Mid-decade census counts show population surge in 7 Phoenix-area cities (real estate, 2013)

[Ponderosa]

AZ's aging population means that deaths are going to start cutting into our growth rates going forward. It is expected to fall by about 1/2 over the next 30 years. All the talk about DINKS and staying childless is not helping in that respect. We will need more migration from other states or outside the US if we want to maintain a growing economy.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

AZ's aging population means that deaths are going to start cutting into our growth rates going forward. It is expected to fall by about 1/2 over the next 30 years. All the talk about DINKS and staying childless is not helping in that respect. We will need more migration from other states or outside the US if we want to maintain a growing economy.

Uh; EACH time the snow states get hit by a hard storm; more people WILL move here. From outside the US; legal immigration is OK, ILLEGAL immigration ain't.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

AZ's aging population means that deaths are going to start cutting into our growth rates going forward. It is expected to fall by about 1/2 over the next 30 years. All the talk about DINKS and staying childless is not helping in that respect. We will need more migration from other states or outside the US if we want to maintain a growing economy.

Not debating the fact, but it is a national problem not an Arizona problem. Were still the 17th youngest state: Chart: Compare the average age in each U.S. state, 2005-2014 - The Denver Post

Not sure how you fix it though, the only shot at a real life is college, for most that means quite a bit of debt.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by asufan

Who said I'm not educating my kids? Public schools in Chandler rate high (comparable to private schools) so I am doing my part by moving to an expensive part of the city and paying about $4.5K annually in property taxes. In addition I always donate more than the $400 tax credit amount (currently $2K annually to my 2nd graders' elementary school). Plus I do not believe in god so sending my kid to a Catholic school was never in the cards. Just because people don't pay for private school tuition does not mean they are not "doing their part to educate their kids"

Some people are just opposed to paying taxes for education and they berate people who have schoolaged children in a public district, it's unfortunate but it seems to be a common theme among ultraconservatives and libertarians.

Chandler has many good schools and students at Hamilton have ACT scores above state and national averages.

I'd say you made a good choice.

[autism360]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

AZ's aging population means that deaths are going to start cutting into our growth rates going forward. It is expected to fall by about 1/2 over the next 30 years. All the talk about DINKS and staying childless is not helping in that respect. We will need more migration from other states or outside the US if we want to maintain a growing economy.

We need balanced legal immigration, so we are not bringing in 90% people with no skills or education
We need 75% educated professionals like doctors ,scientists , business creators since almost the whole world would move here if given the chance we can pick the best and brightest.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by autism360

We need balanced legal immigration, so we are not bringing in 90% people with no skills or education
We need 75% educated professionals like doctors ,scientists , business creators since almost the whole world would move here if given the chance we can pick the best and brightest.

Absolutely right! Unfortunately, we keep attracting people from various parts of the country based on how bad the weather is where they came from, and how much better the weather supposedly is here. While I can perhaps see weather/climate as one reason to consider moving here, it shouldn't be the most important (or the only) reason. Many of these sun loving transplants aren't exactly bringing in the money, the skills, the knowledge, the ambition, or the entrepreneurship that we need more of.

[PhoenixSomeday]

I didn't come here for the weather. I came here because the overall day to day life is very similar to back home while the cost of living is dirt cheap.

I am in software development, which was a lot easier to get into at an entry level than back home. Back home it's all about senior levels with billions of years of experience, whereas here there are decent opportunities across the board.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by PhoenixSomeday

I didn't come here for the weather. I came here because the overall day to day life is very similar to back home while the cost of living is dirt cheap.

I am in software development, which was a lot easier to get into at an entry level than back home. Back home it's all about senior levels with billions of years of experience, whereas here there are decent opportunities across the board.

I'm guessing you came here from the Silicon Valley. If so, you're right about the tech field there vs. here. I know people who are from that area, and if you're not a "techie", you're considered somewhat of an outcast there. If you're not one the "higher ups" in the field, you're looked down on. Anyway, I'm glad you're not somebody who moved here strictly for the weather. At least you sound like you have your priorities straight.

[PhoenixSomeday]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm guessing you came here from the Silicon Valley. If so, you're right about the tech field there vs. here. I know people who are from that area, and if you're not a "techie", you're considered somewhat of an outcast there. If you're not one the "higher ups" in the field, you're looked down on. Anyway, I'm glad you're not somebody who moved here strictly for the weather. At least you sound like you have your priorities straight.

Yes, it's where I'm native to. I grew up just a few miles from Intel's HQ. Being entry level back home doesn't work unless you either know someone, or you have a PhD from an ivy league, or somehow have 2+ years of experience when you graduate with your BS. Other than that, it's all about management positions and 10-15+ years of experience seniors. It's ridiculous. Where I work has gone from 4 programmers to 9 in the last year and a half and the new hires have all had little to no experience (I have a BA, but it's not in tech; I have an AA in programming). Yet we have been on the fastest growing companies list for the last two years and have a large, captive client base of financial institutions and it's growing more than linearly.

It's not all about raw education and years of experience - passion and demonstrated aptitude are much more important; as has been shown. So it's CA's loss and AZ's win!

[autism360]

We need balanced legal immigration, so we are not bringing in 90% people with no skills or education
We need 75% educated professionals like doctors ,scientists , business creators since almost the whole world would move here if given the chance we can pick the best and brightest.