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I love aspects of Nevada and Vegas but the region also has a very transient nature. And I don't mean homeless. Outside of L.A., I don't think there's another city where you meet more people trying to reinvent themselves... and there's nothing wrong with that. I've simply met more people who have moved there to do something big (dance, sing, deal, cook, build, etc) but have since moved on. It happens in every city, but I think the low cost of living coupled with the bright lights makes Vegas a magnet. My take is that you can form a nice niche/community of friends and peers, but it's tough to find a permanent core who'll be there for the long term. But if you've found it, that's cool.
I love aspects of Nevada and Vegas but the region also has a very transient nature. And I don't mean homeless. Outside of L.A., I don't think there's another city where you meet more people trying to reinvent themselves... and there's nothing wrong with that. I've simply met more people who have moved there to do something big (dance, sing, deal, cook, build, etc) but have since moved on. It happens in every city, but I think the low cost of living coupled with the bright lights makes Vegas a magnet. My take is that you can form a nice niche/community of friends and peers, but it's tough to find a permanent core who'll be there for the long term. But if you've found it, that's cool.
I managed to do just that. It has been 4 years I have lived here this month.
Just back from a 3 week trip, 1 week in California, 1 week in Phoenix, and 1 week in Vegas.
We looked at cost of living, real estate costs, amenities, and access to walking, hiking and biking.
California is nice and would be our first choice but costs are too high.
Vegas has gone gradually downhill (visits every 3-5 years since 1972) to the point where the Strip no longer has any attraction for us. Maybe it's just because we are retired now and older - but sure miss the 'deals' on food, beverages and shows that were around even 10 years ago. As non-smokers we can no longer 'hack' the casino floors - luckily we found a wonderful non-casino suite hotel just off the strip. We did visit Red Rock Canyon - nice but one visit in a lifetime is enough.
Phoenix area is beautiful, I worked in AZ and UT in the early 1970s and love the desert.
Phoenix has very attractive real estate pricing currently (as good if not better than Vegas), and the amenities are great (we are looking at a managed communities with recreation/golf facilities). We loved the network of walking and bike trails, and tried the new Light Rail (special area in cars to bring bikes on just like Europe). We loved the South Mountain Park, and parks in the area of the Botanical Garden.
We attended some events and one festival in downtown Phoenix and were surprised at the active ethnic communities in the area. All in all the Phoenix area is far more attractive for retired folks in our opinion.
Having said all of this, as snowbirds we would only be down there 5-6 months a year, missing the worst of the heat in summer.
We plan to spend the winter down there this year, so will provide updates as time goes on - we are staying in the Anthem Country Club community.
I did ALOT of homework before heading to the Phoenix region to buy a home recently. This is what I came up with as a 65 y.o. single woman who wants to go back to work so soon as I establish myself in Phoenix:
1. Better medical care by far in Phoenix. Getting older--even if like me you are healthy--you must might need it one day. Why take chances?
2. Many, many more folks over 79 in Phoenix than Vegas. Seems like Vegas is great for young retirees, but they take off and move elsewhere when they start hitting 79 or so. Due to the poor medical care I'm guessing? Or maybe the bright lights don't appeal anymore? In Phoenix areas like around Sun City-Peoria-Surprise the percentage of over 65 is huge. Not so in Vegas even tho there are Sun Cities there but not so many of them as in Phoenix.
3. Nevada has a better tax deal than Arizona, but--with the gambling taxes not covering Nevada now like it did taxwise--are they going to go up in Nevada? This is a major concern to alot of retirees.
4. The entertainment sounds wonderful in Vegas, but all that smoke in the casinos....aaaaargh...not so much.
Please correct me if I am wrong in any of these points. I feel I chose right picking an area of the Phoenix region, but my friend picked Vegas due to the lower taxes. One of us will be right, anyway.
Last edited by TootsieWootsie; 07-19-2010 at 07:54 AM..
I did ALOT of homework before heading to the Phoenix region to buy a home recently. This is what I came up with as a 65 y.o. single woman who wants to go back to work so soon as I establish myself in Phoenix:
At this point in time Phoenix would have an immense advantage in employment. Las Vegas is really tough now. In a few years it will be a much less definitive parameter.
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1. Better medical care by far in Phoenix. Getting older--even if like me you are healthy--you must might need it one day. Why take chances?
I don't believe there is any great difference in regular medical care. If, however, you need extraordinary medical care you are better off in Phoenix. Mostly I would think Las Vegans can use Phoenix or Los Angeles for such services. If you chose to have a heart attack you may well be better off in Las Vegas.
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2. Many, many more folks over 79 in Phoenix than Vegas. Seems like Vegas is great for young retirees, but they take off and move elsewhere when they start hitting 79 or so. Due to the poor medical care I'm guessing? Or maybe the bright lights don't appeal anymore? In Phoenix areas like around Sun City-Peoria-Surprise the percentage of over 65 is huge. Not so in Vegas even tho there are Sun Cities there but not so many of them as in Phoenix.
As a general rule Sun Cities become unlivable as one becomes infirm. It has been our experience that people can, and should, leave as they approach that stage of their lives. It is terribly sad to see the poor state of some residents as they both become infirm and the quality of life deteriorates.
I would note that the Sun Cities of Las Vegas are as nice or nicer than those of Phoenix and somewhat more integrated into the city.
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3. Nevada has a better tax deal than Arizona, but--with the gambling taxes not covering Nevada now like it did taxwise--are they going to go up in Nevada? This is a major concern to alot of retirees.
Nevada taxes are very unlikely to change substantially. The bad news is that the services provided are quite low...generally at the bottom of the US states. The taxes are likewise quite low and likely to stay there. The implementation of an income tax would require a constitutional amendment...which has the same chance of passing as the snow ball surviving on the strip in July.
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4. The entertainment sounds wonderful in Vegas, but all that smoke in the casinos....aaaaargh...not so much.
Please correct me if I am wrong in any of these points. I feel I chose right picking an area of the Phoenix region, but my friend picked Vegas due to the lower taxes. One of us will be right, anyway.
The entertainment is generally smoke free. And many of the local casinos have very good air systems and don't reek of smoke. I am a non-smoker and only rarely find it objectionable.
ON the whole keeping busy thing LV wins except employment...where it loses badly.
HAHAHA! After reading the bickering I'd just like to add my .02 about how I feel about both Phoenix and Vegas after living in Phoenix most of my life and spending the last 3 years in Las Vegas.
First off Vegas scenery is a bit better than Phoenix and I say that because of the much larger mountains surrounding Vegas as was mentioned earlier in this thread. But then again the Vegas valley is much smaller than the Valley of the sun. The Phoenix area is much larger and more spreadout. This means less WIND in the winter, fall and spring months. That's the biggest change I noticed here three years ago was that the wind blows in Vegas ALL THE TIME! Combine that with a much colder winter and the winters here in Vegas are nowhere near as nice as Phoenix. Now others will say that Phoenix is so much hotter than Vegas in the summer. Yes because Phoenix actually has a little bit of humidity in the summer. Not as much as say Georgia or Florida but it has enough to keep your lips from chapping in July and August. Phoenix gets roughly 4 more inches of rain per year than Vegas and most of it falls during the monsoon months of July and August. Both places get extremely hot in summer and if you have one extreme why would you want the other? At least in Phoenix you are rewarded with a milder winter and absolutely gorgeous fall and spring. In Vegas you get very up and down weather in spring combined with crazy winds. You go from cold fronts in spring to 110 degree plus in late June. There's no transition here in Vegas. The transition is much nicer in Phoenix.
Now that was just the weather difference. Now on to the cities/metros themselves. Vegas' whole existence is because of it's gambling. Phoenix actually thrives in the desert without legalized gambling and it's 6 casinos are on Indian reservations. Phoenix survives off of agriculture, copper mining, silicon valley and tourism. It actually has a "normal" city feel to it and sense of community than Vegas. Vegas is way more transient, especially the far southwest side which grew up WAY too fast. Henderson is much nicer and more established and reminds me of the east valley in Phoenix. Vegas has crappy freeways but nicer city streets. Phoenix has the best freeways in the country, well marked, paved with rubberized asphault and much more extensive than Vegas' and has average surface streets. I guess the City of Las Vegas wants you to drive to the strip as much as possible. That's where all the money goes in Vegas whereas in Phoenix the money is distributed more evenly with it's freeway system. Of course that's where they want you to go. It's the bloodline of the city. Without the strip the Vegas Valley would look like Death Valley only not as low in elevation.
I will give Vegas it's location. It is very close to National Parks and other major cities such as LA, San Diego, and of course, Phoenix. But Phoenix is unique on it's own and Arizona is one of the most beautiful states in and of itself. You don't have to go to another state from Phoenix to see extraordinary beauty. I'm an avid offroader and have discovered the real beauty of Arizona that many do not get to see. I have seen beauty that rivals many national parks just hours from Phoenix on one of the many back country roads.
Overall Vegas is very comparable and not a bad place to live in my opinion. But Phoenix just has a little bit more of everything else except the gambling and entertainment. And it depends on the type of entertainment that suits you. Phoenix has more water, more services, more freeways, more people, more beauty within the same state, more of an identity and sense of community than Vegas. Also Vegas is more liberal than Phoenix and likes to overcharge you on automobile registration.
Minor peeves: Vegas stop lights take forever compared to Phoenix. My wife is a traffic engineer and the stop light cycles in Vegas are considerably longer. (it makes a difference when you get stuck at several lights and you're in a hurry)
Vegas has a nicer summer. And it does make a difference.
Phoenix is much larger. Lower winds...lousey commutes. Have a heart attack in the outlying and you may be a week getting to a first class trauma center. LV everybody is 20 minutes out.
Phoenix wins hands down on employment.
Las Vegas wins hands down on entertainment and food.
Just this fact. Surprise has, in the general area (along with the Sun Cities) Banner Boswell and Banner Del Webb hospitals. They also have a system in their ambulances that the EMT's or Paramedics simply hook up to you. The system then contacts the Hospital, telling them of any and all life-threatening conditions. That way, the correct Doctors are there to meet you, with the right meds and equipment. No one in the Sun Cities or Surprise is over 5-6 miles from one of these two hospitals. It doesn't get much better than that.
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