The reality of life in the Phoenix area
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5/21/2009
I moved to Phoenix from the SF Bay area in 1998 and frankly cannot believe that I'm still here. I chose this area based on the lower cost of housing, but did not fully consider the overall quality of life. After being laid off recently, I'm hoping to escape the "valley of the sun" as soon as possible. The notoriously hot, miserable summers are just that! It has gotten increasingly hotter here over the last five years and the 100+ temperatures seem to arrive earlier each year. In eleven years, I have had numerous jobs and have only worked for one decent company. I'm a very qualified mid-level professional. Even before the recession, the job opportunities have always been very weak here. Companies are looking for a college degree and extensive skills and experience and want to pay $9-12/hour LOL!!! The traffic is terrible and don't even think about living in the far west valley and having to commute via the I10...it's a total nightmare. The freeway infrastructure has not kept up with the population growth for sure. The only really nice areas of the city are really only accessible to the rich, famous and independtly wealthy (Scottsdale and Paradise Valley) and seem to have a very fake, materialistic attitude. People are generally unfriendly and don't really make an effort to get to know you as they proabably figure that you will end up leaving the area like 50% of the new residents end up doing. I feel sorry for you if you are an Arizona native as you have not had the chance to experience other areas. Low cost of housing is a trade off here based on the job market, summers, traffic, and lack of variety in scenery. I can understand why the divorce rate is higher here as many transplants don't have the support of family....I have personally experienced this. The crime rate is high in many areas (don't even think about going into S. Phoenix) and the illegal problem is a very serious reality which ends up costing everyone money.
If you're thinking about migrating to the southwest, I would keep going towards Dallas or Austin and just bypass the "valley of the sun."
Jenny | Phoenix, AZ