Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Arizona > Tucson
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-19-2018, 09:32 AM
 
4 posts, read 9,142 times
Reputation: 30

Advertisements

I have lived in 7 states, many cities and wound up in Phoenix for the last few years. I'm seriously considering Tucson for my next home. My perception is that it's smaller, more laid back, slightly cooler, more beautiful and much cheaper. Employment is not an issue, my main concern is a quality school and good neighborhood (as in things to do like science/culture options) for my high-functioning autistic son. I've found Phoenix to be not to my liking, the sheer (just my opinion) ugliness of the city, the ridiculous hugeness of the sprawl and characterless big-city corporate vibe. Looking (beyond to just vent briefly) for advice and recommendations on neighborhoods, schools and general Tucsonian wisdom. I should mention, I have no problem with a low income neighborhood, cost effectiveness is key and I can't stand the ritzy parts of town.Thanks.

Last edited by Nomadno; 03-19-2018 at 09:56 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-21-2018, 08:57 AM
 
Location: AZ
757 posts, read 837,253 times
Reputation: 3375
You will find no shortage of opinions regarding Tucson here. The heartbeat of the city is U of A. Traffic is bad and there is no east route across town. Politically it is a democrat run environment. Public transportation seems good. Great airport. Lots of medical. Many old neighborhoods. Not well maintained with many strip malls, overgrown vacant lots and businesses. There is not a lot of "ritzy" whatever that means. Lot of middle class and below. I find that it is reasonably friendly in stores but not so much on the streets. Read the posts here and that will answer many of your questions.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-21-2018, 12:04 PM
 
4 posts, read 9,142 times
Reputation: 30
I visited just the other day, and coming from Phoenix, I have to say everything potentially negative about Tucson is immeasurably better than Phoenix. Traffic was fine, in Phoenix I regularly spend an hour plus going places and freeway delays of 20-30 minutes are everyday occurrences. Ritzy would be sprawling multi-million dollar estates and row after row of McMansions. Neighborhoods in Phoenix seem much worse all around and forget friendly in all but the most far-flung suburbs. I really liked the middle-class feel and the lived-in rather than run-down aspects of the city, it felt very real, not the faceless corporate plastic pre-fab facade of Phoenix. Thanks though, you make salient points. I think my own lens will be my best bet as it's calibrated differently than most.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-21-2018, 09:24 PM
 
Location: Ca expat loving Idaho
5,267 posts, read 4,177,342 times
Reputation: 8139
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomadno View Post
I visited just the other day, and coming from Phoenix, I have to say everything potentially negative about Tucson is immeasurably better than Phoenix. Traffic was fine, in Phoenix I regularly spend an hour plus going places and freeway delays of 20-30 minutes are everyday occurrences. Ritzy would be sprawling multi-million dollar estates and row after row of McMansions. Neighborhoods in Phoenix seem much worse all around and forget friendly in all but the most far-flung suburbs. I really liked the middle-class feel and the lived-in rather than run-down aspects of the city, it felt very real, not the faceless corporate plastic pre-fab facade of Phoenix. Thanks though, you make salient points. I think my own lens will be my best bet as it's calibrated differently than most.
What did you think of downtown?? I love the small town eclectic feel there. I live in Orange County ca which is a lot like Phoenix. I get what your talking about. I call it living in beige. I love Tucson.... There could be improvements (roads) but I hope they keep the small town feel and I'm counting the days till I can move there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-22-2018, 10:29 PM
 
4 posts, read 9,142 times
Reputation: 30
It was a great visit, loved the feel of the town from downtown to the parks, museums and everything in between. I do agree the roads are a bit rough, but it just adds to the unfiltered reality of the city. The facade put on for us that we live in a ****-and-span world of eternal plenty will erode in all places eventually. Tucson just feels honest about what a city is and does. I think I will soon call it home.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-22-2018, 11:47 PM
 
Location: Ca expat loving Idaho
5,267 posts, read 4,177,342 times
Reputation: 8139
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomadno View Post
It was a great visit, loved the feel of the town from downtown to the parks, museums and everything in between. I do agree the roads are a bit rough, but it just adds to the unfiltered reality of the city. The facade put on for us that we live in a ****-and-span world of eternal plenty will erode in all places eventually. Tucson just feels honest about what a city is and does. I think I will soon call it home.
Well if you like the roads in Tucson you'd love driving in LA.

The cost of living can't be beat in Tucson. The low cost of everything always shocks me. Tucson is a hidden gem and I hope all the people fleeing Ca don't discover it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-23-2018, 09:18 AM
 
700 posts, read 918,325 times
Reputation: 1130
Tucson is authentic, original and unique; and apparently has always been so. If you are fortunate enough to live there, you will find out. Live there a long time and learn its secrets slowly. It won't fail you; and its effects will abide no matter how far away you may move -- or for how long a time you may be away. Have you ever seen the Tony Randall movie, "The Seven Faces of Dr Lao?" The book, "The Circus of Dr Lao," was written by the then-editor of Tucson's Arizona Daily Star newspaper about a strange Arizona desert town. I don't know about Austin TX and their slogan, "Keep Austin Weird," but Tucson won't ever need a slogan like that. There seems to be no doubt it will always be unique!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Circus_of_Dr._Lao

Quote:
The Circus of Dr. Lao (1935) is a novel written by the American newspaperman and writer Charles G. Finney. It won one of the inaugural National Book Awards: the Most Original Book of 1935.

Although the first edition was illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff, many later editions omit the illustrations.

Plot summary

The novel is set in the fictional town of Abalone, Arizona, whose inhabitants epitomize ordinary Americans as they are simultaneously backhandedly celebrated and lovingly pilloried for their emergent reactions to the wonders of magic and of everyday life. A circus owned by a Chinese man named Dr. Lao pulls into town one day, carrying legendary creatures from all areas of mythology and legend, among them a sea serpent, Apollonius of Tyana (who tells dark, yet always truthful, fortunes), a medusa, and a satyr. Through interactions with the circus, the locals attain various enigmatic peak experiences appropriate to each one's particular personality...continued.
The author:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_G._Finney
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-23-2018, 09:31 AM
 
4 posts, read 9,142 times
Reputation: 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilmaWildcat View Post
Tucson is authentic, original and unique; and apparently has always been so. If you are fortunate enough to live there, you will find out. Live there a long time and learn its secrets slowly. It won't fail you; and its effects will abide no matter how far away you may move -- or for how long a time you may be away. Have you ever seen the Tony Randall movie, "The Seven Faces of Dr Lao?" The book, "The Circus of Dr Lao," was written by the then-editor of Tucson's Arizona Daily Star newspaper about a strange Arizona desert town. I don't know about Austin TX and their slogan, "Keep Austin Weird," but Tucson won't ever need a slogan like that. There seems to be no doubt it will always be unique!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Circus_of_Dr._Lao

The author:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_G._Finney
Wow.
I am more and more convinced this is the place for me. The Southwest has drawn me in fully, and all roads point to Tucson. Thanks for the bonus content, I'll have to check out the movie and book. I plan on bringing my own artistic and volunteer contributions to this wonder of a city. Glad I decided to check it out and begin my journey to becoming Tucsonian. This summer I will be Tucson bound for good.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2018, 11:43 AM
 
3 posts, read 4,881 times
Reputation: 23
Default Also headed to Tucson

Quote:
Originally Posted by Finper View Post
What did you think of downtown?? I love the small town eclectic feel there. I live in Orange County ca which is a lot like Phoenix. I get what your talking about. I call it living in beige. I love Tucson.... There could be improvements (roads) but I hope they keep the small town feel and I'm counting the days till I can move there.
Nice to hear, I'm Tucson bound also. What inspired the decision?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2018, 04:28 PM
 
Location: Ca expat loving Idaho
5,267 posts, read 4,177,342 times
Reputation: 8139
Quote:
Originally Posted by Long Beach to Tucson View Post
Nice to hear, I'm Tucson bound also. What inspired the decision?
All the negatives of living here are the opposite in Tucson. I go there to decompress and breath clean air. I also love the desert and the desert landscape is far superior in Tucson compared to Phx and Vegas. The people there are very friendly also. It's quite a shock when people look and me and say hi to me there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Arizona > Tucson

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top