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4 Albuquerque -
(900k metro)
pros: cheapest rent, amazing mountains, gorgeous geography
cons: smallest vibing of these 4 cities, less options for dating, fewer overall amenities, chillier than all 4
3 Tucson -
(1.050 million metro)
pros: cheaper rent, phenomenal hiking, mountains, skiing, and outdoor desert landscapes right at the city limits, super mild winters
cons: blistering hot summers that are 7-8 mos long, less amenities than a major metro area
2 Las Vegas -
(2.3 million metro)
pros: mild winter, big city amenities, tons of entertainment options with great bars and restaurants
cons: super hot summers, huge tourism city, gambling and all that always in your face may grow tired if you aren't into it
1 Phoenix -
(4.95 million metro)
pros: much bigger than all of these options offering a lot more everything, dating scene very large, beautiful winters
cons: super hot summers, lots of traffic, tons of "cookie cutter" suburbs that sprawl and sprawl
Very good comparisons.
Climates ...there are "trade offs"...
Phoenix ...super mild winters ....trade off is extremely hot summers,
you are either ok with that or not
Tucson is better ...it also has very mild winters with slightly less hot summers
Las Vegas is a bit worse then both Phoenix and Tucson...winters are not as mild
but you still have to endure extremely hot summers
Albuquerque ...trade off is much cooler winters...but it has far cooler summers then
Tucson, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. You can actually enjoy summer.
Albuquerque has a "goldilocks" climate and there are countless opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, etc. Forests, mountains and desert at the doorstep. It is a culture/subculture wonderland as far as the blending and expression of cultures. There is no majority group. The economy is improving. There is a housing shortage and that drives the prices up lately. You might hear several languages spoken on any given day -- English, Spanish, Pueblo, Navajo, or others. It is a blue city in a blue state but can be socially conservative.
I'd say all three of these places have advantages and disadvantages based on your criteria.
It would be easier to address if you would list your preferences in order of importance.
Vegas would easily be the best for "dating" scene simply because you could chase tourists.
Mild winters go to Tucson. Hiking and outdoor activities is probably Tucson as well due to the fact that the mountains are all around town.
I like Tucson....but mild winters go to Vegas. Hiking and outdoor activities go to Vegas.
Tucson is a nice gritty town. I like it much better than Vegas, but for weather and outdoor activities Vegas is light years ahead of Tucson. Greater variety and easier access.
The border is the other wild card. I just came back from Tucson. Much of the public land is posted with warning signs about not being out alone due to illegals crossing the border. It is much, much worse than I have EVER seen it.
I like Tucson....but mild winters go to Vegas. Hiking and outdoor activities go to Vegas.
Tucson is a nice gritty town. I like it much better than Vegas, but for weather and outdoor activities Vegas is light years ahead of Tucson. Greater variety and easier access.
The border is the other wild card. I just came back from Tucson. Much of the public land is posted with warning signs about not being out alone due to illegals crossing the border. It is much, much worse than I have EVER seen it.
About the weather. Tucson averages 8-10 degrees warmer in the winter months than Las Vegas. It's also less windy so I don't know how you figure Vegas is better
As far as outdoor activity, I suppose if you consider Lake Mead maybe Vegas is better but for hiking and biking Tucson is light years better. More interesting desert, mountains basically in town.
My guess is that you are thinking of golf that maybe Vegas has an edge, but Tucson holds it's own golf wise.
I also think that Tucson wins for wildlife enthusiasts. Critters everywhere.
About the weather. Tucson averages 8-10 degrees warmer in the winter months than Las Vegas. It's also less windy so I don't know how you figure Vegas is better
As far as outdoor activity, I suppose if you consider Lake Mead maybe Vegas is better but for hiking and biking Tucson is light years better. More interesting desert, mountains basically in town.
My guess is that you are thinking of golf that maybe Vegas has an edge, but Tucson holds it's own golf wise.
I also think that Tucson wins for wildlife enthusiasts. Critters everywhere.
Have you ever been to Las Vegas? Look up Mount Charleston. Las Vegas is surrounded by mountains including some over 10,000 feet. Tucson is not even close. And there are lots of wild life right into the city.
I've spent a decent amount of time in all these cities, and Tucson is by far my favorite of the 3. That said, Las Vegas seems like the best fit for OP.
OP, I don't know what part of the country you live in now,
but are you okay with months of broiling-hot weather every year?
You wouldn't want to go hiking when it's 100 degrees...
that's not only unpleasant, it's dangerous.
So of those three cities, I'd choose Albuquerque.
It can get cold there in the winter, but the tradeoff
is milder summers (thanks to its elevation of 5000+ feet).
You might also consider El Paso... I've never been there
and don't know much about it, but it also has elevation
in its favor (3700 feet), so probably isn't as hot as Tucson,
and certainly not as hot as Vegas. And you'd have
southern New Mexico close by.
If you hate paying taxes, NV & TX have something in common:
no state income tax.
Have you ever been to Las Vegas? Look up Mount Charleston. Las Vegas is surrounded by mountains including some over 10,000 feet. Tucson is not even close. And there are lots of wild life right into the city.
Mt. Charleston is 40 miles distant from Vegas. Mt. Lemmon (which is the Tucson's (poor man) equivalent to Charleston) is literally right on top of Tucson. You can go literally park your car at Sabino Canyon (15) minutes from central Tucson and go to the top of Mt. Lemmon on foot via trails. Or drive up the 26 mile road. Tucson has four ranges of mountains that are as close or closer than Mt. Charleston is to Vegas. And the mountains in Tucson's area are far more interesting relative to diversity of plant life.
But if you include driving to Lake Meade or Mt. Charleston as part of the routine outdoor scene then Las Vegas may have Tucson beat. But to go hiking after work in the mountains routinely. Tucson wins. Albuquerque has that daily availability as well but the mountains aren't as diverse as Tucson.
Albuquerque has that daily availability as well but the mountains aren't as diverse as Tucson.
To elaborate on ABQ...The Sandias (base) are directly in Albuquerque -- there is a tram going from the city to the top of Sandia Peak and an elaborate trail system. The Manzano range is equally adjacent to the city. The Jemez Mountains are 30-40 miles northwest and feature the Valles Caldera. The Sangre de Cristos are north, near Santa Fe (~1 hour). These are all visible forested mountains. The "desert" mountains are to the south with the Sierra Ladrones or Whiteface Mountain (Los Pinos Range) probably the closest. Of course, Mount Taylor, a large stratovolcano, is due west on I-40. With 2 million people in the entire state, the trails are mostly empty. The climate is a four-season Goldilocks high desert climate.
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