Denver vs. Phoenix? (transplants, tile, living)

[Spot]

We also moved to Denver from AZ last year. We were living in Tucson, and before that Tempe. I can say with zero hesitation that WE LOVE IT HERE and are really happy with our decision to move. Denver is a great city. There is something interesting going on almost every week. The business community is great. The parks, mountains and lifestyle are great. I've already talked two friends from grad school (UofA) into moving here and they love it also.

The weather here has been really nice overall. You can definitely get outside a lot more often than you can in AZ. It does get cold, but most of the time it's fairly mild, even in the winter. And having lived here through the last summer, having temps in the 70's/80's in July was just wonderful.

We have a daughter, so we are looking to purchase a house in Cherry Creek or Douglas County because of the schools. Both those districts are very good and better than anything in AZ hands down.

Good luck with your move! I am sure that you will really love it in Denver after living in Phoenix. The two cities couldn't be more different in so many ways.

[azfam]

Well, despite the fact that you are from Tucson ( U of Who?), thanks for the info! LOL You pretty much addressed everything we are wondering about. Now that we are getting to the actual moving stuff (Hubs is turning in resig letter Friday) I am excited, but terrified!

And the two districts you mentioned are in my top 3 that I want to work in too, so that is good to read.

Take care!

[virgilalligator]

My husband and I are going out to Denver and then heading down to Phoenix this June (end) and into July. We are considering both metro areas as a relocation move. Any suggestions about which is better? Seems like most of you are seasoned Southwesterners. We are from Green Bay, WI, looking for less of the drastic winters or even completely one season, i.e., Phoenix. We are both teachers. We have time to travel, so if anybody can give their input, it's appreciated. Thanks!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by virgilalligator

My husband and I are going out to Denver and then heading down to Phoenix this June (end) and into July. We are considering both metro areas as a relocation move. Any suggestions about which is better? Seems like most of you are seasoned Southwesterners. We are from Green Bay, WI, looking for less of the drastic winters or even completely one season, i.e., Phoenix. We are both teachers. We have time to travel, so if anybody can give their input, it's appreciated. Thanks!

Denver winters will probably feel amazingly mild compared to Green Bay. Phoenix on the other hand is a blast furnace for a good portion of the year.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by virgilalligator

My husband and I are going out to Denver and then heading down to Phoenix this June (end) and into July. We are considering both metro areas as a relocation move. Any suggestions about which is better? Seems like most of you are seasoned Southwesterners. We are from Green Bay, WI, looking for less of the drastic winters or even completely one season, i.e., Phoenix. We are both teachers. We have time to travel, so if anybody can give their input, it's appreciated. Thanks!

Have a fun trip! Which route are you taking? Just enjoy the trip, don't worry about moving-- I wouldn't count on finding jobs in either one.

[Jimrob1]

Arizona seems to have alot of problems related to the border and crime, as well as its own homegrown crime. What is this with their new gun laws. Now one doesn't even need a permit to carry a gun and guns are allowed in any establishment. As long as they are 21 I can't imagine working in a place where people bring guns into work and colleges. Are Colorado laws similiar to AZ?

In many ways I would say Denver is much more appealing than Phoenix, although both have their good points. I find that Phoenix is so sprawled out even more than Denver. In Phoenix it must be like 60 or 70 miles from one end of it to the other. It may actually be even further. Its alot of driving on high speed fwys in heavy traffic in hot blistering sun and heat. I question their water issues also, as to just how severe they are or will be in the coming years.

[Spot]

Originally Posted by virgilalligator

My husband and I are going out to Denver and then heading down to Phoenix this June (end) and into July. We are considering both metro areas as a relocation move. Any suggestions about which is better? Seems like most of you are seasoned Southwesterners. We are from Green Bay, WI, looking for less of the drastic winters or even completely one season, i.e., Phoenix. We are both teachers. We have time to travel, so if anybody can give their input, it's appreciated. Thanks!

We lived in Phoenix and Tucson and now reside in Denver. Personally, I prefer Denver. The winters are mild here and the summers are amazing. This city gets a lot of sunshine (300+ days). In fact, with the exception of San Diego, I think Denver probably has the best climate of any US city I've lived in.

Also, since you are teachers, keep in mind that AZ is #50 for education spending now and they are planning further cuts. The schools out there are a disaster throughout much of the state. That is one of the primary reasons we left. We couldn't see putting our kids into school there.

Good luck with your move. Hope you find what you are looking for!

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by virgilalligator

We are considering both metro areas as a relocation move. Any suggestions about which is better? Seems like most of you are seasoned Southwesterners. We are from Green Bay, WI, looking for less of the drastic winters or even completely one season, i.e., Phoenix. We are both teachers. We have time to travel, so if anybody can give their input, it's appreciated. Thanks!

"Better" is in the eye of the beholder. I'm a Denverite now (and have been for 3 years) but I lived in Arizona for nearly 10 years and have enjoyed both places. They are VERY different. The only thing they have in common is that they both share 1/4 of the 4-corners pit stop. Their climates are different, the landscape is different, their people are different, the traffic is different, the style of homes is different, the crime is different, their school systems are different, the list goes on. Arizona's definition of a "mountain" is hilarious. They call it Camelback Mountain, but you can hike it in an hour...and now that I've seen the Rockies, Camelback Moutain, while pretty, is just a "hill." My oldest daughter was born in Phoenix but we moved to Florida when she was just 2, so her idea of a "place" is Florida and now Colorado. When we drove to Phoenix to visit family, my daughter started to cry and said, "I don't want to be from Phoenix...it's ugly here!"

I grew up in Seattle so when I moved to Phoenix, it was a novelty to not have to look outside every morning so I could see what I needed to wear. For the first 5 years, every day was shorts and t-shirts. As I got acclimated, 65-70 degrees equaled putting on jeans and a sweatshirt (and my family would come to visit and slather on sunscreen!).

The reality is that enjoying a new place has more to do with finding your niche than living in someplace just because it looks good on paper.

My husband was in the military for 20 years and we moved around a lot. We didn't spend a lot of time bemoaning what we missed from our old city...we jumped in with both feet and enjoyed our new "home" for what it was. The key for us was finding friends. You can do that anywhere. The rest is just climate. In Seattle, you find friends and hang out inside (out of the rain). In Phoenix, you find friends and hang out with them inside (for 9 months out of the year when it feels like you're standing in front of your oven with the door open) and then venture out from December-February when the weather is below 90 degrees. In Denver, people like to be outside more than anyplace I've ever lived (and that includes Florida). We have seasons here but even in the winter, it could be 20 degrees one day and then nearly 70 the next.

[zenkonami]

* Both cities suffer from sprawl problems.
* Denver is more centralized for arts, culture, business and entertainment.
* Phoenix is greener (believe it or not, the Sonoran Desert is a very beautiful place, though certainly not a "back east" kind of green.)
* Phoenix is slightly cheaper than Denver (cost of living...also schools are less expensive)
* Denver has a stronger public transportation system.
* Both cities have great outdoor activities, but you must be willing to adapt to their respective climates -- Phoenix can be scorching hot and Denver can be highly unpredictable.
* If you're a car person, Phoenix has one of the most logical road systems of any city I've lived in.
* Both cities have pretty much grown right into their surrounding suburbs, but Phoenix is more "isolated" in a sense (Denver is neighbors with several small cities along the Front Range, each with their own charm and character.) On the other hand, Phoenix is six hours from more major metropolitan areas like L.A. & San Diego, 4-5 hours from Vegas and about 7 hours from Albuquerque.
* Both cities are quite clean overall (though Phoenix might be *slightly* cleaner. It's a pretty subjective metric.)
* Denver is a smaller metro area, but anchors several smaller cities in the region (Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Boulder, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo) as well as the economy of the plains to the east and the Rockies to the west. Tucson and Flagstaff are the next nearest cities supported by Phoenix's economy. (Those cities are still highly independent in their own right.)
* Phoenix is a major test market city which means more access to big box / specialty chain businesses (Fry's Electronics, Ikea, Trader Joes, etc...) Denver has it's fair share of big boxes but also has a more vibrant "local" economy while not having any of the businesses I just listed above.

Some subjective opinions here:

I think Phoenix is more bland and more boring, though again, the desert is breathtakingly beautiful if you take advantage of it. Denver is more progressive (in a civic sense rather than politically.) I'm quite fond of Denver's architecture (throughout the city), proximity to large mountains and wild areas and vast number of parks. Denver has a very active biking and hiking culture. Phoenix feels larger in area, is larger in population, but feels smaller (culturally, especially.) Denver is definitely more dense than Phoenix, but I think is fairly comparable to other cities of it's size and economic stature.

I like Denver better myself, though I do miss the Sonoran Desert sometimes.

I may stand corrected on education costs, but further corroboration would be needed.

Colorado's Rising Education Costs

[Vagabond Chick]

Denver = cold, snowy, expensive, vehicle registration $500 on new vehicles, terribly, overpriced houses, low salaries, limited nightlife, snobby people, horrific drivers, dry air = nosebleeds (I frequently use saline solution and a humidifier is a must!), landlocked, BORING BORING BORING city. However, if you're married and popped out a few kids you'll probably dig this snow pit.