Where to settle in Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson: rental, low crime, home)

[screamflickchick]

Hi- I moved to Arizona 7 months ago from the East Coast. Took a year rental to see if I liked the area- and quickly realized that the West Valley was not for me. WAY too busy with nothing but chain restaurants and chain stores. I am trying to decide if I want to stay in Arizona or look elsewhere.

I love the Southwest for its beauty and climate (minus the summer months.) I do have reservations about the water situation in the future. I am about 15 years from retirement and I am thinking long-term. I work in healthcare. It is just my husband and I- no children. I love nature and hiking and a quieter lifestyle.

I am looking for somewhere quieter, low crime, and a reasonable distance (1/2 hour) to stores.
Preferably somewhere with a lower population, less traffic and not super-expensive (I realize that home prices have skyrocketed everywhere.) Ultimately looking to buy a smaller home (around 1500-1600 sq. ft.) and not on top of the neighbors. Also not looking at anywhere known to have a lot of meth-heads.

Any thoughts on Wickenburg? Williams? Pros and cons? Or any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[gemstone1]

Water issues aside, which most of AZ is faced with, look into Sierra Vista, or if you don't mind snow, Show Low.

Regards
Gemstone1

[grmi66]

Catalina and Oracle outside of Tucson would fit the bill as well.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by screamflickchick

Hi- I moved to Arizona 7 months ago from the East Coast. Took a year rental to see if I liked the area- and quickly realized that the West Valley was not for me. WAY too busy with nothing but chain restaurants and chain stores. I am trying to decide if I want to stay in Arizona or look elsewhere.

I love the Southwest for its beauty and climate (minus the summer months.) I do have reservations about the water situation in the future. I am about 15 years from retirement and I am thinking long-term. I work in healthcare. It is just my husband and I- no children. I love nature and hiking and a quieter lifestyle.

I am looking for somewhere quieter, low crime, and a reasonable distance (1/2 hour) to stores.
Preferably somewhere with a lower population, less traffic and not super-expensive (I realize that home prices have skyrocketed everywhere.) Ultimately looking to buy a smaller home (around 1500-1600 sq. ft.) and not on top of the neighbors. Also not looking at anywhere known to have a lot of meth-heads.

Any thoughts on Wickenburg? Williams? Pros and cons? Or any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Both are nice places. Wickenburg is Phoenix level hot and Williams is Flagstaff level cold.

If you don't mind Phoenix level hot then there is Casa Grande and the towns around there.

Cottonwood, Payson, Verde Valley are a little more isolated from the big city but are nice and a bit cooler.

Tucson area... a lot of people are moving to the Sahaurita/Green Valley/Continental area as well as the areas mentioned previously (Catalina, Oracle) and you can add Oro Valley and Marana to that.

[KurtAZ]

She said no Meth-heads so that would leave Payson-Star Valley out.

[agorski]

Originally Posted by Azmarlin39a

North of Prescott. Chino Valley, Paulden. I moved here from the East coast 21 years ago. I’m now retired, and love it here.

I second this. Prescott has all the shopping you would ever need, plus decent restaurants and amenities and far fewer chain stores and franchise restaurants. Paulden may be more than 1/2 hour from Prescott but Chino Valley seems to be the sweet spot for real-estate affordability and distance from shopping. And the climate is not brutal, summer or winter. This area is great for outdoor activities like hiking.

And you're close to the Prescott airport, with jet flights to LAX and Denver.

[maverick974]

I moved from Oregon 10 years ago.
I spent 3 years researching where I fit best in Arizona. I needed close proximity to big city stuff like malls and a wide variety of restaurants, but I also need to be close to nature. Mountains, lakes, rivers and such. I picked east Mesa and I couldn't be more pleased with my choice.
Plenty of shopping, great restaurants all around, Saguaro and Canyon Lakes are minutes away and if I want to escape the valley, I can be up in the pines in Payson in just over an hour and Strawberry about 15 minutes past that.
Jobs are plentiful around these parts, specially in the medical fields.
Queen Creek is also an up and coming area and not too terribly far from Phoenix.
Anyway, the east valley has a lot to offer so it might be worth a look
Good luck.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by screamflickchick

Preferably somewhere with a lower population, less traffic and not super-expensive

If you're in the PHX metro area, everywhere else in AZ will be smaller, cheaper and have less traffic. Could you be a bit more specific? There's a lot of range between Tucson (for example) and Pine (for another example).

[WK91]

East valley is better. I’d stay in these 3 places: Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, and N Scottsdale, near or beyond the 101. The further away, the better, is my motto.

Is anywhere truly safe anymore? Not really, always arm yourself and be ready for anything. Don’t just get a weapon, fire it regularly so you don’t freeze up when needed. It’s only going to get worse. No need to go into all the reasons why crime is on a serious uptick in the Valley, we all know why.

When you say you lived in the West Valley and need to find a lower crime area, what are we dealing with here? Maryvale? Avondale? Tolleson? I wouldn’t set foot in any of those areas without being armed and ready.

[screamflickchick]

@WK91

I am renting in Goodyear at the moment. I don't feel unsafe here- I was just asking for recommendations on low crime areas outside of Phoenix Metro. I know that Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale are very nice areas. But I don't think I can afford them! I love going over to Scottsdale to hike. Thank you for the advice!