What BestPlaces Users Say about Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona is a bustling city known for its warm climate, desert landscape, and vibrant cultural scene. It is a popular destination for tourists and a growing city for residents, with a population of over 1.7 million. Located in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix offers a unique lifestyle and attracts people from all over the country. To get a better understanding of what it is like to live in Phoenix, we will summarize user reviews from BestPlaces.net and provide insights from four different reviewers.
According to reviewers on BestPlaces.net, living in Phoenix has its pros and cons. One reviewer, Joe, shared that "Phoenix has something for everyone. The weather is great, the cost of living is affordable, and there is always something to do." Another reviewer, Maria, echoed similar sentiments, stating that "Phoenix is a wonderful place to live. The weather is amazing, the city is diverse, and there are endless opportunities for outdoor activities." However, not all reviews were positive. John mentioned that "the heat in Phoenix can be unbearable at times, and the city lacks green spaces and nature." Similarly, Sarah shared that "Phoenix has a lot to offer, but the traffic and urban sprawl can make commuting a nightmare."
Many reviewers mentioned the Phoenix job market as a major advantage. Susan stated that "the job market in Phoenix is booming, especially in industries like healthcare, technology, and tourism." Another reviewer, Alex, added that "the cost of living may be slightly higher, but the job opportunities and salaries in Phoenix make it worth it." On the other hand, some reviewers expressed concerns about the cost of living. Mike shared that "housing prices in Phoenix have been increasing rapidly, making it difficult for some people to afford living here." He also added that "utilities, groceries, and property taxes are also on the higher side."
The cultural and recreational offerings in Phoenix were highly praised by reviewers. Jane mentioned that "Phoenix has a rich art and music scene, as well as numerous festivals and events throughout the year." Another reviewer, David, shared that "there are plenty of parks, hiking trails, and outdoor spaces to explore in Phoenix, making it a great place for nature lovers." However, not all reviewers were satisfied with the city's cultural offerings. Mark noted that "compared to other major cities, Phoenix lacks diversity and cultural experiences." He also stated that "the nightlife scene is not as vibrant as I would have liked."
In conclusion, Phoenix, Arizona, offers a unique lifestyle with its warm climate, diverse culture, and job opportunities. However, the high cost of living, extreme heat, and lack of green spaces were concerns mentioned by some reviewers. On the other hand, the city's cultural scene and recreational activities were highly praised by many. Overall, it seems that living in Phoenix can be a great experience for those who enjoy warm weather and a bustling city lifestyle.
based on 449 ReviewsGet to know Phoenix with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Phoenix
A few comments - 6/5/2006
Climate - It's the desert stupid! It's hot and dry. Actually, it would be drier, but all of the planted grass and trees raised the humidity. Of course, all the concrete creates a heat island, so it doesn't cool off as much at night in the summer.
Sprawl - Hey genius, how about buying a house that's not 20 miles from where you work! This happens in every city. People want the big house or like a particular neighborhood that's completely on the opposite side of town from where they work/go to school/etc. That's just stupid unless you like spending two hours of your day in the car. Even so, Phoenix may set the standard for sprawl. I think the metro area measures roughly 75 miles east-west by 40 miles north-south. It takes more that 10 minutes to fly over it!
Culture - You have to remember that Phoenix was less then 50,000 people up until the mid-60's when air conditioning was perfected. Phoenix has little history beyond that of the native americans.
Read More
Start Your Review of Phoenix
Deteriorating - 6/5/2006
Phoenix' quality of life has degraded significantly in the 10 years we have lived here. Growth is rampant and unplanned. The pollution levels have exceeded healthy levels for much of this calendar year. And there is no planning for water sources for the additional millions the developers hope to attract to the Valley of the
Read More
Awful City - 5/28/2006
Call me a Phoenix basher if you want, but reality is what it is- and Phoenix, in my opinion, is a crime-ridden, pollution-plagued, sprawl-eroded hellhole. Moved here about 5 years ago from the pacific northwest, and haven't really liked it from day 1. The summers are terribly long and hot, and in winter, you still have to deal with the fact that you live in Phoenix. In response to the poster below, it's ironic to me that Miami's the only major city in the U.S. I've ever been to that I actually like LESS than Phoenix. I certainly would live in the heart of many major cities in the U.S., and many are much more livable than Phoenix, albeit more expensive (Seattle, Portland, Boston, New York, San Fran, Denver, Chicago...), for the culture, diversity, etc.- isn't that why most people live in the heart of cities, to have those things nearby and to be close to work? Then again, downtown Phoenix only employs something like 3% of Maricopa County's workforce, and the neighborhoods in and around
Read More
Phoenix Arizona Sucks Period - 5/23/2006
I lived in Phoenix and Scottsdale in the 1990s. I was so glad to get out of Los Angeles. Told my friends that I'd found paradise. Then reality began to set in. There is seriously something wrong with this place and the people that choose to live here for a while. The first thing I noticed was the road rage. Made LA seem like Disneyland. Then the police officers and law enforcement in general. Make Long Beach cops look like Mother Theresa. The people seem to walk around in a daze (crystal meth, rumor-mills and strip clubs are popular here) for the 5th largest city in the US. In short, the place is a cultural vacuum with a inferiority complex and I've heard that 3 out of every 5 people that move there will leave in five years. Every wonder why the housing's so
Read More
For all the self proclaimed know-it-alls. aka: Pho - 5/18/2006
This is a forum for opinions. We are allowed to have one. This is the united states. Just because someone may have a differing opinion than yourself, is no reason to call them a Phoenix basher. Everyone also has different experiences. Such as coming from places that may have better arts, culture, schools, climate, etc. Others may have been here their whole life and seen the changes. Still others may have been here too ong and Phoenix was not what they expected or has become some place they do not wish to be anymore. Then we have people like yourself who love this place and it is better than where they came from or is just different. And that is ok.
Also, everyone has the additional right to change their minds about a place, maybe you will too. Should someone be angry with you because you
Read More
Not what we expected, this city has been a disappo - 5/17/2006
We moved to Phoenix from San Diego, so our previous living areas were very nice. Phoenix does not even come close to SAn Diego. It has been good for us as far as cost of living. Although house prices are starting to climb we were able to buy when prices were still reasonable. Owning a home is something that was not possible for us in San Diego. However, the quality of life here is by far less. We miss the diversity of San Diego that Phoenix does not have. We like to eat healthier alternatives and find it nearly immpossible to find things here to make that possible. With 3 kids, we also do not feel that Phoenix is a very family oriented city. We are glad to own a home but miss the parks and recreational activities, and the weather too, of San
Read More
Reality Check for all of the Phoenix Haters! - 5/16/2006
First off....I moved to Arizona from South Florida last year 2005.
To all of you bashing Phoenix...you must be smoking some incredible Weed!
Let's be realistic here to the people who really want to know About Arizona.
First...I wouldn't live in the heart of any city..such as Phoenix, Miami, New York, LA. You guys are crazy!
Let's talk east valley Arizona.....20 minutes from Phoenix. Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale. Do NOT make Arizona sound as bad as you guys are making it.
Heat? Yes....but you get used to it after awhile. If you came from a cold climate, give me a break! Of course you will find Phoenix hot! DUH
Crime? No worse or better then most cities in America.
Culture? Plenty...a Multi Million dollar Arts Center in Mesa built last year. Some of the best plays, concerts and acts show up here.
Traffic....just like LA, Miami, New York.
Air Quality...same as Miami, etc.
Read More
hot&dry - 5/9/2006
summer=four months and maybe much of May and October
summer=triple digit temps&high UV
Read More
This is a city? - 5/7/2006
Agree with the posters below- this is NOT a nice city, nor is it a "real" city in any way that I'm used to. Compare Phoenix to Chicago, as the poster below does, and it's laughable- it's not even close. Chicago is SOOO much more of a city, in the real sense. Chicago has tons more culture, is much more centralized, has real neighborhoods, a real downtown, is more walkable, public trans. is miles more efficient, it's less polluted, people are nicer (and smarter... I swear, some of the truly worst, most obnoxious idiots in the world live in & around PHX)... all-around, Chi-town is a much more livable city. I too am a transplanted midwesterner, extremely disappointed in my living experience here in PHX. Essentially, I describe Phoenix to my folks back home this way: basically, it's L.A. without any of the interesting things that manage to make L.A. kind of a cool, unique place in spite of its problems. Phoenix is like L.A. as far as the traffic, pollution, sprawl, lack of a downtown, and
Read More