Phoenix vs Tucson vs Alburquerque vs Vegas

[eddie gein]

It was 25 years ago, but I came to Arizona totally unbiased between Phoenix and Tucson and UA and ASU.

I came to Phoenix first and worked at Good Samaritan hospital saving money to go to grad school. I lived with a family in Scottsdale and so I got to see the swanky side of town. Got to sit on the front row at a couple of Suns games and did the Phoenix deal for a while.

Strangly, I liked Phoenix all right and I thought ASU was a pretty campus and thought it would be ok to go there.

Finally, I drove down to Tucson and flat fell in love with the place. Tucson seemed more like what I expected Arizona to be. (Phoenix seemed like a bizarre combination of Dallas and maybe some place in the San Joachim valley). Tucson with the mountain backdrop, the ubiquitous sagauro's and the awsome campus of the UA was to be my destination.

Tucson is big enough to find a good job. DON"T go to Phoenix just because of that without comparing them. They are different and it's hard to describe until you have been to both places. They have a totally different vibe.

Albequerque is much like Tucson but it is cooler in the summer and has much worse winters at times. I don't think it is as pretty a setting as Tucson but is is a bit greener (as if the desert is green). But if you can't stand the summers in Arizona it would be ok.

[june]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

It was 25 years ago, but I came to Arizona totally unbiased between Phoenix and Tucson and UA and ASU.

I came to Phoenix first and worked at Good Samaritan hospital saving money to go to grad school. I lived with a family in Scottsdale and so I got to see the swanky side of town. Got to sit on the front row at a couple of Suns games and did the Phoenix deal for a while.

Strangly, I liked Phoenix all right and I thought ASU was a pretty campus and thought it would be ok to go there.

Finally, I drove down to Tucson and flat fell in love with the place. Tucson seemed more like what I expected Arizona to be. (Phoenix seemed like a bizarre combination of Dallas and maybe some place in the San Joachim valley). Tucson with the mountain backdrop, the ubiquitous sagauro's and the awsome campus of the UA was to be my destination.

Tucson is big enough to find a good job. DON"T go to Phoenix just because of that without comparing them. They are different and it's hard to describe until you have been to both places. They have a totally different vibe.

Albequerque is much like Tucson but it is cooler in the summer and has much worse winters at times. I don't think it is as pretty a setting as Tucson but is is a bit greener (as if the desert is green). But if you can't stand the summers in Arizona it would be ok.

I also fell in love with Tucson. Your right its what I expected AZ to look like. the mountains are gorgeous especially coming from NY.

[azhiker]

But see...I HATE Phoenix. Could never pay me enough to live there. I LOVE Tucson. I'm not looking for nightlife, so maybe Tucson isn't the place for you if you are.

I love the outdoors. I would go hiking in the mountains, which were 5 min. from my house in Tucson, w/my kids every weekend. The weather is cooler, there is FAR less traffic and congestion. The natural desert has been preserved, which it has not in Phoenix, and why live in AZ if you don't want desert??

To me, Phoenix is a metropolitan sprawling town with no character. Just busy roads, lots of chain restaurants, lots of cookie cutter homes, and you could be just about anywhere in the U.S. (aside from the weather).

Tucson, to me, has character. You are in the desert--it's all around you--the mountains, the expanses of desert, the smaller town feel. It's not even a competition in my mind. - Pam

I completely agree with Pam and Eddie Gein on this one. Tucson is far the prettier place, and a good bit cooler too.

I don't care that much about clubs and the nightlife either. I too am an avid hiker, love the surrounding mountains and easy, quick access to them.

Phoenix has gotten so gigantic, it's like an L.A. without the beach and MUCH hotter weather. All a matter of personal taste, but Tucson has a certain charm about it that Phoenix utterly lacks in my view.

My mom and dad retired from suburban L.A. to Las Vegas. It's a fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. The landscape is like the moon. They only get around 3" of rain a year in Vegas. For that matter, Tucson gets 13 inches of rain a year, Phoenix only 6. Doesn't sound like a huge difference, but the desert is a lot greener around Tucson than it is around Phoenix (just like Phoenix is greener than Vegas).

I visited Albuquerque and was hoping for an ambience like Tucson's. I was disappointed. Drove all around ABQ, and found it pretty unattractive, although the small area east of Tramway was pretty nice.

Had a friend with a home in the mountains behind ABQ (in Tijeras). It's nice up there, but Albuquerque proper I found to be dreary (in fairness it was November though).

Still, give me Tucson easily over the others. I will move back there next February.

[Bummer]

Interesting question, Tiger Beer . . . even more interesting replies.

My theory . . . for every positive, there is a negative and vice versa.

I prefer not to live in a huge (aka: Los Angeles) type city so when I was relocating, I rejected Phoenix as well as Las Vegas.

Personally, I believe Tucson has the most to offer while still being a "cowtown" at heart. If there is a need for the big city stuff, Phoenix is only a little over an hour drive away for a day or two.

Definitely, Tucson has crime but I question that it is any worse than Phoenix and doubt seriously if it is nearly as bad as the crime situation in Alburquerque and Las Vegas.

The job market may be a little better in Phoenix but if you find the perfect job in Tucson . . . what difference does that make? You only need one good job.

Generally speaking, the cost of living is definitely a little lower in Tucson but I believe the overall pay scale may be a little lower as well. I call that a basic wash.

Bottom line . . . THERE IS NO PERFECT PLACE TO LIVE.

! ! ! !