Unsure to move from Indiana to Tucson? (Prescott: crime, house)

[confused indiana]

My husband is from there I am from Florida but dont want to go back there .but in Indiana the cold weather and yucky days seem to always be here and brings everyone down .But then now the other hand Tucson which seems very intreging,but is it a good family environment ? Anyone know?

[tucsondesertdweller]

Well it depends on the area you live. I think my area of town the northwest area if a good family environment.

[red sky]

I feel truly qualified to field this question. After growing up in Northwest IN, and serving in the military, I moved to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona, from where I'll graduate next week. Yay me.

Here's the truth. Tucson would be an improvement if you lived in Gary. Beautiful mountains surround a city run by corrupt and inept officials. Wages are low and crime is through the roof. And then there's the illegal immigration... They'll graffiti your dogs if they get the chance.

I have a theory-- something happens to many individuals when they get 354 days of sun per year. They get soft. Come summer, they get agressive--think of animals battling over resources and watering holes. I've never experienced a Midwest winter that was less friendly than a Arizona summer--in terms of vibe and climate. Plus, the summers here are longer. If you're happy with locking yourself in an air-conditioned house and smoking pot all day, Tucson summers are for you.

There's good and bad everywhere. There's lots of art and music here, but you can get that in Chicago, and way friendlier. Seems to me Tucson is a hotbed for "cultural engineering," and if you like the idea of living somewhere that most people come to drug out or die, then this is the place. For family life, your kids will get a great education in car theft in our wonderful schools. We were recently ranked dead last in intelligence in the US, by way of educational spending. No lie--look it up.

If you like living around trees, grass, water, and other things that make life possible... well, move to Chicago. If you need cheap burritos and methamphetamine, this is the place.

Maybe try northern AZ. Prescott is nice. Otherwise, I'd say take a LONG vacation here before making the leap. Sunshine doesn't equal a fulfilling life experience.

Me? I'm gone in a month.

[josetjo]

This one answered a lot of my suspicions about living in southern AZ. Thanks for the tip.