Arizona is a terrible place, do not think about living here. (Phoenix: smog, summer)

[retiredtxn]

OK...I'm late to this party but just need to vent and put in my 2 cents worth.

My husband and I are retired (78/72 respectively) and relocated to NW AZ about 5 years ago from PA. We've lived in a few states (CA, MI, PA, SC, IL, TX) before moving here. My husband was raised in CA and I lived there briefly (thank God!) from 1997 to 2001, when he retired and we traveled for 3 1/2 years.

We were living in PA before we moved to AZ and can I just say I wish I would have never consented to coming here. I loved my home, my small town, my friends, and my shopping opportunities in PA. I loved the changing seasons (yes...even winter). My husband's pension was not taxed in PA (or TX) and our COL was slightly cheaper than AZ.

Why are we here, you ask? In 2012 my husband fell from a ladder and shattered his left ankle. After 4 surgeries within 10 weeks and a severe infection he decided he could not handle the cold weather any more. Besides, his kids lived in Anaheim and he'd be closer to them. Nevermind, my family was in PA and MI. So we moved.

Then 2 of his 3 kids moved here from CA, so I'm stuck here.

What do I hate about AZ, but particularly about where we live? First, we are seniors and the medical care here is scary. If you want decent doctors we would have to travel to a larger city. Second, there's nothing here. Sure Route 66 and I-40 runs through here, but there's only hotels and fast food places. There are a couple grocery stores and Walmart. That's it. Again, you have to travel to actually shop for anything. Third, there are no decent jobs here...so I'm told by people that's still working. All the new businesses are given to Phoenix, thanks to the governor. This is a forgotten area. Half the streets aren't even paved!

Why people come here is beyond me, but home construction is going gang-busters. There's a lot of CA people coming here because they can sell their home in CA for a fortune and buy a new one for dirt cheap. I can understand that. I get it. I guess if you've lived in CA (like we did) and had to drive hundreds of miles just to get to work, then driving 100 miles to Las Vegas to shop isn't a big deal.

Schools, I'm told, are terrible all over AZ. Teachers are quitting and moving out of AZ because they can get paid a decent wage elsewhere.

Sales tax in our town is almost 10%. Our pension is taxed. Last year we paid $90 to AZ...this year we owe $203. Our car registration is high...not as ridiculous as CA, but not far behind it. You pay according to what you drive and the year of the vehicle. Each year, it goes down...slightly...but then AZ decided in December to add an additional $32 for the Highway Patrol and road maintenance. So, this year, our registration for one vehicle (2017 Nissan Rogue...nothing fancy, mind you), was $350.

Could I go on?...you bet. My advice to anyone thinking of moving to AZ....DON'T. If you want to go to Phoenix, be sure to do your homework and really look at the crime rate.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by 49erfan916

Arizona needs more people. The state is not as crowded as California.

Nor will it ever be.

The coyotes, bobcats, javelinas, rattlesnakes, scorpions and poisonous spiders will take out most of the newcomers. The real estate agents will gobble up the rest.

It's a deadly place, Arizona is. If the wildlife doesn't get you, a flash flood will.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by retiredtxn

What do I hate about AZ, but particularly about where we live? First, we are seniors and the medical care here is scary. If you want decent doctors we would have to travel to a larger city. Second, there's nothing here. Sure Route 66 and I-40 runs through here, but there's only hotels and fast food places. There are a couple grocery stores and Walmart. That's it. Again, you have to travel to actually shop for anything. Third, there are no decent jobs here...so I'm told by people that's still working. All the new businesses are given to Phoenix, thanks to the governor. This is a forgotten area. Half the streets aren't even paved!

Oh, look at the bright side.

The abundance of tweakers in Kingman means there's more than enough meth to go around. Plus, from what I hear, you're getting a new Dairy Queen real soon now.

[retiredtxn]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Oh, look at the bright side.

The abundance of tweakers in Kingman means there's more than enough meth to go around. Plus, from what I hear, you're getting a new Dairy Queen real soon now.

Yup and I hear some old geezer in Scottsdale just got run over and a cop in Glendale tasered a little kid 40 times for asking for an autograph

[wase4711]

get your facts correct if you are going to make stuff up; the little kid was tasered FIFTY times, NOT fourty...geez, the way people make stuff up is horrible here..

[teddyearp]

And the kid was just a tiny little thing . . .

[wase4711]

yep, 'Erp, they grow mustaches out here at the age of 5; those damn UV rays are turning the kids into mutants or something like that..

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Not to mention the Democrats are taking over so anyone who thought they were getting away from "in your face" government by moving to AZ is in for a surprise.

But you did

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by retiredtxn

OK...I'm late to this party but just need to vent and put in my 2 cents worth.

My husband and I are retired (78/72 respectively) and relocated to NW AZ about 5 years ago from PA. We've lived in a few states (CA, MI, PA, SC, IL, TX) before moving here. My husband was raised in CA and I lived there briefly (thank God!) from 1997 to 2001, when he retired and we traveled for 3 1/2 years.

We were living in PA before we moved to AZ and can I just say I wish I would have never consented to coming here. I loved my home, my small town, my friends, and my shopping opportunities in PA. I loved the changing seasons (yes...even winter). My husband's pension was not taxed in PA (or TX) and our COL was slightly cheaper than AZ.

Why are we here, you ask? In 2012 my husband fell from a ladder and shattered his left ankle. After 4 surgeries within 10 weeks and a severe infection he decided he could not handle the cold weather any more. Besides, his kids lived in Anaheim and he'd be closer to them. Nevermind, my family was in PA and MI. So we moved.

Then 2 of his 3 kids moved here from CA, so I'm stuck here.

What do I hate about AZ, but particularly about where we live? First, we are seniors and the medical care here is scary. If you want decent doctors we would have to travel to a larger city. Second, there's nothing here. Sure Route 66 and I-40 runs through here, but there's only hotels and fast food places. There are a couple grocery stores and Walmart. That's it. Again, you have to travel to actually shop for anything. Third, there are no decent jobs here...so I'm told by people that's still working. All the new businesses are given to Phoenix, thanks to the governor. This is a forgotten area. Half the streets aren't even paved!

Why people come here is beyond me, but home construction is going gang-busters. There's a lot of CA people coming here because they can sell their home in CA for a fortune and buy a new one for dirt cheap. I can understand that. I get it. I guess if you've lived in CA (like we did) and had to drive hundreds of miles just to get to work, then driving 100 miles to Las Vegas to shop isn't a big deal.

Schools, I'm told, are terrible all over AZ. Teachers are quitting and moving out of AZ because they can get paid a decent wage elsewhere.

Sales tax in our town is almost 10%. Our pension is taxed. Last year we paid $90 to AZ...this year we owe $203. Our car registration is high...not as ridiculous as CA, but not far behind it. You pay according to what you drive and the year of the vehicle. Each year, it goes down...slightly...but then AZ decided in December to add an additional $32 for the Highway Patrol and road maintenance. So, this year, our registration for one vehicle (2017 Nissan Rogue...nothing fancy, mind you), was $350.

Could I go on?...you bet. My advice to anyone thinking of moving to AZ....DON'T. If you want to go to Phoenix, be sure to do your homework and really look at the crime rate.

If you hate it that much, you need to convince your husband to leave. No one should live in a place they hate...to be fair, I wouldn't want to live in a remote country town either.

[CybSecGuy]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

If you hate it that much, you need to convince your husband to leave. No one should live in a place they hate...to be fair, I wouldn't want to live in a remote country town either.

Sorry, but one of the most terrible dangers of being foolish enough to move to Arizona is that you get the Hotel California treatment: You can check in any time you like but you can never leave.