my 30's and can live wherever I want due to my husband's tech business and family money. Not that it is any of your business. I could care less if an area has rundown areas and upscale areas - I was simply replying to some other guy's comment on Tampa having all trailer trash compared to Phoenix. It's simply not true and gives people a false sense of what they are moving into. Every area has rich and poor areas including SLC which has a huge homeless population. Most of the best cities in the country have lots of really rundown areas.
I am not into all these status games. Who cares if someone is rich or poor? You guys are the ones obsessed with someone else's money, not me. Austin is wealthy, although the people there are more casual and not as into flaunting their money, hence the appeal.
Bend was just one of my areas. There are lots of beautiful waterfall hikes, paved bike trails, and close access to great road trips nearby. I couldn't care less whether or not an area is high or low income. I care about what the city has to offer and if there is great nature nearby. Period.
Reading through your posts, you hate the heat, low humidity, scenery, vibe, hikes, biking, and everything there is to hate about Phoenix and Arizona and you have the wealth and portable business (through your husband) to live wherever you choose....so why in the hell did you choose to move to Phoenix and why have you stayed?
Some of the negatives you mention have validity but most are just preferences that you have that others may or may not have....I hate Florida humidity and mosquitos, so I won't move there and complain to everyone in Florida about how horrible it is.
Do you just have a need to complain? Reminds me of someone that complained ceaselessly about Gilbert until she left and then missed it and moved back.
Hurricanes, sinkholes, mosquitoes, and humidity are things we don't miss! We also considered the Carolinas (where we lived prior to Phoenix) Colorado and Washington State. The advantage of Florida and the Carolinas is they are closer to the majority of our family back east. We enjoy living in the west, but as we get older we desire to be closer to our aging relatives. Are you still considering Colorado?
It sounds like you've experienced quite a variety of places! I'd think the Carolinas might be something for you to look into - you'd have the option of being near the coast, and you'd also have the mountains. Humidity wouldn't be quite as bad as further south, and natural disaster risk is far less. My mom lives in Asheville, NC. It is absolutely beautiful. She says the property taxes there are ridiculous, though. I don't know how they compare with Florida, but I do know Florida's property insurance rates are on the rise thanks to Irma.
I'd been thinking of Colorado because I've heard people say how active and fit almost everyone is there, and it seems like a progressive state that puts an emphasis on environmental preservation. I felt they were brilliant to legalize marijuana and use the taxes to improve their schools. Plus, there are mountains, lakes and forests, and changes of seasons.
After doing some research, though, I've learned that cost of living is through the roof - so much so, that many people are leaving the state to find a more affordable place to live. The areas that offer the best jobs and schools are in the Front Range Urban Corridor, which is significantly more congested than where we are in Tampa. Crime is worse there, and to enjoy the mountains you have to travel. The more rural areas get a little too cold for my comfort! I also learned that the marijuana use is causing issues with crime and overall quality of some places, and that none of the schools have received a dime from its taxes so far.
We've started looking into Utah. There are things I'm not crazy about, but overall parts of the state seem to offer the same things I'd been dreaming of in Colorado, maybe even better.
We're in the same situation as you, though, in that our families are over here on the east coast. As much as I'd like to leave this state, I can't imagine how hard it would be to leave our families and close friends behind.
Massachusetts would be my top pick as it was our favorite place out of everywhere we lived and we have several family members living up there. Unfortunately, it is too far of a move right now for us. We are looking to move within 15 hrs just b/c we have moved frequently in the past few years and it is tiresome. Looking to get out there in the future.
I wasn't complaining about run down areas, just stating that both Tampa and Phoenix have their share of run down areas. Most people on here seem to be pro Arizona and anti Texas and Florida so was simply saying that if one acknowledges that Tampa has poor areas, you also have to acknowledge that Phoenix has its' share too. Someone else brought up that Tampa was trailer trash - I simply stating that Phoenix has bad areas too. Austin has many run down areas too unless it has changed since I last visited. Not a problem with me. I am considering it because a. I like the downtown b. I like the paved bike trails c. I like water and lakes d. the gulf coast beaches are nice and less than a 4hr roadtrip e. i like the scenery f. all the people I have met have been really friendly and the population is a bit younger. And yes I feel that there is more of a laidback California type vibe there compared to Phoenix.
I always said I didn't like Phoenix because of the dry heat, endless sunny days, strip mall congestion, lack of culture, and so on. I never said anything personally about the run down areas but rather replied to someone else. I lived on the South side of Chicago for many years so yeah I have seen my share of bad. Oh, and I do work from home although my money is extra money. I do something that I genuinely like doing (a former hobby) and do not consider it a job especially since I am my own boss and can work as much or as little as I desire. Either way to each his own. I need to get off the Internet for some time, been on too much lately. It's not healthy so best of luck to you all.
What's with this made up 15 hour radius rule? If you like MA, go live there! Acting like it's so much harder to move 15 hours instead of 50 hours is pretty silly, by the time you've packed up everything and made new living arrangements it's not really that big of a deal. The amount of effort put into moving to Salt Lake versus say Boston really isn't much different other than a longer drive when you finally pull out.
If you don't like dry heat and sunny days you're probably not going to like Utah or anywhere in the south or inter-mountain West. It's still a desert, it's still very sunny (SLC gets 222 sunny days per year, Phoenix 299), and it's still very dry, they don't even get much of a summer Monsoon influence which gives us a fair amount of humidity this summer. You're also going to be exposed to the sun on most trails around the Salt Lake valley, you're not hiking in forest anywhere in Salt Lake. You'll have to drive up to the mountains and the tree coverage is still limited there.
If you can't find culture in Phoenix you're not going to in Utah either. It's not exactly a melting pot of diversity or culture. I'm also not even sure what you mean by culture, some people define it as having zoos/botanical gardens/museums others are looking for specific types of local art districts. Phoenix has both. Salt Lake has both but to a lesser extent.
What's with this made up 15 hour radius rule? If you like MA, go live there! Acting like it's so much harder to move 15 hours instead of 50 hours is pretty silly, by the time you've packed up everything and made new living arrangements it's not really that big of a deal. The amount of effort put into moving to Salt Lake versus say Boston really isn't much different other than a longer drive when you finally pull out.
If you don't like dry heat and sunny days you're probably not going to like Utah or anywhere in the south or inter-mountain West. It's still a desert, it's still very sunny (SLC gets 222 sunny days per year, Phoenix 299), and it's still very dry, they don't even get much of a summer Monsoon influence which gives us a fair amount of humidity this summer. You're also going to be exposed to the sun on most trails around the Salt Lake valley, you're not hiking in forest anywhere in Salt Lake. You'll have to drive up to the mountains and the tree coverage is still limited there.
If you can't find culture in Phoenix you're not going to in Utah either. It's not exactly a melting pot of diversity or culture. I'm also not even sure what you mean by culture, some people define it as having zoos/botanical gardens/museums others are looking for specific types of local art districts. Phoenix has both. Salt Lake has both but to a lesser extent.
I think the answer for the OP is to get about 10 to 15 more years of actual life experience. LOL. She sounds very spoiled and like there is an ideal place to live, which there isn’t. Maybe have a look inside yourself OP. And your comment about how it’s difficult to move to Massachusetts but not Utah shows how immature and undeveloped your line of thinking really is.
Why would someone bother moving many hundreds of miles but not move to the place they really wanted to move to but instead move to a closer place without even having experienced it before?
Ridiculous. Sorry if this sounds cruel but she needs to hear it.
It sounds like you've experienced quite a variety of places! I'd think the Carolinas might be something for you to look into - you'd have the option of being near the coast, and you'd also have the mountains. Humidity wouldn't be quite as bad as further south, and natural disaster risk is far less. My mom lives in Asheville, NC. It is absolutely beautiful. She says the property taxes there are ridiculous, though. I don't know how they compare with Florida, but I do know Florida's property insurance rates are on the rise thanks to Irma.
I'd been thinking of Colorado because I've heard people say how active and fit almost everyone is there, and it seems like a progressive state that puts an emphasis on environmental preservation. I felt they were brilliant to legalize marijuana and use the taxes to improve their schools. Plus, there are mountains, lakes and forests, and changes of seasons.
After doing some research, though, I've learned that cost of living is through the roof - so much so, that many people are leaving the state to find a more affordable place to live. The areas that offer the best jobs and schools are in the Front Range Urban Corridor, which is significantly more congested than where we are in Tampa. Crime is worse there, and to enjoy the mountains you have to travel. The more rural areas get a little too cold for my comfort! I also learned that the marijuana use is causing issues with crime and overall quality of some places, and that none of the schools have received a dime from its taxes so far.
We've started looking into Utah. There are things I'm not crazy about, but overall parts of the state seem to offer the same things I'd been dreaming of in Colorado, maybe even better.
We're in the same situation as you, though, in that our families are over here on the east coast. As much as I'd like to leave this state, I can't imagine how hard it would be to leave our families and close friends behind.
We have travelled around quite a bit for work. My family really likes living in Arizona, but we started thinking about moving back east after my father died and I found myself scrambling to get a plane ticket to go close out his business. On top of the emotional strain, living so far away there was the additional issue of travel and paying so-called bereavement fares! As we get older the distance from our family has led to our missing births, weddings and other life-changing events.
On a side note, we also liked Colorado, but the COL is pretty high and we've heard mixed reviews on how the legalization of marijuana has affected things. Utah is a beautiful state. Don't know much about it except people say the winter inversions can be pretty tough. Hoping to visit the state in 2018...in the summer or fall!
One huge thing Arizona has going for it, in my opinion, is the lack of natural disasters and options. The weather here, for the most part, is pretty predictable -- sun. It's only a problem during the summers when it hits triple digits for months on end. Even then, though, you can escape by driving north or to the California coast. Many people also go to the beaches in Mexico, which are closer than California.
I have a few friends living in Tampa who have invited me to visit them. They seem to really love the area and what it offers. Maybe one day we will get over there. Gotta say, though, the last batch of hurricanes definitely altered our perspective on living in Florida!
Last edited by goolsbyjazz; 12-30-2017 at 09:30 AM..
Reason: content
I have a few friends living in Tampa who have invited me to visit them. They seem to really love the area and what it offers. Maybe one day we will get over there. Gotta say, though, the last batch of hurricanes definitely altered our perspective on living in Florida![/quote]
When we moved to Tampa, our friends told us that Tampa hasn't been hit in about 90 years. Well, it is the luck of the draw. It is a possibility that a devastating hurricane can hit the area any year during hurricane season. This is the main reason we are looking to move to Phoenix.
I also want to point out that from what I've seen Phoenix plans it's roads and infrastructure a lot better than Tampa does. In Tampa, the builders build and build homes without making any changes to the roads. Now we have thousands of homes with the same old roads which have become bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. I have to leave for work 1 hour earlier than normal because of the traffic.
Phoenix's infrastructure is better, and although there is traffic, the roads accommodate the number of people.
Tampa's daily news reports on numerous fatalities on the road.
I have a few friends living in Tampa who have invited me to visit them. They seem to really love the area and what it offers. Maybe one day we will get over there. Gotta say, though, the last batch of hurricanes definitely altered our perspective on living in Florida!
When we moved to Tampa, our friends told us that Tampa hasn't been hit in about 90 years. Well, it is the luck of the draw. It is a possibility that a devastating hurricane can hit the area any year during hurricane season. This is the main reason we are looking to move to Phoenix.
I also want to point out that from what I've seen Phoenix plans it's roads and infrastructure a lot better than Tampa does. In Tampa, the builders build and build homes without making any changes to the roads. Now we have thousands of homes with the same old roads which have become bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. I have to leave for work 1 hour earlier than normal because of the traffic.
Phoenix's infrastructure is better, and although there is traffic, the roads accommodate the number of people.
Tampa's daily news reports on numerous fatalities on the road.[/quote]
How long have you lived in Tampa? Sounds like you've been out here before?
When we moved to Tampa, our friends told us that Tampa hasn't been hit in about 90 years. Well, it is the luck of the draw. It is a possibility that a devastating hurricane can hit the area any year during hurricane season. This is the main reason we are looking to move to Phoenix.
I also want to point out that from what I've seen Phoenix plans it's roads and infrastructure a lot better than Tampa does. In Tampa, the builders build and build homes without making any changes to the roads. Now we have thousands of homes with the same old roads which have become bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. I have to leave for work 1 hour earlier than normal because of the traffic.
Phoenix's infrastructure is better, and although there is traffic, the roads accommodate the number of people.
Tampa's daily news reports on numerous fatalities on the road.
How long have you lived in Tampa? Sounds like you've been out here before?[/quote]
We moved to Tampa in 2014. Yes we just visited Phoenix in Oct for my birthday. We liked it so much we are coming back in January to look for a home and to see if it's a place we can spend many years ahead.
It's scary to move to a new place where you don't know many people, but I'm pretty social and find it easy to make friends. I've already contacted a real estate agent, and he knows what we are looking for. It's exciting and scary because I'm moving without a job. As soon as we make a decision to move, I will send out my resume and hope for the best. :-)
How long have you lived in Tampa? Sounds like you've been out here before?
We moved to Tampa in 2014. Yes we just visited Phoenix in Oct for my birthday. We liked it so much we are coming back in January to look for a home and to see if it's a place we can spend many years ahead.
It's scary to move to a new place where you don't know many people, but I'm pretty social and find it easy to make friends. I've already contacted a real estate agent, and he knows what we are looking for. It's exciting and scary because I'm moving without a job. As soon as we make a decision to move, I will send out my resume and hope for the best. :-)[/quote]
Wow! That's fantastic. I wish you well on the move and with securing employment out here. I know what It's like moving to a place where you know few people. However, for the most part, people out here are friendly and most likely transplants as well. Keep us informed on your journey and Happy New Year!
Wow! That's fantastic. I wish you well on the move and with securing employment out here. I know what It's like moving to a place where you know few people. However, for the most part, people out here are friendly and most likely transplants as well. Keep us informed on your journey and Happy New Year![/quote]
Thank you so very much! Our trip back to Phoenix is in 2 weeks! Can't wait..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
