Should I Even Bother Moving to Phoenix? (Tucson, Mesa: apartment complex, job market)

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Another thing I am always curious about the Phoenix area is in addition to the extreme heat to worry about is that what families with children do in Phoenix or the Valley of the Sun's extreme summer?

Apparently I learned that some school districts in Arizona such as Chandler is famous for being the earliest school district to start the fall term in the US. While its true that the whole schools starting much earlier than it used to had been a trend in many other parts of the US for the last twenty years however no other school district in the country starts this early yet for all students.

I could understand maybe is it because since their schools are fully air conditioned(Are they all air conditioned though?) and kids have nothing to do in the summer aside from indoor activities i.e the YMCA due to the extended extreme heat if their parents cannot take them to higher elevations or out of state to spend summer thus it makes sense for kids to spend summer in the classroom and utilize the schools multi use room or gymnasium for recreation, PE, or recess instead of keeping these venues closed all summer? I be curious how many residents in the Valley of the Sun have "summer" homes just as snowbirds have winter homes in AZ but also own homes in other parts of the country? Do most people go on vacations in June instead which is often the only full month of school closure or do they send their kids to "summer school" in June?

I can see with the school district calendars being all over the map around the country as its very difficult to plan summer family reunions anymore due to the widespread discrepancy between school district calendars throughout the country. I petty for those who have family in the PNW and the Northeast where schools still follow a more traditional schedule from September till mid-late June while in other parts of the country its July-August - May as they might not find a time to get together for summer break if their kids have to go to summer school or other programs.

What do families with children do in Minnesota, Alaska, Montana, Michigan, etc in the winter?

[rtloucks]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

What do families with children do in Minnesota, Alaska, Montana, Michigan, etc in the winter?

Ski, snowmobile, sled, fish, snow shoe, holidazzle parade, winter carnival, plenty of festivals, celebrate holidays, ice skate, play hockey, broomball, dog sled, play in the snow, eat hot dish (i always love that one)

The list goes on and on. Winter states dont shut down in winter, they thrive. people adapt to surroundings and find a way to live life. The same can be said for summer in florida or Phoenix or even texas... what do people do...
Plenty...ive lived in both settings. born and raised in MN. Moved all over in my 20s and 30s including Texas, NC, CO, VA, FL and currently in FL debating if id rather take MN winters again over the long humid summers here that never seem to end.

So the answer is simply.. they do plenty
If they are not then they are not living a life worth living.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Another thing I am always curious about the Phoenix area is in addition to the extreme heat to worry about is that what families with children do in Phoenix or the Valley of the Sun's extreme summer?

Swimming pools, boating at the lake, floating down the rivers, children's museum, indoor activities like Main Event, Davie and Busters, Bowling, multiple aquariums, many museums, movies, crayola experience, Lego Land, visit the high country (which is only a couple of hours away yet 20-30 degrees cooler), go to the beach in San Diego.... night time visits to the botanical garden, early mornings at the zoo. The list goes on and on.... Ironically as a kid I never knew the temperature and we played outdoors pretty much nonstop, I know kids are much more into video games, phones and other technology now so unless parents priortize being outdoors I can see a lot of kids not caring what the weather is.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by rtloucks

Ski, snowmobile, sled, fish, snow shoe, holidazzle parade, winter carnival, plenty of festivals, celebrate holidays, ice skate, play hockey, broomball, dog sled, play in the snow, eat hot dish (i always love that one)

The list goes on and on. Winter states dont shut down in winter, they thrive. people adapt to surroundings and find a way to live life. The same can be said for summer in florida or Phoenix or even texas... what do people do...
Plenty...ive lived in both settings. born and raised in MN. Moved all over in my 20s and 30s including Texas, NC, CO, VA, FL and currently in FL debating if id rather take MN winters again over the long humid summers here that never seem to end.

So the answer is simply.. they do plenty
If they are not then they are not living a life worth living.

You nailed this posters point, and I've also lived in both type of climates and concur. I personally find a warmer, drier climate more flexible but that's my preference. I also prefer the benefits of a state with geographic diversity like Arizona, where I can be in the pine forests or beautiful sonoran desert all within a few hours. I find that more unique in the southwest than most places east of here.

[rtloucks]

Originally Posted by locolife

You nailed this posters point, and I've also lived in both type of climates and concur. I personally find a warmer, drier climate more flexible but that's my preference. I also prefer the benefits of a state with geographic diversity like Arizona, where I can be in the pine forests or beautiful sonoran desert all within a few hours. I find that more unique in the southwest than most places east of here.

I dont disagree at all. I also prefer Arizona over winter states ( Minnesota in my case since ei grew up there) however, there are no shortcomings in MN. Plenty to do all year round if you don't let the cold shut you down. I personally enjoy warm weather more so the 100+ temps don't other me at all. Especially having lived in Denver where Temps have been 100 each summer and a mile closer to the sun ugh.... nonetheless, life is what you make of it. Hot in AZ cold in a norther state... adapt or fail....

[john3232]

I hate freezing winters as does my wife. My wife doesn't mind the AZ summer but I'm not a fan. However, what I've noticed is the summer heat seems to hit all at once. It's 85 throughout the day then suddenly you wake up one morning and it's already 90 degrees outside.

Stays that way (can reach 115) all of June, July and August.

Takes me maybe three weeks to adjust to the sudden summer heat. But last month I didn't think twice about working outdoors (landscape) as long as I remember to put on sunscreen.

Now... it's September and the weather should be great until next July.

[Maroon197]

Originally Posted by john3232

Now... it's September and the weather should be great until next July.

Definitely not accurate. The current 7 day forecast calls for temps over 100 degrees every single day. It was in the mid 90s today at 9:00pm. It should start getting nice around November if we are lucky.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

Definitely not accurate. The current 7 day forecast calls for temps over 100 degrees every single day. It was in the mid 90s today at 9:00pm. It should start getting nice around November if we are lucky.

Compared with July and August I find Sept. not a problem. Of course I still put on sun screen but otherwise I'm good to go.

[Maroon197]

Originally Posted by john3232

Compared with July and August I find Sept. not a problem. Of course I still put on sun screen but otherwise I'm good to go.

You being "good to go" isn't the same thing as Phoenix having "great" weather for 10 months a year. In 2020 we had 172 days where the temperature was 95 degrees or more. For the math challenged, that's just about 50% of the year with temperatures that would trigger an excessive heat warning in most of the United States.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

You being "good to go" isn't the same thing as Phoenix having "great" weather for 10 months a year. In 2020 we had 172 days where the temperature was 95 degrees or more. For the math challenged, that's just about 50% of the year with temperatures that would trigger an excessive heat warning in most of the United States.

O.k. start the summer - middle of June and end first week of Oct. if you like.

The rest of the year is fine. Again it takes a few weeks to get adjusted when the summer first heats up but after three weeks or so I can deal with it. I'm not going jogging or up on a roof (if I can help it...) but I'm not going to pass out walking to and from my car while shopping either

Again it's July and August and those 110-115 weeks which I find brutal.


In 2020 we had 172 days where the temperature was 95 degrees or more. For the math challenged, that's just about 50% of the year with temperatures that would trigger an excessive heat warning in most of the United States.

So what? It's a desert. If 95 -100 degrees is too uncomfortable... don't live here. No doubt the summer heat is a concern for many considering a move to AZ but not too much because people are coming here in droves.

As far as what to do during the summer months: Red Mountain park in Mesa gets busy once the sun goes down. The basketball, pickleball and volley ball courts are often in use. (The pickleball court forget it. Not once did my wife and I play this summer. The park closes at ten. If we got there at 9:30 we could probably get a court. I also like to bring a basketball so I can work on the old jump shot but 9:30 is too late for the wife.)


You being "good to go" isn't the same thing as Phoenix having "great" weather for 10 months a year.

I didn't say the Phx metro had "great weather" for 10 months of the year. I was speaking of my experience dealing with the summer heat as someone who recently moved to AZ. (Mesa - Feb of 2019.)