Looking for the Perfect city to live in Arizonia ? Lake Havasu ? (Phoenix: rent, low crime)

[thninkingaz]

Hi we are looking for a perfect City in Arizonia ? We do not mind the Heat but do not want a cold or wet winter, but want the following :
1. Low Crime
2. Smaller city population area not much over 100,000 (don't have to deal with lots of traffic)
3. with Lakes with boating around, fishing and camping around
4. Jobs available
5. college close if possible for my son
I am not sure if I am asking to much but hope their is a town like this around we currently live in Billings M.T. which is about 100,000 people and we currently have all this just not the weather we are sick of 10 months of winter.
Please help with any ideas or any towns we have already looked at Queen creek but I do not like it do to the traffic to almost go anywhere not sure if I am crazy about that, and We are considering Possible Lake Havasu or Parker area but have never been their.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by thninkingaz

Hi we are looking for a perfect City in Arizonia ? We do not mind the Heat but do not want a cold or wet winter, but want the following :
1. Low Crime
2. Smaller city population area not much over 100,000 (don't have to deal with lots of traffic)
3. with Lakes with boating around, fishing and camping around
4. Jobs available
5. college close if possible for my son
I am not sure if I am asking to much but hope their is a town like this around we currently live in Billings M.T. which is about 100,000 people and we currently have all this just not the weather we are sick of 10 months of winter.
Please help with any ideas or any towns we have already looked at Queen creek but I do not like it do to the traffic to almost go anywhere not sure if I am crazy about that, and We are considering Possible Lake Havasu or Parker area but have never been their.

I am not the expert you need as I am a transplant and live in Sedona (with somewhat cold winters due to the altitude) but I thought I would share that I have heard that Lake Havasu is the hottest place in the state, so you talking REALLY hot summers, worse than Phoenix.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by thninkingaz

Hi we are looking for a perfect City in Arizonia ? We do not mind the Heat but do not want a cold or wet winter, but want the following :
1. Low Crime
2. Smaller city population area not much over 100,000 (don't have to deal with lots of traffic)
3. with Lakes with boating around, fishing and camping around
4. Jobs available
5. college close if possible for my son
I am not sure if I am asking to much but hope their is a town like this around we currently live in Billings M.T. which is about 100,000 people and we currently have all this just not the weather we are sick of 10 months of winter.
Please help with any ideas or any towns we have already looked at Queen creek but I do not like it do to the traffic to almost go anywhere not sure if I am crazy about that, and We are considering Possible Lake Havasu or Parker area but have never been their.

You are pretty much 'stuck' with any of the Colorado River cities that you listed plus Bullhead City.

My recommendation is to actually visit all of the places in question and 'feel the vibes'.

[WestcoastBrit]

The summer really isn't that bad in LHC. I've never seen it go over 130F.

[Havasu]

Lake Havasu is a nice place to live and the crime is average for a city of its size. The weather is great during the winter 70s and hot during the summer over 100 for 4-5 months, it has not been 130 but it has been 128 and even to me thats hot and I love the heat. There is no traffic to speak of it might take you 10-15 minutes to get to one end of town to the other end. Its hard to get lost because we have the mountains on one side of town and the Lake on the other side. Housing is alot more reasonable now. We have a nice mall for shopping and it seems to be doing ok with new shops coming in. The downfall would be the job market. We have a nice Community College. Lake Havasu isnt for everyone but it is for about 50,000 people year round now. Check out this website for some pictures of the place. To me its a great place to live. http://www.newtohavasu.net/ (broken link)


(http://www.newtohavasu.net/ - broken link)

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by thninkingaz

Hi we are looking for a perfect City in Arizonia ? We do not mind the Heat but do not want a cold or wet winter, but want the following :
1. Low Crime
2. Smaller city population area not much over 100,000 (don't have to deal with lots of traffic)
3. with Lakes with boating around, fishing and camping around
4. Jobs available
5. college close if possible for my son
I am not sure if I am asking to much but hope their is a town like this around we currently live in Billings M.T. which is about 100,000 people and we currently have all this just not the weather we are sick of 10 months of winter.
Please help with any ideas or any towns we have already looked at Queen creek but I do not like it do to the traffic to almost go anywhere not sure if I am crazy about that, and We are considering Possible Lake Havasu or Parker area but have never been their.

If such a place existed, I would move there. Alas, I think the jobs issue is going to be the sticking point in your list.

[Havasu]

Originally Posted by movin'on

If such a place existed, I would move there. Alas, I think the jobs issue is going to be the sticking point in your list.

This is what keeps the place from growing, there are a few jobs here and there but the pay is not good.

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by Havasu

This is what keeps the place from growing, there are a few jobs here and there but the pay is not good.

Well, if a person can retire I think that's great. But to ask for everything the OP has, PLUS jobs, is a bit much. Anytime there is a place with all of the above, it is no longer small, as everyone moves there.

[Havasu]

Originally Posted by movin'on

Well, if a person can retire I think that's great. But to ask for everything the OP has, PLUS jobs, is a bit much. Anytime there is a place with all of the above, it is no longer small, as everyone moves there.

You are right and thats why there is nowhere perfect to live.

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by Havasu

You are right and thats why there is nowhere perfect to live.

Right, it's a question of priorities. I will tell you this much and I've learned the hard way TWICE now; a person should really go to an area and rent for a few months in the worst part of the year, weather-wise, before making a move.

In my last place I bought way out in order to afford something (something akin to buying in Queen Creek or Buckeye). However, I didn't like the city I moved to and the commute was horrendous. Still, owning was important to me.

In this place, I bought something six times the size of my former dwelling in a very good neighborhood, but there is not much to do that interests me.

There is no perfect place - just places better suited to a person than other places.