Arizona vs Colorado? (Denver, Pueblo: fit in, section 8, insurance)

[jkman1]

Hello,

Im looking at possibly moving to Arizona or Colorado from Ohio and I wanted to know what the positives/negatives are for both from people who have actually lived there?

Thanks.

[vegaspilgrim]

What part of each state are you interested in? Both states are HUGE and have a huge diversity of climates, landscapes, city sizes, and lifestyles. I'm assuming, since you're posting in the Denver forum, that the comparison is between Denver and Phoenix. We've already had several threads on this forum and the Phoenix forum arguing over that question, which I've already responded to. I'll say it again, though-- as someone who is from the Denver area and is now living temporarily in Phoenix (until May at least-- then I'm outta here!) . I think Phoenix and Arizona in general is a great place to vacation, stay in one of the nice resorts, play golf, hike in the desert, go swimming, buy touristy crap in Scottsdale and Sedona, etc. When you're only there for a couple of days on vacation, especially during the nicer parts of the year when it's still warm but ridiculously hot (like now), it's great. However, IMHO, Phoenix simply does not add up to desirable when it comes to day to day living. That extreme sunshine and exoticism of the subtropical desert (which is what the Sonoran desert is) which is great when you're just on vacation starts to get old FAST when you live there 24/7. The Arizona sun is brutal and deadly, make so mistake about it.

About 50% of the entire Phoenix metro area is one giant declining suburban ghetto-- rapidly turning into one giant Mexican barrio. Mile after mile after mile of Check-Cashed stores, Circle K's, Carnicerias, Llanterias (Mexican used tire stores), all the "--ias" you can name. It's not just one street, one area here or there-- in Phoenix the ghetto is everywhere it seems-- at least half of the city. Schools are horrible, traffic and pollution are horrible, gangs and crime is pathetic. Some newer neighborhoods (such as Laveen) turn into gang infested, section 8 areas almost as soon as they are built. There are nice areas, to be sure, but the nice parts are boring beyond belief. Also, there is no real city at all to speak of. Downtown Phoenix is one of the most small, vacant, boring, and depressing downtowns you will ever see. It's so pathetic that it makes Denver look like an old east coast city in comparison!

Not that Denver doesn't have its problems too-- and other posters can fill you in on that, but Phoenix has very little going for it, IMHO, other than for sunworshippers and businesses looking for cheap wages.

[jkman1]

Thanks for your reply. I apologize for not looking more for the other threads regarding the same topic.

I agree with what you said. When I go to Las Vegas, I love the heat, palm trees, and blue skies. However, I realize I am also by the pool all morning and Im not really out in the heat too much due to being in the casinos. I can't imagine it even hotter, for a much longer period of time and trying to do day to day living.

I am in my mid 30s, single, professional (CPA) possibly looking to move to Denver in the next year. I love the 4 seasons. I am probably one of the few people I know that loves the snow. I like to ski, etc. I love the outdoors and beautiful landscapes. I feel like I would fit in pretty well there.

[Katarina Witt]

jkman1, you probably would fit in here. Be advised we don't get as much snow as you might think in an average winter. 60" sounds like a lot, but there are weeks and weeks of dry, sunny weather between the snows. Not that I think that is bad!

[McGowdog]

Dog gone it! Vegas, you made me spew coffee in my keyboard again!

So Mrs. Lincoln, besides that-how was the play?

You make Phoenix sound like a man-made dessert wasteland full of squeezed-out and priced-out SoCals! As far as the ethnicity goes, I live about 2.5 miles north of what used to be the natural border between Mexico and France. That would be the Arkansas River. Why SHOULDN'T there be a very strong Mexican and Native American influence around these parts? They were here way before my peeps were. Arizona as a state is probably really nice and way better than Colorado as a whole! Continue that mantra; Arizona as a state is probably really nice and way better than Colorado as a whole! (We don't want everybody from Arizona moving in here! Colorado will explode! Wyoming and Montana are where it's at!)

There is a wee bit of diversity here in Pueblo Colorado (southern Colorado) due to it's location and the blue-collar Steel town that it used to be. It's still very blue-collar, minus the benefits of the now Russian owned mill. I think they make the little spikey things that go in thumb tacks now! We used to be the Pittsburgh Steelers of the West!!!!!!!!!!

We were proud of our SMOKE, You SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


PS: So I don't get accused of HiJacking a thread again, to the OP- I've lived in southern and northern Colorado for about 30 years and I was born in Phoenix. I don't know anything about Phoenix from recent memory except that it gets hot.

Both Arizona and Colorado have skiing.

[Bill-]

Yes, please move to Colorado. In Arizona we have far too many people who fail to do any research before they move here, seem shocked that it's hot and there are large amounts of mexicans here, and then proceed to cry about it on the internet every day.

[Katarina Witt]

Yes, please move to Colorado. In Arizona we have far too many people who fail to do any research before they move here,

The same could be said for Colorado. Then they complain it's so brown, winter is harsh (?) [not in my opinion], summer is hot (were expecting a daily high of no more than 75 degrees), Denver is not in the mountains, etc.

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

The same could be said for Colorado. Then they complain it's so brown, winter is harsh (?) [not in my opinion], summer is hot (were expecting a daily high of no more than 75 degrees), Denver is not in the mountains, etc.

sounds familiar....you would think they would have some shame in ranting and raving about things that were so blatantly obvious, but they don't.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

You make Phoenix sound like a man-made dessert wasteland full of squeezed-out and priced-out SoCals!

I didn't mean to imply that... did I?

As far as the ethnicity goes, I live about 2.5 miles north of what used to be the natural border between Mexico and France. That would be the Arkansas River. Why SHOULDN'T there be a very strong Mexican and Native American influence around these parts? They were here way before my peeps were.

Well, certainly-- this is the southwest after all. I understand that there are many Mexican-American families who are native to the region who have lived here for several hundred years. I'm sure there's a lot of people with that heritage in Pueblo. No issue there. The problem is that the illegals pouring in here day after day are displacing the Americans and are bringing the WORST of Mexican culture here, not the best. It's the gangs, cars parked on the lawns, blasting loud norteno music everywhere, people driving around with no insurance or registration, and failed schools where none of the kids speak English that's the problem. In the past few weeks there have been several police officers who have been shot at (and one dead) by illegal immigrants.

Arizona as a state is probably really nice and way better than Colorado as a whole! Continue that mantra; Arizona as a state is probably really nice and way better than Colorado as a whole! (We don't want everybody from Arizona moving in here! Colorado will explode! Wyoming and Montana are where it's at!)

Don't worry, I don't think the zonies are going to be invading the Rocky Mountain states in mass any time soon... it's more like a trickle. Most zonies are TOTAL wimps when it comes to cold. I've seen people here wear sweatshirts when it's 85 degrees out here-- I kid you not. People turn their heaters on when it gets below 70 degrees. Even though Denver is not even THAT cold in the grand scheme of things-- the reputation for being cold will keep 99% of zonies from even considering the place.

Originally Posted by Bill-

Yes, please move to Colorado. In Arizona we have far too many people who fail to do any research before they move here, seem shocked that it's hot and there are large amounts of mexicans here, and then proceed to cry about it on the internet every day.

See, the thing Bill, is that people can do all the research imaginable, but it's hard to know for sure if you really like a new place until you actually try it out-- for a few years at least. And God forbid that people might actually change their minds. It takes several years of fine-grained exploration and day to day living, experiencing the full seasonal calendar several times, to really get a clear picture, and know if a place really fits.

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

See, the thing Bill, is that people can do all the research imaginable, but it's hard to know for sure if you really like a new place until you actually try it out-- for a few years at least. And God forbid that people might actually change their minds. It takes several years of fine-grained exploration and day to day living, experiencing the full seasonal calendar several times, to really get a clear picture, and know if a place really fits.

Nonsense, I've never lived in Alaska, but I know it's cold, has a large bear population and I wouldn't like it there. Moving to Phoenix and whining about the heat and large Hispanic population would be just as silly as me moving to Alaska and complaining about the cold and the bears.