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.
Completely lost in thought. We have moved a lot in 10 years and for our last move my husband and I thought it would be best for our two sons to move closer to family. So here we are in Minneapolis with a winter climate. We have lived in DC, Charlotte, Dallas, and Denver and they all have their pros and cons. We spent almost 6 years in Charlotte so that feels the closest to home. So here we are middle of winter and can't wish the time to move quicker so we can be warm again.
So the dilemma. I have a great job opportunity in Tampa but always read about the heat, bad schools, traffic, insurance costs, etc. And people wanting to leave. You never hear about the good things. My current job I could work in Phoenix or Charlotte. We read about extreme heat, bad schools in Phoenix and Charlotte we have been there done that.
So why do you choose to stay in Phoenix, Tampa, or Charlotte and why do you choose, to leave and where do you go? Is it worth going back to Charlotte where we have a network of friends?
I want to make sure my husband and boys can succeed. So jobs and schools are important. We like taking walks and biking. Any advice on what to consider? Lost in Thought.
If you already have a support network in Charlotte, choose Charlotte. Problem solved.
With that having been said, I like Phoenix personally and think it's a fine place. The only real downside to the place -- IMO -- is that the heat there is pretty extreme and not everyone can handle it (I'm one who decidedly cannot and can only live there 6 months out of the year). But, Phoenix is lovely in its own way.
Completely lost in thought. We have moved a lot in 10 years and for our last move my husband and I thought it would be best for our two sons to move closer to family. So here we are in Minneapolis with a winter climate. We have lived in DC, Charlotte, Dallas, and Denver and they all have their pros and cons. We spent almost 6 years in Charlotte so that feels the closest to home. So here we are middle of winter and can't wish the time to move quicker so we can be warm again.
So the dilemma. I have a great job opportunity in Tampa but always read about the heat, bad schools, traffic, insurance costs, etc. And people wanting to leave. You never hear about the good things. My current job I could work in Phoenix or Charlotte. We read about extreme heat, bad schools in Phoenix and Charlotte we have been there done that.
So why do you choose to stay in Phoenix, Tampa, or Charlotte and why do you choose, to leave and where do you go? Is it worth going back to Charlotte where we have a network of friends?
I want to make sure my husband and boys can succeed. So jobs and schools are important. We like taking walks and biking. Any advice on what to consider? Lost in Thought.
If winter is a problem it will be solved in a move to Floridas west coast.
.The heat and humidity are unrelenting forcing most people to live their lives in an air conditioned environment, that said for 8-9 months a year temps will be in the low 90s with high humidity,some people actually enjoy this type of weather..
Good and bad schools abound, jobs are there for the taking.
Personally living near friends /family and familiar social dynamics would trump a few months of cold weather and would be a major factor in any relocation decision.
Tampa and Phoenix pretty much don't experience winter apart from a few days. Charlotte as you know does, but on a lesser scale though.
Charlotte is probably the lushest and greenest of the group, and with some mountains nearby. Phoenix is dry, but has the most topography immediatelybaround it and especiallly awesome natural scenery further out.
Phoenix offers the best deal for the sports fan, somewhat closely followed by Tampa, then Charlotte.
I would say the three are roughly equal on museums/cultural institutions in the area.
Charlotte is oldest, but Tampa Bay might have the biggest swaths of historic districts/traditional urbanity throughout its region.
Charlotte probably has the best COL, though Tampa and then Phoenix aren't that much higher.
Tampa Bay really isn't a bad place to be if you have work, so long as you understand that it is flat, and it is hot, perhaps as much so as PHX in summer, and for longer. That being said, you could be very happy here, and there are a number of activities Tampa has which PHX and CLT simply lack (water and theme park related especially.)
As per whether social group can be difference, it may because community is highly important. But if you're confident in your ability to forge social connections in a new city (which you can do), then don't worry about it. Good luck!
I chose the Phoenix area in 2002, I moved moved away to a winter city for a few years (due to a job), then came back as soon as I possibly could. I chose to make Phoenix my home because it offers a great mix of job opportunities and a lifestyle I love. The heat can be impossible for some to deal with but I find the cool mornings/evenings along with relativity easy escapes to the high country for cooler temps to be a great combination for making summers very tolerable. As you probably agree at this point, it tends to be much less of an impact on daily life then constant snow storms in the North. I also love the geography of Phoenix and Arizona as a whole, there are amazing places to see and visit, even after 10 years here now I'm still finding new adventures and that never gets old. I just have not found any states out East that have the natural geographic diversity we do here, day trips to Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, Payson, and countless others where you can swim in crystal clear waterfalls, hike around ancient caves, witness one of the original natural wonders of the world, ski and golf on the same day in the winter.
With that said, there are pros and cons to every place. It's no secret that Arizona schools have struggled but you should know that there are some great school districts in the Phoenix valley and if you do some research you can find an option that works for your family. You often see Phoenix area cities ranked well on places to raise a family for this reason (Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa): Chandler, az | 2016 10 Best Places to Raise a Family | Livability https://wallethub.com/edu/best-citie...families/4435/
Hopefully that helps shine some light on Phoenix specifically and best of luck finding the right location for you.
OP - What are the pros & cons of Charlotte& Dallas?
Curious bec you have first hand experience. I also have 2 boys and schools are imp to me as well. I too am looking at Charlotte, Dallas, Tampa & Houston (not on your list).
If you have a job offer in Tampa you could take it and live in Pasco county. For whatever strange climate reason starting in October the weather just one county north of Tampa starts getting a lot colder. Desert climates aren't healthy. That would push me away from Phoenix personally.
Tampa and Phoenix are going to have more Minnesota transplants than Charlotte. Something to maybe think about.
If youre looking for true warmth, Tampa will be your only bet here. Phoenix gets cold in the winter. A lot colder than you think. Its mild, but not warm. You'll have many days with highs only in the 50s and 60s, many nights in the 30s and 40s. Its definitely not swimming weather. Summers on the other hand are scorching... something to consider when the kids are out of school for summer and its anywhere from 105-120 degrees for their entire summer break. Its not exactly prime weather for outdoor enjoyment. Plus, most of the homes here have tiny yards, and the yards are nothing but rock and cacti. Once again, not really enjoyable for the kids unless you invest in some shade and grass for them to play on.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,635,677 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG CATS
If youre looking for true warmth, Tampa will be your only bet here. Phoenix gets cold in the winter. A lot colder than you think. Its mild, but not warm. You'll have many days with highs only in the 50s and 60s, many nights in the 30s and 40s. Its definitely not swimming weather. Summers on the other hand are scorching... something to consider when the kids are out of school for summer and its anywhere from 105-120 degrees for their entire summer break. Its not exactly prime weather for outdoor enjoyment. Plus, most of the homes here have tiny yards, and the yards are nothing but rock and cacti. Once again, not really enjoyable for the kids unless you invest in some shade and grass for them to play on.
Oh please. You realize that we are in a higher Hardiness Zone than Tampa? They are Zone 9B while we are Zone 10A. Their normal winter temps are about 5° warmer than us. They get more days with highs around 80° than we do, but they can see more severe cold snaps than us. The Citrus in Hillsborough County is threatened much more often than the Citrus in Maricopa County
Last edited by FirebirdCamaro1220; 01-26-2017 at 04:09 PM..
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.
