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Phoenix has always been an interesting city in my eyes, a metro area of over 4.2 million residents, one that has grown 6 fold in a sheer 50 year period! This growth is only topped by the tremendous growth of Las Vegas in the past 50 years. We all know why Las Vegas grew as rapidly as it did but Phoenix? Why has Phoenix seen such an influx of residents?
I've lived in Phoenix going on 12 years now, moved here for college and never left. I truly fell in love with the area, the people, the atmosphere, the scenery, everything! Phoenix is a melting pot, everyone here is from somewhere else! Sure there are people who have been born here but it seems those are few and far between, many move from the East Coast, Midwest, South, and California . Why? What attracts people to a city smack-dab in the middle of the desert Southwest?
After college I always saw myself moving to a "big city" such as Dallas or Houston, never thought I'd stay in the retirement capital of America. I've learned much since I moved here, Phoenix often gets an undeserved negative reputation as being too blue collar, crime ridden, dirty, full of retirees playing shuffleboard, and so on and so forth. After being here for 12 years, I start to get offended when someone ignorant of Phoenix applies these vast generalizations and ask why I would live in such a place. I tell them to come visit for a week and they'll see why.
Phoenix has its share of problems like any other major city but I like to think because everyone is from another place, they bring a uniqueness about Phoenix that many other cities don't have. Phoenix offers a laid-back type of lifestyle to residents where it doesn't feel as you live in a city of 4+ million but have all the amenities of one. You can actually talk to people in Phoenix, something you wouldn't want to do in New York City or Los Angeles. Phoenix is very open and welcoming, we're ALL outsiders here so why not be accepting of people from other places? It's almost like the Midwest hospitality has migrated to the desert Southwest!
Why do I stay?
Phoenix feels "right" to me, it feels like a home. Contrary to popular opinion, there IS money to be made in Phoenix in MANY industries, you just need to know where to look! Too many complain about the lack of high-paying jobs but how many of those people are pursuing the right companies for those jobs? As an engineer, I think this is one of the best job markets with one of the lowest costs-of-living.
I am also a lover of sunshine making Phoenix a Mecca for me! I can deal with heat but not humidity. I lived in the Midwest for 19 years and let me tell you, I'll take the Phoenix summers over Iowa summers anyday of the week! 110F in Phoenix feels MUCH better than 90-95F with 100% humidity in Iowa, I can negate the effects of heat by turning on the A/C but it doesn't help the humidity in the air. I can still breathe fine in heat but I have trouble breathing when that humidity gets past 90%.
While Phoenix does have areas in need of improvement, overall I think this is one of the best cities in the US to live in. I love this city as do many residents and take pride in living here!
I don't think anybody feels that there aren't any high-paying jobs here - just not enough high-paying jobs.
If one is in the right industry, and working for a company that a global company, such as Oracle, IBM, etc., then you can often have a salary based on a different region's payscale. That is one of the better ways to get a high-paying job in AZ. Unfortunately, there just aren't a lot of those opportunities (relatively speaking).
I don't think anybody feels that there aren't any high-paying jobs here - just not enough high-paying jobs.
There aren't enough qualified applicants here either. Ive heard this from local headhunters. I've witnessed this personally when hiring for my group. There are a lot of people who think they deserve management jobs because they have a University of Phoenix MBA with no relevant job experience. If you examine the community, there are not a lot of universities and so you don't have the highly educated highly skilled worker base that other cities have. Many skilled workers move here from out of state. When people complain about call center and retail jobs...well honestly that's pretty much what you qualify for. People think they qualify for management and high paying jobs when they really don't. During the boom, companies were willing to take chances on unqualified people because they needed people but when the market became tight, they could become selective. There are high paying job openings in Phoenix that can't fill their positions because the local talent pool is weak.
There aren't enough qualified applicants here either. Ive heard this from local headhunters. I've witnessed this personally when hiring for my group. There are a lot of people who think they deserve management jobs because they have a University of Phoenix MBA with no relevant job experience. If you examine the community, there are not a lot of universities and so you don't have the highly educated highly skilled worker base that other cities have. Many skilled workers move here from out of state. When people complain about call center and retail jobs...well honestly that's pretty much what you qualify for. People think they qualify for management and high paying jobs when they really don't. During the boom, companies were willing to take chances on unqualified people because they needed people but when the market became tight, they could become selective. There are high paying job openings in Phoenix that can't fill their positions because the local talent pool is weak.
If you are in an area that people flock to because of the sunny weather and because of the low cost of living, the Law of Supply and Demand kicks in. Pay overall is less in the Valley than in the Bay area independent of your pedigree. A major influence of wages is the Law of Supply and Demand.
If you go to India, expect even lower pay (on average) even with a Harvard MBA. Yet the talent pool is incredible in India. The bottom line is there are areas that have lower wages and I think that was Vegabundo's point.
We agree. A MBA at the University of Phoenix doesn't carry much weight. IMHO anyways.
Why I love Phoenix and why I stay....hhmmm. I can't say I LOVE Phoenix but Phoenix is definately growing on me. You are so right about the people..it is easy to start a conversation with just about anyone here...and if you do speak to someone and they look at you atrangely you know they haven't been here very long. I have been involved in many 3-4 person conversations at and on the bus..in Frys, waiting in line at the movies..etc. It's easy to find anything with a basic understanding of the grid and knowledge of the main streets. It's reletively inexpensive to live here. I lived on a little more then $800.00 a month for 2 years. (and no food stamps) before I found employment. It was hard and I had to be creative but I did it. Last summer I had to go without A/C in August but I had already cloaked my house so with fans in every room to keep the air moving I made it. But I digress. I came here from San Antonio, Texas and SA only has 1 grocery store, H.E.B. , thats it..only one. I always resented that. Back in the day there were Albertsons and Safeway and the rest but no more. I love having a choice and Phoenix has a grocery store for everyone. I can't say I enjoy the weather because while it's milder I always worry about the summers and how I need to be prepared. But alot of that thinking had to do with money. Being employed has made such a difference. I have a healthy M-Power balance, and once again the house is cloaked so I watch my usage and now I can relax and enjoy these last mild days. M-Power!!! I had never heard of this before but I love it!!! No more worrying about being shut-off. I am responsible for and have control of my own usage and monitor it daily. Alot of people complain about the water but I have no problem with it. What really keeps me from absolutely loving it here is that Phoenix is brown...I lived in the PNW for many years and miss the lush greenness. And of course the mountain..I shall always miss the mountain.
Why do I stay...for love. My youngest lives here and she loves it. She is just starting out and has had some struggles but she is succeeding on her own. I am so proud of her and love hearing her stories of her day to day. I am not a helicopter Mom...We can go 2 weeks and not talk but from out of no where I get a text that says I love you Mom. We have dinner and do stuff together but she has her own friends and her own life. I give her her space but she knows I am here if needed. How could I watch my littlest bird fly if I was always in the way...
Born and raised here, it's my hometown. I love the 4 seasons here(our kind, not the rest of the nations 4 seasons). The summer nights and winter days, first cool days of fall, spring flowers, and late summer storms. I love all the mountains around the valley, I like to hike them and be able to just stare at them from the backyard, and no where in the world is as pretty as untouched Sonoran Desert( the trampled fields around some parts of town not so much). It's a great place to grow up, you spend your youth outside all the time, playing sports,skating, swimming, going to the rivers or lakes, hiking, and camping. Transplanted adults cry and moan about not being able to go outside all summer but kids don't care when they're having fun. Me and my whole neighborhood were out riding bikes and playing in desert fields all summer long. I do wish the Valley would stop growing, it's getting too big. All in all, I love Phoenix.
I am one of the few who was born & raised in Phoenix, and I stay primarily because my family, home, and job are here ... I consider those significant, essential reasons. However, there are other factors that play a part. Some people may think I'm crazy for saying this, but I actually like the politics of the area for the most part. I'm generally a conservative Libertarian, and with a few exceptions, that's basically the direction that Arizona leans (even much of the Phoenix metro area). I like the fact that we have a right to work atmosphere with little union influence. I like that fact that we respect Second Amendment rights. I prefer the lower tax rates compared to many other places in the nation.
On the flip side, I am also one to admit that there are some things which need improvement. I don't like how we rely heavily on seasonal tourism (snowbirds), retirees, real estate, and the sunny climate for our economic base. In that respect, we need to be more diverse and start being more nationally & globally competitive. The reason there aren't a huge amount of high paying jobs is largely due to the type of transplants we tend to attract. Many of them move here strictly for reasons like the sunny climate ... and in reality, the climate isn't all that wonderful when you factor in the lack of rain and the blast furnace summer heat.
Overall, Phoenix still ranks as a better place to reside compared to many midwestern, southern, and eastern U.S. areas. Even as much as I get tired of the constant sun and seemingly endless heat in the summer, it's still better than ice storms, blizzards, and harsh humidity.
"You can actually talk to people in Phoenix, something you wouldn't want to do in New York City or Los Angeles."
I lived in Phoenix for 10 years, never lived in LA, but I'm in Boston now for 2 years and spend a lot of time in NYC. I couldn't disagree with this comment more. Around Boston and NYC I've found people to be much friendlier than the common misconception I used to always hear about the Northeast when I lived in out West. Will you get honked at? Yes. But I have conversations with strangers almost daily, that never happened in Phoenix. Why? Because these are actually walking cities, where I spend time outside of my vehicle doing stuff. Bring up sports, and you've got a 20 minute conversation easy! Ask for directions from a stranger, I've never had anyone be more than overly friendly in showing me the way to 93 or Mass Pike. Does it rain more? Sure, but it's far from the Northwest.
The other thing I can't stand is all the ranting and raving about humidity. I've never lived in the midwest but this area is considered to be fairly humid, but it's very rare to be 100% humidity, that usually means it's raining. So when I hear someone say they can't breathe when it's over 90% humidity, that's just as ludicrous as saying you can't breathe on all all those rainy days that occur in Phoenix. It's rare for anywhere in the midwest or northeast it to be over 90 with over 90% humidity, maybe 5 days a year. Iowa is not a hot and humid place, New Orleans on the other hand I could see this happening.
I know this is an thread about loving Phoenix, which I do. But none of the stuff posted on here is accurate, Phoenix as a city rarely ranks high in much of anything when it has to do with quality of life. Education, job opportunities, clean air, walkability, urban lifestyle, are all fairly low for a city of this size.
What I do love about Phoenix is the wide open spaces, proximity to national parks and gorgeous scenery, the ability to hike and mountain bike within 5 miles of the downtown area. The outdoors lifestyle is about 2nd to none there and I realize most people don't take advantage of it. I'm lucky that Boston is a gateway into New England and I've got a lot of open space to do the same activities I loved in Phoenix. But having been to a lot of big, congested, clogged cities such as LA, Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta I have to say these characteristics are very unique.
I wouldn't trade living in Boston for Phoenix again but I do visit on a regular basis January-March and will always love staying at a hotel that backs up to Camelback or South Mountain.
"You can actually talk to people in Phoenix, something you wouldn't want to do in New York City or Los Angeles."
I lived in Phoenix for 10 years, never lived in LA, but I'm in Boston now for 2 years and spend a lot of time in NYC. I couldn't disagree with this comment more. Around Boston and NYC I've found people to be much friendlier than the common misconception I used to always hear about the Northeast when I lived in out West. Will you get honked at? Yes. But I have conversations with strangers almost daily, that never happened in Phoenix. Why? Because these are actually walking cities, where I spend time outside of my vehicle doing stuff. Bring up sports, and you've got a 20 minute conversation easy! Ask for directions from a stranger, I've never had anyone be more than overly friendly in showing me the way to 93 or Mass Pike. Does it rain more? Sure, but it's far from the Northwest.
The other thing I can't stand is all the ranting and raving about humidity. I've never lived in the midwest but this area is considered to be fairly humid, but it's very rare to be 100% humidity, that usually means it's raining. So when I hear someone say they can't breathe when it's over 90% humidity, that's just as ludicrous as saying you can't breathe on all all those rainy days that occur in Phoenix. It's rare for anywhere in the midwest or northeast it to be over 90 with over 90% humidity, maybe 5 days a year. Iowa is not a hot and humid place, New Orleans on the other hand I could see this happening.
I know this is an thread about loving Phoenix, which I do. But none of the stuff posted on here is accurate, Phoenix as a city rarely ranks high in much of anything when it has to do with quality of life. Education, job opportunities, clean air, walkability, urban lifestyle, are all fairly low for a city of this size.
What I do love about Phoenix is the wide open spaces, proximity to national parks and gorgeous scenery, the ability to hike and mountain bike within 5 miles of the downtown area. The outdoors lifestyle is about 2nd to none there and I realize most people don't take advantage of it. I'm lucky that Boston is a gateway into New England and I've got a lot of open space to do the same activities I loved in Phoenix. But having been to a lot of big, congested, clogged cities such as LA, Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta I have to say these characteristics are very unique.
I wouldn't trade living in Boston for Phoenix again but I do visit on a regular basis January-March and will always love staying at a hotel that backs up to Camelback or South Mountain.
Let's be careful about making this yet another thread where people argue with one another and criticize one another for their opinions, about whether Phoenix is a good place to live. There are dozens of those already.
Everyone's perception of a place is different, resulting in different opinions. No place is perfect and no place is for everyone.
Phoenix has always been an interesting city in my eyes, a metro area of over 4.2 million residents, one that has grown 6 fold in a sheer 50 year period! This growth is only topped by the tremendous growth of Las Vegas in the past 50 years. We all know why Las Vegas grew as rapidly as it did but Phoenix? Why has Phoenix seen such an influx of residents?
I've lived in Phoenix going on 12 years now, moved here for college and never left. I truly fell in love with the area, the people, the atmosphere, the scenery, everything! Phoenix is a melting pot, everyone here is from somewhere else! Sure there are people who have been born here but it seems those are few and far between, many move from the East Coast, Midwest, South, and California . Why? What attracts people to a city smack-dab in the middle of the desert Southwest?
After college I always saw myself moving to a "big city" such as Dallas or Houston, never thought I'd stay in the retirement capital of America. I've learned much since I moved here, Phoenix often gets an undeserved negative reputation as being too blue collar, crime ridden, dirty, full of retirees playing shuffleboard, and so on and so forth. After being here for 12 years, I start to get offended when someone ignorant of Phoenix applies these vast generalizations and ask why I would live in such a place. I tell them to come visit for a week and they'll see why.
Phoenix has its share of problems like any other major city but I like to think because everyone is from another place, they bring a uniqueness about Phoenix that many other cities don't have. Phoenix offers a laid-back type of lifestyle to residents where it doesn't feel as you live in a city of 4+ million but have all the amenities of one. You can actually talk to people in Phoenix, something you wouldn't want to do in New York City or Los Angeles. Phoenix is very open and welcoming, we're ALL outsiders here so why not be accepting of people from other places? It's almost like the Midwest hospitality has migrated to the desert Southwest!
Why do I stay?
Phoenix feels "right" to me, it feels like a home. Contrary to popular opinion, there IS money to be made in Phoenix in MANY industries, you just need to know where to look! Too many complain about the lack of high-paying jobs but how many of those people are pursuing the right companies for those jobs? As an engineer, I think this is one of the best job markets with one of the lowest costs-of-living.
I am also a lover of sunshine making Phoenix a Mecca for me! I can deal with heat but not humidity. I lived in the Midwest for 19 years and let me tell you, I'll take the Phoenix summers over Iowa summers anyday of the week! 110F in Phoenix feels MUCH better than 90-95F with 100% humidity in Iowa, I can negate the effects of heat by turning on the A/C but it doesn't help the humidity in the air. I can still breathe fine in heat but I have trouble breathing when that humidity gets past 90%.
While Phoenix does have areas in need of improvement, overall I think this is one of the best cities in the US to live in. I love this city as do many residents and take pride in living here!
Thanks for focusing on the positive things here in Central Arizona, some will find one negative aspect, and make the Phoenix area sound like it's not a good place to live. I am a native of Phoenix, and I can never see myself living in a place like New York City, or Chicago. I know people have their preferences, and I prefer the wide open spaces we have here. Although the metro area has grown quite a bit in the last few decades, unlike the Los Angeles basin, you can still drive in any direction on any of the freeways from downtown Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, or Scottsdale, and in about 20 minutes you'll be out in open spaces.
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. Why? What attracts people to a city smack-dab in the middle of the desert Southwest? 
