Moving to Phoenix from Midwest

[mags61]

Originally Posted by Tommythomeland

Black family of 4. Married with a 10 year old and a 6 year old, looking to start over and a change of scenery. I have a good paying job now making $20+/hr and live very comfortable but I’m stuck on nights and I’ve really been wanting to get away from the snow and storms. How are the jobs in Phoenix and do they pay well enough to live comfortable? Knowing it’s a desert, is it kid friendly with no grass backyards to play in? I hate tarantula and have a phobia of them as well.

$20/hour is good-paying?
You're raising a family of 4 on that salary? How? Do you live in a tent?

[yukon]

OP can easily live on $20/hr with a family of 4 if he/she's in a rural or low cost area (I can think of several - AL, MS, OK, WV, etc). It's not possible in most of the large metro areas though.

[Tia616]

I just wanted to confirm what others have said. It's not really affordable to live here anymore, there isn't any affordable apartments because they are all full or you have to be put on waiting list that is 5 years! Also, people are being evicted left and right. A lot of people are struggling to make ends meat here because everyone keeps moving here which drives up the cost of living. And the apartments that are being built are luxury apartments that nobody can afford.

I also moved here because of weather, and as soon as I did I wanted to go back!! So don't move somewhere just because of weather alone. I didn't listen to what other people said about this place and I wish I had.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Tommythomeland

Black family of 4. Married with a 10 year old and a 6 year old, looking to start over and a change of scenery. I have a good paying job now making $20+/hr and live very comfortable but I’m stuck on nights and I’ve really been wanting to get away from the snow and storms. How are the jobs in Phoenix and do they pay well enough to live comfortable? Knowing it’s a desert, is it kid friendly with no grass backyards to play in? I hate tarantula and have a phobia of them as well.

This is going to sound harsh, but I don't care. We don't need people like you moving to Phoenix, and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with being black. It has to do with the fact that we don't need more low skilled, low income types moving here just because they want better weather or nicer scenery. Those are b.s. reasons to move anywhere! If you consider $16 to $20 per hour as "good paying", and have no intention of getting anything better, then please either stay where you are or find a place that has a cheap cost of living. Sorry to say, Phoenix isn't cheap.

Originally Posted by Tia616

I just wanted to confirm what others have said. It's not really affordable to live here anymore, there isn't any affordable apartments because they are all full or you have to be put on waiting list that is 5 years! Also, people are being evicted left and right. A lot of people are struggling to make ends meat here because everyone keeps moving here which drives up the cost of living. And the apartments that are being built are luxury apartments that nobody can afford.

I also moved here because of weather, and as soon as I did I wanted to go back!! So don't move somewhere just because of weather alone. I didn't listen to what other people said about this place and I wish I had.

Thank you! This entire post speaks the truth ... although, I personally consider the rise in housing costs & rental units to be more positive than negative for different reasons. Mainly, it's because of what I said before: we don't need cheap people moving here for cheap reasons. We've had more than enough transplants only moving here for the weather, which as you found out, is not a good reason to move anywhere. Other things like jobs & income take priority, especially when moving to a large city.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

This is going to sound harsh, but I don't care. We don't need people like you moving to Phoenix, and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with being black. It has to do with the fact that we don't need more low skilled, low income types moving here just because they want better weather or nicer scenery. Those are b.s. reasons to move anywhere! If you consider $16 to $20 per hour as "good paying", and have no intention of getting anything better, then please either stay where you are or find a place that has a cheap cost of living. Sorry to say, Phoenix isn't cheap.



Thank you! This entire post speaks the truth ... although, I personally consider the rise in housing costs & rental units to be more positive than negative for different reasons. Mainly, it's because of what I said before: we don't need cheap people moving here for cheap reasons. We've had more than enough transplants only moving here for the weather, which as you found out, is not a good reason to move anywhere. Other things like jobs & income take priority, especially when moving to a large city.

Of course the weather is a good reason to move somewhere. If you hate cold and snow, or have seasonal depression, no amount of trying to delude yourself or look at the brightside will make a cold climate warmer or less snowy

I had enough winter weather to last a lifetime after the 18 years I lived in NY. I don't complain about our weather at all here, even in summer

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

Of course the weather is a good reason to move somewhere. If you hate cold and snow, or have seasonal depression, no amount of trying to delude yourself or look at the brightside will make a cold climate warmer or less snowy

I had enough winter weather to last a lifetime after the 18 years I lived in NY. I don't complain about our weather at all here, even in summer

It goes beyond this. The OP indicated that a salary of $20 per hour is "good paying" and he has no intentions of seeking anything other than entry level at $16 per hour if he moves here. If he's supporting a family on that kind of income, he's not going to do well here at all. Phoenix is no longer an inexpensive place to live, and it shouldn't be. We don't need cheap minded people to keep moving here mainly for sunshine or scenery. There are small rural towns which would fit the OP's needs better if that's all he's moving for.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

It goes beyond this. The OP indicated that a salary of $20 per hour is "good paying" and he has no intentions of seeking anything other than entry level at $16 per hour if he moves here. If he's supporting a family on that kind of income, he's not going to do well here at all. Phoenix is no longer an inexpensive place to live, and it shouldn't be. We don't need cheap minded people to keep moving here mainly for sunshine or scenery. There are small rural towns which would fit the OP's needs better if that's all he's moving for.

$20/hr is good if you get regular OT, like in my field. It adds up

[Tia616]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

This is going to sound harsh, but I don't care. We don't need people like you moving to Phoenix, and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with being black. It has to do with the fact that we don't need more low skilled, low income types moving here just because they want better weather or nicer scenery. Those are b.s. reasons to move anywhere! If you consider $16 to $20 per hour as "good paying", and have no intention of getting anything better, then please either stay where you are or find a place that has a cheap cost of living. Sorry to say, Phoenix isn't cheap.



Thank you! This entire post speaks the truth ... although, I personally consider the rise in housing costs & rental units to be more positive than negative for different reasons. Mainly, it's because of what I said before: we don't need cheap people moving here for cheap reasons. We've had more than enough transplants only moving here for the weather, which as you found out, is not a good reason to move anywhere. Other things like jobs & income take priority, especially when moving to a large city.

You're welcome. I agree with what you said as well, it's perfectly fine to sound harsh because people need to hear the truth. That's the point of making posts on here is to hear the truth from the people who live in other cities. I disagree with the cost of living, because with the cost going up a lot of people are becoming homeless in a place where you can't get any help of getting into an apartment. Which also looks really bad on the city and state as well. Most of the homeless are families and senior citizens who live off of disability and can't afford the rising costs. Just look at this website.

https://phoenixrescuemission.org/homelessness/

And to the OP, you have a stable job where you're at why do you want to risk that just for better weather?