Gilbert, Arizona SperlingViews

I have lived in Arizona for 12 years now. I have 2 kids, and HATE the fact that I have to raise them here (due to job and economic conditions, it is nearly impossible to sell my house, find a job practically anywhere else and move)
The summers are simply way too hot to do anything but sit at home and watch TV. It is unbearable to even drive to the movies or a mall to beat the heat...The spring, fall and winter are not as hot, but, face it, this is the desert, so everything is dusty, sandy and brown, so unless you are really into hiking,even hiking is not fun.
Because of the heat, or maybe the fact that most people living here are not originally from Arizona, people tend to keep to themselves, so you will almost never see kids playing even on a quiet cul de sac.
If you are into gardening, forget it--although it rarely ever freezes here, it is soooooo hot and dry for most of the year that cacti are the only plants you can grow around here. Since I am an avid gardener, I try to grow vegetables every year with very poor results--most vegetables literally cook on the vine before you get a chance to harvest them.
If you are the type that likes daytrips, don't bother, cause most places that are a couple of hours away look the same, and the drive is incredibly boring.
This is a great place if you are retired, can sleep all day, and spend all night gambling at nearby casinos. If you have pets, kids, hobbies or plan to have them, save yourself the agony and find somewhere else to live.

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re: Living in Gilbert is not for kids! - 7/20/2009 - 10/3/2009
We are from Ohio and moved our family out to Gilbert this year. We moved here because it is a family community. I agree the summers are way to hot. But that goes for the whole phoenix valley. We do go up north to Prescott alot to escape the heat. We take day trips either there or Sedona. The drive to Prescott takes a couple hours and the drive is anything but boring. Part of the fun is the drive. Everything looks different up there. Such beauty and SHADE. I don't think I'd try a veggie garden in the desert myself. A little frustrating. But there are plenty of other plants besides cactus that will grow in the valley. As far as free stuff they're isn't much to do in the summer unless you want to spend money. But I think as far as living in the phoenix valley you can't beat Gilbert for raising a family. If got one of the safest cities award. Great schools. One thing that does rub me the wrong way is the constant new schools popping up and then they change the bounderies of which school your child will attend. But all in all I'm pleased. Hopefully the market will pick up and you'll be able to sell your house and move.

Religion Rollup - 11/25/2007

The majority of religious people in Gilbert are actually Christians believe it or not. I thought for a long time that the majority belonged to the Mormons but was wrong. The Mormons have much smaller[read more...]

Hot Summers Perfect Winters - 8/24/2007

Gilbert has a very hot 100+ summer from May thru September. Winters are perfect here with mild[read more...]

Lack of Public Transportation - 6/6/2007

I love where I live. I love the neighborhood and the proximity to the things I need. However, I don't love the fact that my job is 20 miles away and it takes 45 minutes to get there. They are putting[read more...]

Lack of Vision - 5/21/2007

Lived in Gilbert most of my life. Town government here is dominated by land owners and real estate developers with little or no vision for long range. Consequently, Gilbert has exploded from a tiny[read more...]

High Schools - 4/4/2007

Gilbert HighSchools are the best in the state of Arizona. As far as the country I don't know where they rate but all of my 5 children seemed to do very well after leaving[read more...]

Gilbert is ever-growing - 3/9/2007

While Gilbert may not boast the "urban" lifestyle presented by Phoenix/Scottsdale, it's an amazing place to live. Shopping and restaurants within minutes of every home. The town is clean, safe and[read more...]

Lacking in culture - 7/12/2006

The Phoenix metro area is without culture. Obviously there is a huge mexican population, however, there is not much in the way of other cultures represented. There are outdoor activities such as[read more...]

Gilbert/Phoenix climate info - 6/19/2006

Very hot for 6 months of the year, moderate to hot the other 6 months. Because of the new construction and tons of concrete, Phoenix metro does not cool down at night. Be prepared for hot summer[read more...]

Gilbert is a great place to raise a family. - 5/26/2006

We moved here almost nine years ago after a job relocation and absolutely love living here. We've lived all over the US, from big cities to rural areas, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.[read more...]

Housing Prices - 5/15/2006

Were insane for a while. But, have started to level off. The market's turned into more of a buyer's market now. Houses were selling for more than asking price for a[read more...]

Gilbert, a Phoenix Suburb - 3/26/2006

I've lived in the Phoenix area for 20 years and I've never set foot in Gilbert. So, why would I write a response? Because Gilbert isn't a place to go to. Gilbert wasn't even on the map until[read more...]

Think about Chandler - 3/23/2006

Gilbert is a good city to settle in, but Chandler is another city I would recommend (Gilbert's neighbor). Chandler has better access to the freeways and more to offer in general. More shopping,[read more...]

Moving Cross Country - 3/21/2006

I'm planning on moving my husband and daughter our to Arizona in the fall. Thinking about Gilbert and just wanting to know the overall quality of life and jobs out[read more...]