Phoenix Arizona
What is it like living and working in Phoenix, Arizona?
What is it like to live and work in Phoenix, Arizona?? Can you really depend on the bus to get to work on time? Any other things you can tell me about the city? One person responded saying that he saw a person selling drugs at McDonalds. Do you see that kind of things often or not really? And do they enforce the laws there such as relating to drug use, weapon control, etc or not really? Overall, is it still an okay place to live and work in? What are some of the things to look out for over there and be careful of? Are drugs and crime kind of common there or no? How hot and cold can it get usually? Do most places have air-conditioning when it is hot? Also, is it safe to walk on the streets alone at night if you are female?
Thanks.
I noticed that you have asked a lot of different questions about living and working in Phoenix. I've lived here for 15 years and will try to answer them (from my opinions anyways).
The Phoenix metro area actually includes several different interlocked cities that each have slightly different characteristics.
Downtown Phoenix (with the tall buildings and government offices) went through serious decay in the 70s and 80s as people moved to the suburbs (it was never a great cultural center to begin with like the downtowns of Chicago or New York). They have started to turn it around the last few years with new trendy apartments and nicer shopping areas and museums, but there are still a lot of bad spots and I would not recommend a single woman to live there or walk alone most places at night.
The other suburbs:
Tempe - Home of Arizona State University and a typical collage town, meaning some cheaper housing, but a lot of competition for it. Nice sense of community with many little cafes and shops.
Mesa/Gilbert/Chandler - Generally conservative, family communities. Mostly safe, but a little boring if you are single. Gilbert is a bit more high end, Mesa is the center of the valley's Mormon community.
Northern Phoenix (Thunderbird, Bell Road) - Older communities, seeing new growth along the fringes. Mix of good, so-so, and bad areas.
South Phoenix - Mostly poorer neighborhoods, but seeing a lot of new communities making an odd mix.
Ahwatukee - Area on south and eastern ends of South Mountain near Tempe and Chandler, growing middle to upper class professional communities.
Scottsdale - Trendy upper class town of art galleries and night clubs.
Transportation - Metro Phoenix was built for the automobile and every thing is planned around it. The bus system is one of the most limited for a town of this size. Because people are so spread out, it is hard for mass transit to be effective and so they don't really try. They are starting work on a light rail system near ASU, but its range will be limited. You really do need a car to live in Phoenix.
Safety - Car theft and car break-ins are the biggest issue here, followed by people breaking into homes. Getting mugged on the street or murdered by a random stranger are pretty rare. Yes, there are drugs here, but you usually don't see it unless you are looking for it.
Heat - Most of the year, Phoenix has a really nice climate which makes it nice to be outdoors. The hot period is mid-May through mid-September with peaks of 115 plus in late June. It is a dry heat (little humidity) which means your body cools itself better and you don't feel sticky all the time (you do however sunburn just as easy). Some people hate it, I find it easier to deal with then places with higher humidity. Most apartments and houses here have some sort of A/C or swamp cooler.
Population / Culture - Phoenix is mostly a mix of anglos, hispanics, and native Americans. There are several sections of town that have large Mexican and Mexican-American populations with the associated shops and cafes. There are also several Native American reservations in or near the city. Most big city cultural activities (theater, shows) happen either downtown or in the Tempe area, although most towns (especially Scottsdale) have local community theaters and events.
Work - the main industries (that pay decent wages) typically center around high-tech (Motorola, Intel, and Microchip to name a few), health care and elder care (big retirement populations) and construction / real estate related jobs because of the housing boom. The high-tech industry has taken a bit of beating over the last couple years with some big downsizings. As the government center of both the state and county, there are also quite a few government jobs (mostly centered on the downtown area).
Overall, I can't say that I recommend Phoenix too much. There is nothing particulary bad about it, there is just nothing very special about it either. The town (and suburbs) have grown so quick in the last 10 years that every thing is nearly identical cookie-cutter housing developments and strip malls. Unlike San Francisco with its row houses, Chicago with its blues bars, or New York with its all-night diners, nothing is unique about Phoenix and nothing is cherished (beyond making a buck or saving a buck). Rather than a sense of history or community, you get a temporary boom-town feeling that everything is cheap, mass-produced, and not planning on staying very long.
The rest of the state (Flagstaff, Tucson, Prescott, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Superstition Mountains, the Rim Country) is beautiful and very interesting, but Phoenix will never be counted among the great cities of the world... as another writer noted it is like LA without the beach or the glamour.
 |
 Neptunes Table Restaurant Phoenix AZ Maricopa PC $3.97 Time Remaining: 3h 5m Buy It Now for only: $3.97 |
 Aerial View PhoenixArizona $6.89 Time Remaining: 3h 35m Buy It Now for only: $6.89 |
 Aerial View Black Canyon Freeway PhoenixArizona $6.89 Time Remaining: 3h 35m Buy It Now for only: $6.89 |
 Aerial View PC of the State Capitol Building Phoenix Arizona USA $1.56 Time Remaining: 3h 49m |
 B0406 CAMELBACK INN PHOENIX ARIZONA AZ VINTAGE POSTCARD $6.94 Time Remaining: 4h 56m Buy It Now for only: $6.94 |
 Linen PC Maricopa County Court House Phoenix Arizona $3.00 Time Remaining: 8h 49m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 Arizona State Capitol Phoenix Vintage Postcard $9.99 Time Remaining: 8h 54m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 State Capitol Phoenix Arizona Vintage Postcard $8.99 Time Remaining: 9h 28m Buy It Now for only: $8.99 |
 D053 State Capitol Phoenix Arizona AZ $9.67 Time Remaining: 9h 30m Buy It Now for only: $9.67 |
 Vintage The Wigwam Country Club Litchfield Park Phoenix AZ postcard $1.95 Time Remaining: 9h 31m Buy It Now for only: $1.95 |
 PHOENIX AZ Vtg Skyline Capitol Dome Copper Postcard Old Arizona PC $16.50 Time Remaining: 10h 3m Buy It Now for only: $16.50 |
 Arizona Biltmore Hotel PHOENIX older Linen postcard $9.99 Time Remaining: 10h 51m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Combined Courthouse City Hall Phoenix Maricopa County Arizona AZ Postcard $4.95 Time Remaining: 11h 16m Buy It Now for only: $4.95 |
 POSTCARD PIONEER ARIZONA LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM PHOENIX ARIZONA 1978 $3.25 Time Remaining: 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $3.25 |
 PHOENIX AZ High School Old Postcard $5.80 Time Remaining: 11h 38m Buy It Now for only: $5.80 |
 Phoenix Arizona Vintage Postcard $6.99 Time Remaining: 12h 20m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 |
 Heard Museum Phoenix Arizona Vintage Postcard Used $6.99 Time Remaining: 12h 20m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 |
 The Heard Museum Phoenix AZ Vintage Postcard unused $6.99 Time Remaining: 12h 20m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 |
 LOOKING NORTH ON CENTRAL AVENUE PHOENIX ARIZONA $3.00 Time Remaining: 12h 27m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 VINTAGE POST CARD JAPANESE FLOWER GARDENS PHOENIX AZ $2.00 Time Remaining: 12h 57m |
 VINTAGE POST CARD JAPANESE FLOWER GARDENS PHOENIX AZ $2.00 Time Remaining: 13h 9m |
 HOLE IN THE ROCK PAPAGO PARK PHOENIX ARIZONA $5.00 Time Remaining: 13h 17m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 VINTAGE POST CARD SOUTH MOUNTAIN FLOWER GARDENS PHOENIX AZ $2.00 Time Remaining: 13h 27m |
 Phoenix Arizona Postcard Maricopa County Court House City Hall Street View 1930s $3.15 Time Remaining: 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $3.15 |
 PHOENIX AZ El Rancho Motor Hotel and Swimming Pool $3.55 Time Remaining: 14h 48m Buy It Now for only: $3.55 |
 Phoenix AZ Postcard Arizona Biltmore Hotel Front View 1930 Postmark $4.21 Time Remaining: 14h 50m Buy It Now for only: $4.21 |
 PHOENIX AZ Desert Inn and Swimming Pool postcard $3.98 Time Remaining: 14h 50m Buy It Now for only: $3.98 |
 Goldwaters Desert Fashions Phoenix Prescott AZ MB $3.97 Time Remaining: 14h 56m Buy It Now for only: $3.97 |
 PHOENIX ARIZONA THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING LINEN POSTCARD $0.25 Time Remaining: 16h 49m |
 c1919 FOLDOUT PHOENIX AZ RL BALKE INDIAN TRADING POST $9.99 Time Remaining: 16h 57m |
 Vintage Postcard Roosevelt Dam Apache Trail Phoenix Arizona $0.99 Time Remaining: 16h 59m |
 HOTEL LUHRS PHOENIX ARIZONA 1938 WHITE BORDER POSTCARD WITH AUTOMOBILES $1.99 Time Remaining: 17h 4m |
 Vintage JUMBO Postcard Phoenix Central Ave Downtown $8.00 Time Remaining: 17h 8m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 PHOENIX ARIZONA ENTRANCE TO THE BILTMORE ESTATES LINEN POSTCARD $0.25 Time Remaining: 17h 33m |
 A437 POSTCARD PHOENIX ARIZONA HOTEL WESTWARD HO $5.99 Time Remaining: 17h 58m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 1907 14 Center St Bridge Phoenix Arizona AZ Postcard $6.00 Time Remaining: 18h 27m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 POOL AND PATIO AREA PARADISE INN PHOENIX ARIZONA 1960s $0.99 Time Remaining: 19h 1m |
 Hotel Westward Ho Phoenix Postcard Tropical Patio $6.00 Time Remaining: 20h 12m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 1940s State Capitol Phoenix AZ Maricopa Co Postcard $3.99 Time Remaining: 20h 15m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 YMCA Phoenix AZ 1920s $5.00 Time Remaining: 20h 39m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 1950s Matchbook Hotel Westward Ho Stagecoach Phoenix AZ $4.49 Time Remaining: 22h 36m Buy It Now for only: $4.49 |
 1950s Matchbook A 1 Pilsner Beer Brewing Phoenix AZ MB $4.49 Time Remaining: 22h 37m Buy It Now for only: $4.49 |
 PHOENIX AZ Greenway Motor Hotel 1208 W Van Buren 1960s $4.95 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 8m Buy It Now for only: $4.95 |
 Papago Park Between Phoenix Tempe AZ $3.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 6h |
 Postcard Central Avenue Looking North Phoenix Arizona $13.00 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 29m Buy It Now for only: $13.00 |
 PHOENIX ARIZONA Washington St Looking West from First Streets POSTCARD $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 59m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Residence of P K Wrigley Biltmore Estates Phoenix 80884 $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 8h 53m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN BETWEEN PHOENIX TEMPE AZ $5.00 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 47m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 Phoenix Arizona 1940 skyline postcard $9.95 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 3m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 RPPC Near PHOENIX AZ Granite Reef Diversion Dam POSTCARD $12.99 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 17m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 |
 Armory Phoenix Arizona $4.00 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 40m Buy It Now for only: $4.00 |
 CENTRAL AVENUE LOOKING NORTH PHOENIX ARIZONA $5.00 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 41m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 31 1915 POSTCARD PHOENIX AZ ARIZONA CIVIC CENTER FEDERATION PARK $1.59 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 6m Buy It Now for only: $1.59 |
 34 1915 POSTCARD PHOENIX AZ ARIZONA POST OFFICE $1.59 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 6m Buy It Now for only: $1.59 |
 The Arizona Twilighter Apt Hotel Phoenix AZ Postcard $4.41 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 20m Buy It Now for only: $4.41 |
 Vintage Postcard Neptunes Table Restaurant 702 West Camelback Phoenix AZ $0.25 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 20m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Board Of Trade Phoenix AZ Divided Back Postcard $12.00 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 21m Buy It Now for only: $12.00 |
 PHOENIX ARIZONA Sandman Motor Hotel Roadside POSTCARD $8.99 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 24m |
 PHOENIX ARIZONA Silver Arrow Court Roadside POSTCARD $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 45m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Linen Postcard of Hotel Westward Ho in Phoenix Arizona $7.99 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 36m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 VINTAGE POST CARD JAPANESE FLOWER GARDENS PHOENIX AZ $2.00 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 41m |
 Sir George Restaurants Phoenix Mesa Tucson Yuma Sun City AZ Matchcover 031212 $4.22 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 42m Buy It Now for only: $4.22 |
 Phoenix AZ Palomine Motor Court Roadside Linen Postcard $5.06 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 42m Buy It Now for only: $5.06 |
 POSTCARD ORANGEWOOD AMERICAN BAPTIST ESTATES PHOENIX $4.00 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 36m Buy It Now for only: $4.00 |
 AZ PHOENIX SUNNY HILLS RANCH FRUIT STAND postcard $2.49 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 42m Buy It Now for only: $2.49 |
 1950s NICE Aerial View Plaster Phoenix AZ Maricopa Co $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 6m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Phoenix Arizona Postcard Downtown View Salt River Mountains Skyline Linen 1947 $3.15 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 6m Buy It Now for only: $3.15 |
 Phoenix Arizona Postcard Downtown View White Border Unused circa 1920s $3.15 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 7m Buy It Now for only: $3.15 |
 Phoenix Arizona Postcard Luhrs Tower Building Court House Lawn Palm Trees 1940s $3.15 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 12m Buy It Now for only: $3.15 |
 3 Scenes Neptunes Table Phoenix Arizona Postcard $10.50 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 23m Buy It Now for only: $10.50 |
 NEAR PHOENIX ARIZONA Below Roosevelt Dam POSTCARD $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 25m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 G2647 PHOENIX AZ POSTCARD HOTEL WESTWARD HO $5.00 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 16m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 M481 PHOENIX AZ LINEN POSTCARD IVORY PALACES MOTOR LODGE $5.00 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 7m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 HOT AIR BALLOON NR PHOENIX AZ PETLEY Postcard $1.19 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 10m Buy It Now for only: $1.19 |
 1949 Arizona Biltmore Swimming Pool Phoenix AZ postcard $3.95 Time Remaining: 2d 4h 37m Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |