Tell me about Phoenix, AZ. I have lived in Chicago for 18 yrs and Iowa for 4. I'm thinking of moving there.?

Question

I've done research, but there is so much information out there that it is hard to sift through it. Is it unbearably hot there? I know the average temp is high, but can you tell me more about the weather. I also want to know about the school systems. The different areas of Phoenix. Chicago is spread into 4 different regions; is Phoenix like this also? Which area has the best schools and the most job opportunities. I am a marketing and spanish major and hope to find a job using these skills. I have a 1yr old son also, granted he will be 2 when we move there; but is there different things to do with young children. I can't stay in Iowa because it is unbearably boring to me (coming from Chicago) and there aren't enough things to do with him. Is the cost of living comparably high there? I visited some govt websites about that, but I know first hand that those websites aren't legit across the board. I would really appreciate your help.

Answer 1

I lived in Chicago and Phoenix is like heaven after that.  The clear blue skies are wonderful.  In Chicago i saw nothing but clouds in the sky. No guarantees about your job search.  We are a boom town and lots of qualified people move here for the weather.  So there are more job seekers than there are jobs.  

Rent for a 2 bed apartment is $750-900 in nice buildings.  House rent is $1,100.   You can own a nice house in Mesa for $150,000.  Cost of living is low.

It is so hot in summer you just can't believe it.  It is what eventually drives people away./

Answer 2

yeah the weather is a dry heat so its usually pretty hot, as long as you have a/c you'll survive. The bad thing about that is you really dont see anyone out during the daytime because its so hot

Cost of living isnt high, depending on where you live i guess. I wouldnt recommend scottsdale or any of the high end neighborhoods if your not planning on spending a lot of money on your housing.

There's a lot of companies that pay extra for bilingual speakers since there is a lot of spanish speakers out here that only understand spanish.

Its a real koo place to raise a family in my opinion

Answer 3

Well, i can help you with the school.

if you were planning on staying here for a while, like until your son is in high school, i would move in the scottsdale area.

i go to pinnacle high school.

it is the top high school in arizona, and pretty high on the list in the u.s.

it really is an amazing school.

but that is quite a few years away (:

Answer 4

Well i came down from san diego to prescott valley to visit. We went to phoenix to visit friends and family. Phoenix is VERY hot. but you'll survive with AC. now if you go to the casino theres one about 45 minutes from phoenix called CLIFFS CASTLE CASINO and they have a bowling alley for adults and children,a arcade for children while ur playing,& a daycare for children younger.

Answer 5

Phoenix, although filled with Chicago transplants, is totally different than Chicago.  It's much more spread out, and doesn't really have different regions like Chicago does.  It doesn't even have "neighborhoods," really, though there are areas where different people *tend* to live, like college students in Tempe and post-college grads in Scottsdale and Desert Ridge.  

It is a decent place to raise kids - the cost of living is far, far less than Chicago, you can afford more of a house (especially now) and if you're a marketing major who speaks Spanish, you should be able to find a job here without too much difficulty.

It isn't as interesting a city as Chicago - it doesn't have that level of culture.  There are some decent museums, good restaurants, decent theater, a nice zoo, an aquarium being built, and pro sports teams (plus the Cubs train here in the winter), but it's not at the level of Chicago, not by a long shot.  But it's more interesting than Iowa.

The weather is sort of the opposite of Chicago.  In the summer, you're kind of trapped due to the heat.  It can be 110 during the day - granted, a "dry" heat, except in August, when a bit of humidity develops (not like Chicago, not even close) but still scorching unless it rains.  The real problem in summer, to me, isn't so much the daytime but that it doesn't cool down much during the evening.  You go outside at 9 PM and it's still 95 degrees, which just feels wrong somehow.  But that only lasts a month or two, July and August.  By September it's down in the 80's in the evening, and that feels great, and by winter it's terrific.

Answer 6

Yes, Phoenix is hot. But you have to realize the most hot tempatures are pretty dry. So you can cool off pretty easily by sweating. As far as the "monsoon" months go, the temps are a little lower but the humidity makes it pretty yucky at times. I have been living here for almost 2 years and was used to temps alot cooler than Arizona's. Im originally from Colorado, so you can say it was a pretty huge change. There are a few regions of Phoenix that include Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria, Paradise Valley (very nice), Scottsdale (known as Snottsdale because ritsy people), Fountain Hills etc. The majority of Phoenix is fairly nice, but of course like all cities you do have your condemned areas and homes. Knowing spanish will probably help you allot out here, as the culture is fairly mixed but alot of Hispanic backgrounds dominate allot of areas here. There are plenty of things you can do with your son. Museums, Parks, Water parks and so on. It definitely wouldn't be any worse than Chicage. I do have to say that the housing market is shot right now out here, probably one of the worst in the nation. If you are looking to stay in a nice area, my recommendation would be Northern Phoenix, as it is pretty newly developed. Downtown Phoenix is pretty nice, lots of things to do (I work in downtown). Overall, I think it is a pretty good choice, but be forwarned that people here are ALWAYS in a hurry to get somewhere. So if you are driving on a 35mph posted speed limit, the average driver here usually goes 10-15 over included police. So best of luck on your choice and hope all works out for you.  

Answer 7

you might wanna ck out Prescott area of Arizona.  its about a 100 miles north of Phx.  Phx is big, d**n near the size of Chicago, and hot as h**l all summer.  Prescott area is like 90 during the day and 65, 70 at night, in summer, and 50's during the day and 20's or 30's at night in winter.  then you are centrally located between Phx, to visit during winter and Flagstaff to visit in summer or go there to ski in winter, both about an hour half drive, and we have all the amenities of the big city almost.

Answer 8

I live in Tucson, so I can't help much with the majority of your questions.  I can tell you how boring Tucson is, but you didn't ask about that.

But, I can speak to the weather, being that I'm a transplant from Denver.  Everyone talks about Phoenix heat being a "dry" heat, which is the same thing we have in Denver - very little humidity (although the heat part doesn't compare).  So, coming from Ohio, you'll probably enjoy that aspect.  However, it's very little comfort in 115 degree tempertures... not to mention the fact that only half the summer is a dry heat; the other half is monsoon season, where you get the occasional (short) relief of a rainstorm, but then it's just muggy!  So, don't believe them when they tell you it's dry.

I am currently suffering through my second summer here - we moved here in May last year (whatever you do, don't move at the beginning of the summer... you may as well get to know the place in the winter, so you're not so jaded).  The second time around is quite a bit easier than the first, so I guess when they say "you get used to it" it has some truth to it.  However, I don't intend on sticking around the find out how long it takes to "get used to it".  

It really is miserable.  And if you enjoy doing things outdoors (camping, hiking, fishing, walking your dog, enjoying the fresh air, having your windows open at night, flying kites in the park, etc, etc - all of which we like to do), get ready to not be able to do those things for a couple months.  Really, you're stuck inside for 4-5 months.  Even if you wanted to go enjoy the heat, you don't have the energy to get off the couch.  It's the same phenomenon as cabin fever, just in reverse as you're used to hearing about it.  Very depressing to me, because I enjoy being outside so much.  I can't WAIT for it to cool down.

There, my two cents.

Answer 9

Phoenix isn't so hot but the east valley cities are okay.

Answer 10

HOT, HOT, HOT!

Answer 11

It sucks!

HOT!

Illegals Mexicans.

Illegal Mexican drop houses.

High car insurance.

Everyone here knows Mexican, so that skill will not help.

Id theft capital.

Women getting raped on their front porch.

Lice in schools due to illegal problems.

Medical care is awful!

If you leave anything in your car, they will break your windows.

Stay there!