Phoenix AZ. Where to live/Not live.

[Balisong]

What kind of lifestyle do you want? What types of places or activities will be most important to you?

Lot of sound advice in this thread, but to best answer the OP's question we need to know his answers to these questions.

But I can easily say DON'T live in Maryvale, Sunnyslope, or Tolleson. Most the other cities/suburbs have good areas and bad areas.

[ChrisLapre]

If you like your property and don’t want to deal with small towns with lots of crime, avoid the Casa Grande area.

So potentially changing jobs to Phoenix AZ. Have to be within a 100 mile radius. What's the hive mind advice from those who live there on where to live. Schools are not an issue for my wife and I, we're retirement age, but not retired yet... Been checking on line, but was looking for info rather than what some real estate type would be putting out there. Thanks.

[Coyotesfan97]

I’d stay out of South Phoenix too. Some areas in South Phoenix are worse than Maryvale. Gilbert is a good choice. There aren’t much bad areas there. Northeast Mesa around Las Sendas is pretty nice. I’d avoid West Mesa. Chandler is good too but stay away from Arizona Avenue especially the downtown area. There’s some crappy areas there. South Chandler catches a lot of crime from the reservations to the south. Ahwatukee is a pretty nice area but getting in and out during rush hour is dicey.

[1911Nut]

I am an Arizona native, and 20 years ago, this would have been an easier question to answer. If I was just coming to AZ today, I would go with Prescott as a first choice.

If I wanted to be closer to the greater Phoenix area, Cave Creek, Carefree, north Scottsdale, northeast Mesa, or Gilbert would be my choices.

I live in northeast Mesa, and have a second home in Pine Canyon, 50 miles north of Payson

[MDFA]

Thanks for all of the great information. From what you've all said and my previous research, it looks like Prescott/Sedona areas are the way to go. My wife works from home some weeks but travels frequently so airport access is important. I'll be working from home, and then meeting with clients within the 100 mile radius for interviews.

[LtDave]

I’d look at Surprise, AZ. Just outside Phoenix, nice little city. I lived in Prescott and Prescott Valley for 3 years. If your job is in Phoenix, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it. Accidents past the Sunset Point rest area are not uncommon (and will make traveling 8 miles take over an hour). The other consideration living in Prescott and working in Phoenix is fires. They occurred on the 17/69 interchange all three years I was there (and can shut down travel completely between Prescott and Phoenix for days).


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What Sigfan says about Prescott and traffic on I-17 is true. Traffic gets really bad and I-17 gets shut down completely on a fairly regular basis for traffic accidents and brush fires. Also, I think Prescott would be right at the edge of your 100 mile radius. It might make it, but it will be close. I don't think Sedona will make the 100 mile radius. Prescott has also exploded with growth and development over the years. Lots busier than Payson which is both good and bad. More variety in local shopping and restaurants, but more traffic goes along with it.

[Tackleberry40sw]

Ahwatukee is a pretty nice area but getting in and out during rush hour is dicey.

Yeah, plus going through Guadalupe aka Dusty Ankle Town to get in and out of Ahwatukee is night and day different from one another.

My Ex's family lives or lived on West Darrel between 7th Ave and 19th Ave. between Southern and Baseline. When I left Phoenix, the apartment complex i lived in was changing to Section 8 (15th Ave. and Highland south of Camelback).

[1911Nut]

What Sigfan says about Prescott and traffic on I-17 is true. Traffic gets really bad and I-17 gets shut down completely on a fairly regular basis for traffic accidents and brush fires. Also, I think Prescott would be right at the edge of your 100 mile radius. It might make it, but it will be close. I don't think Sedona will make the 100 mile radius. Prescott has also exploded with growth and development over the years. Lots busier than Payson which is both good and bad. More variety in local shopping and restaurants, but more traffic goes along with it.

I absolutely agree with this statement. And these facts are exactly why I pointed out that the OP's question is more difficult to answer today than it might have been 20 years ago. I love my native AZ, but it suffers from an abundance of what most things in life suffer from . . . . people. They are the ones that create the traffic, accidents, growth, development, and 98% of the brush fires.

[Coyotesfan97]

Yeah, plus going through Guadalupe aka Dusty Ankle Town to get in and out of Ahwatukee is night and day different from one another.

My Ex's family lives or lived on West Darrel between 7th Ave and 19th Ave. between Southern and Baseline. When I left Phoenix, the apartment complex i lived in was changing to Section 8 (15th Ave. and Highland south of Camelback).

When I was in the State Gang Task Force the first year it started we worked that area a little bit but we did a big detail in the 7th Ave to 15th Ave from Grant south to the freeway. Phoenix was getting sniped at by gangsters regularly until they poured around 150 cops there for several weeks. I spent a lot of time around 24th and Broadway (a good area to avoid) and 24th St and Van Buren.

I had a college roommate whose parents lived in that area. I think around Glenrosa and 15th Ave. Ever spend any time at the Original Hamburger Works? Great burgers!

[Tackleberry40sw]

When I was in the State Gang Task Force the first year it started we worked that area a little bit but we did a big detail in the 7th Ave to 15th Ave from Grant south to the freeway. Phoenix was getting sniped at by gangsters regularly until they poured around 150 cops there for several weeks. I spent a lot of time around 24th and Broadway (a good area to avoid) and 24th St and Van Buren.

I had a college roommate whose parents lived in that area. I think around Glenrosa and 15th Ave. Ever spend any time at the Original Hamburger Works? Great burgers!

I never went to the Original Burger Works. The normal haunts for us were Comedor Guadalajara at Central and I-17 for Mexican, Gourmet House of Hong Kong at 14th Street and McDowell, Pizziaria Bianco, NYPD (New York Pizza Dept., Greektown on 7th Street in North Phoenix, Fry Bread House on 7th Ave. North of Indian School, my ex loved Whataburger, the Chuckbox in Tempe, and my ex liked Macayo's on Central.

There are times i miss Phoenix and my friends but, not my ex.