Phoenix, Arizona comes with great Mexican food and pool parties in the backyard, however, this city might not be as great as you’re imagining. The locals here have a lot to say about the weather, costs of living, and even concerns regarding the safety of this area. It takes a certain type of person to thrive in Phoenix, so it’s important to find out if you fit into that type before you commit to living in this city.
Keep reading to find out more about the 17 reasons why you should never move to Phoenix, Arizona.
1. It’s Too Hot
The most common complaint people tend to have about the city of Phoenix is that it’s way too hot! In the summers, the average temperature is over 100 degrees
Fahrenheit throughout the day. In fact, there are roughly 140 days of this triple-digit weather. In the winter, the temperature rests around 70 degrees during the day, so you’ll have to get used to constant heat if you move here.
The blazing sun is pretty unbearable and sometimes even deadly. In the year 2020, almost 200 people died because of extreme heat in some capacity. If you don’t want to be trapped inside all summer or get burned walking on the sidewalk, don’t move to Phoenix.
2. Nothing Grows
There isn’t much greenery in Phoneix and there’s a lack of rain, so it’s hard for plants to grow. If you’re moving from an area with trees, forests, or other colorful plants, this city might be a disappointment. Due to the climate, you’ll mainly see cacti, shrubs, and succulents that thrive here. So, when planting or looking for nature near you, keep in mind that only so many things are capable of growing here.
3. City Population is Growing Rapidly
Pheonix has been experiencing rapid growth throughout the years. Over the past decade, the city stays at the top of the list of most people moving there out of all US cities. The downside is that the price to live here goes up with that growth. The rent for tenants in Phoenix keeps raising, and it’s becoming unaffordable for a good amount of the residents.
While it’s still a fairly affordable city compared to other ones in the US, the cost of living has the potential to change. Since it’s shown a steady increase over the years, it will most likely keep rising and it’s projected that rent prices will keep becoming more expensive.
This also goes for the nightlife and dining. The prices climb higher when going out to the bars, restaurants, and other culinary options in the city.
4. People are Unfriendly
Residents of Phoenix have stated that the people here are typically unfriendly. If you want to be involved with the people of your community, Phoenix might not be the place since so much has been said about the lack of welcoming individuals.
The people of Phoenix are described as mean, and annoying, and when conversing with them they might insult you, talk trash, or snitch. Basically, the community has a lot of rude people in it.
5. The Police Department is Corrupt
Almost anybody living in Phoenix knows that the cops in this area don’t seem to have respect for their population. The Phoenix Police Department has faced multiple lawsuits, and the Department of Justice announced its investigation of the department.
Its countless scandals usually have to do with the cops using excessive force, discriminating, and overall abusing their power. This makes residents dislike their cops and feel like the police in Phoneix are “useless.” There is a lack of respect from the department towards the community, which results in people not feeling properly protected.
6. Jobs are Scarce
Phoenix, Arizona is one of the top 10 hardest states to find a job. It depends on the industry and job of course, but the locals mention that it’s scarce to easily find an exceptional job.
Here are some of the top industries in demand for workers in Pheonix:
- Construction
- Information Technology
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Professional and Technical Services
- Transportation and Warehousing
- Real Estate and Rental Leasing
7. The Lack of Seasons
Something that’s very difficult to enjoy about this state as a whole, specifically in Phoenix, is the lack of seasons. It will basically feel like summer all year round, because of the desert climate. Since the weather stays warm throughout the winter, it might not feel like the seasons are really changing four times a year. It cools down on winter nights, which is probably the only time you’ll experience that chill air of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you appreciate the change of seasons and enjoy experiencing different weather patterns besides heat, Phoenix is not the place for you.
8. Dangerous Insects
In Phoenix, you are bound to stumble upon some deadly and dangerous wildlife. Some of the most common insects include Africanized Bees, cockroaches, scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, termites, ticks, and yellow jackets. It can be creepy seeing one of these while spending time outside, downtown, or even in your own home.
While every city and town contains an assortment of insects, Phoenix just contains some dangerous ones. For example, scorpions’ preferred habitat is alleys, so they love residing in the composed concrete walls of Phoenix. This is something to watch out for when you’re outside in this city, and having to purchase/keep up with pest control services can turn you away from coming here.
9. A Lot of Dirt and Lacks Greenery
There won’t be shady trees and greenery, but there will be dirt. Almost all yards don’t have grass because of the climate, and most consist of different rocks and dirt. The desert landscape is very prevalent in the South West area of the nation, and Phoenix consists of strictly desert conditions.
This life of living in the desert is often an acquired taste. Some people love it and make efforts to embrace the landscape, while others really hate it or find it boring and unappealing.
10. The Dryness During Summer
Since it is a desert climate, this city has very low rainfall each year and it’s not very humid. December, and the winter, are when it’s most humid in Phoenix. Although the air never gets muggy and sticky like in Florida. On the other hand, its dryest month is June and the summer season.
People automatically think that Phoneix is dry all year round, which isn’t necessarily the case. It is dryest when it’s hottest which makes the dry heat parching. With “dry heat” in the summer, it easily dehydrates us and makes it hard for our bodies to manage our body temperature, which can be scary.
11. Neighborhoods Look the Same
If you are searching for a place to live that has character, is unique, or has spunk, Phoenix does not have that. The neighborhoods and communities are an aspect that, depending on your personality, can make or break it. Right as you enter Pheonix Valley, you’ll notice that everything looks the same.
You’ll notice the streets are made up of southwestern, mission-style, adobe houses with terra cotta roofs. This gives it the “cookie-cutter” appearance. As said previously, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the personality shown through houses is quite absent in Phoenix.
12. The Expense of Owning a Pool
When making that decision whether to move here, contemplate the cost required to have those backyard pool parties. Although it’s not mandatory to own a pool as a resident of Pheonix, almost everybody has one. It’s a big part of the lifestyle in this city, whether that’s to swim, for kids, or for gatherings and parties. People spend a lot of their time in or by their pools, so it’s very common to put a lot of money into them.
It’s expensive to buy a home that already has a pool, and it’s even more expensive to build one later on. Aside from buying or building a pool, you have to pay the price to keep using it over time. It costs money to maintain one in order for it to run smoothly by having tests, getting chemicals checked, and the whole nine yards.
13. Crime, Gangs, and Violence
There are safe parts of Phoenix to live in, but this city does come with a good amount of crime. The central part of the city is where most of the crime takes place, with a rate of 2,363 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is above the national average.
Pheonix has a large amount of this as a lot of the crime is related to drug trafficking. Due to its location, there are high amounts of drug-related crimes associated with the Mexican Cartel. Another sketchy form of felonies is the hundreds of kidnappings every year related to smuggling gangs and drug trafficking.
A variety of gangs also exist in Phoenix and have for a very long time. Crime, gangs, and violence are all factors to be aware of if deciding to make the move. The areas in Phoenix and surrounding it that are a lot safer and family-friendly do exist, but the actual downtown city itself is where you need to be extra cautious.
14. Hard to Make Friends
The locals of Phoenix have mentioned that it’s difficult to make friends. Oftentimes, people don’t even know their neighbors, nor is there any effort to try and get to know them. They’ve also said that these people usually just drive into their garage and don’t come back out, which could also be due to the weather. Since it’s hot, people spend time inside during the summers, so there is a lack of social interaction between neighbors.
If you are the type of person who loves to meet new people, you will be able to meet new people. However, it’s possible that you will struggle to find new friends while out and about and at home.
15. Poor School Selection for Kids
In the state of Arizona, the public schools lack funding and generally have lower education rankings than other states. This affects the education system there with a shortage of teachers and poorer student achievement.
People of Phoenix describe the schooling system experience as good or bad depending on how much the parents help their kids. If you’re very involved in your child’s schoolwork, it’s possible to ensure that your child gets a quality education. If you just send them to school and pick them up, it’s most likely you won’t get that same positive experience.
However, there are a variety of private schools in Pheonix, Arizona that will give your child a quality education without you having to be heavily involved.
Phoenix isn’t the place for you and your family if you are seeking excellent school options for your young ones.
16. Air Pollution
Phoenix is notorious for the pollution of plastics and the air. This is something you can’t escape while living there, and since you breathe the oxygen every day, it can have an effect on you. What happens in this city is called “the brown cloud.” It’s basically a hazy layer of pollution that dangles above Phoenix during the winter.
This cloud is a result of fossil fuels that are created when fuel is burned. It’s constantly growing because of these fossil fuels and is also an issue due to Arizona’s location. Since it’s a desert, the heating and cooling mixed with the wind gusts that swipe through the valley, this brown cloud assembles right above Phoenix, Arizona.
17. Intense Politics
Most people that live in Pheonix have strong political beliefs, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a large number of people that live here dislike that the majority have very extreme viewpoints on politics.
For example, while there are a lot of moderates, you’ll often be surrounded and hear things brought up by far-right-wing people. The right-leaning people are very prevalent in this city, so sometimes the moderates just like to stay silent.
Whether you mind living in a community like this all depends on your political stance, but if you are left-leaning, it could be frustrating.
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