Phoenix
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1/8/2011
Phoenix is a pretty decent place, depending on what you're looking for. I have lived mostly in the midwest, east, and southeast, so Phoenix was different for me.
You'll be able to get most of the positives (warm winters, cheap housing, beautiful terrain) and negatives (some traffic, hot summers, sprawl) from the other reviews, but I wanted to add something a bit different.
I'm one of those people that likes culture/arts/music, from funky coffeeshops to great concert venues, interesting restaurants, and arts events like first fridays art walks. In this area, Phoenix surprisingly delivers, and offers a unique blend of "big city" opportunities with small or medium size city charm.
Downtown Phoenix, and the area just north along Central and the roads close to that, has some of the best coffeeshops and restuarants I have visited. There are funky bars, diverse culinary selections, tons of local/independent places, and cool art galleries. There is a great small concert venue - the Rhythm Room - and several other places where you can see a lot of independent places.
For sure, this is no Austin, SF, or other big cities that offer that scale of culture, but what Phoenix DOES offer that most of those other cities don't is affordability, a small town feeling, amazing outdoor opportunities, and a unique geographic setting. You can hike on amazing trails within the city limits, and be at a trendy wine bar 10 minutes after.
One other note - there have been complaints in the racial category recently - with 1070 and some other complaints, but aside from these issues I found Phoenix to be one of the most tolerant places I've lived. Especially in the relatively urban areas - downtown, just north of downtown, Tempe, etc. - its not uncommon to see social groups with people from different racial/ethnic backgrounds hanging out together.
In summary, Phoenix can be socially and culturally claustrophobic to some degree because most of the valley is not culturally, artistically, architecturally, etc. interesting - however, a few areas definitely are, which means a lot of the artsy, hip, urban, etc. folk tend to congregate in these areas, translating into several very concentrating pockets of "interestingness."
Don't move to Phoenix if you're looking for an alternative to SF, LA, or New York - you'll be surely disappointed. But if you like a relatively small or mid-size feel but want great music, coffeeshops, and love the outdoors, give Phoenix some consideration.
Bobby | Phoenix, AZ