San Tan Valley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Pinal County, Arizona, United States. As of the census 2020, the population of San Tan Valley is 99,894. San Tan Valley derives its name from the nearby San Tan Mountains. The origin of the name San Tan is disputed, with suggestions ranging from a corruption of the name Santa Ana to the last name of George Santan.
1. Arizona Is Super Hot!
Along with the poor air quality, you are going to get to experience the blistering summer heat of Arizona. From May until October, you will get to experience the heat as it will almost always get to at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit, though oftentimes, it will get much hotter than this. There is a small benefit to this in that you don’t have to worry about cold winters, as temperatures only drop to the mid-’40s in the winter months.
2. And There Are Plenty Of Droughts
While living in the San Tan Valley, you will have to deal with droughts almost every year. Even when the city isn’t in a drought, residents have to deal with strict water regulations that control how much water they can use and when they can use it.
The San Tan Valley Water District gives all details about water regulations along with what to do when there is a water shortage because they are so common within the area. These regulations go as far as limiting restaurants to only serve water if specifically requested by the patron. So, if you enjoy drinking water instead of other beverages, you don’t want to move to this city.
3. The Air Quality Isn’t That Good
Because of the large number of factories that have been set up around the nearby area, and from the yearly forest fires, the air quality has started to suffer. One of the most noticeable things is the sky sometimes will be brownish-grey because of all the smog and smoke coming from the factories and fires.
The air quality also suffers, as typically the air quality is rated moderate from 11 pm to 10:30 am, and from 2 pm to 8 pm is rated as unhealthy. And over the past month, the air quality has reached extremely unhealthy levels 4 separate times. However, during the late fall and winter months, the air quality typically improves and stays within the healthy range.
4. You Are Dealing With Long Commutes
With having to go all the way to Mesa, Chandler, or Tempe, you will get to enjoy a lovely 30 to 45-minute commute when going to and coming back from work. This can be even worse when there is traffic, which is an even more common thing since there are plenty of others within the surrounding areas that are making these same commutes.
These commutes can quickly become tiring, as they are longer commutes with plenty of bumper-to-bumper traffic depending on the time of day. Along with the time effort, every single commute will cost you about $4.53, which will quickly add up and take its toll on your wallet.
5. There Is Tons Of Traffic
Unfortunately, just like any other city, if you go to San Tan Valley you are going to have to deal with traffic. This is a constant problem that you are going to have to deal with if you ever move to a city that has a higher population, however being located just next to an even larger city, the traffic can get even worst. Getting across the city, a span of just a distance of 5 to 6 miles can take you anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
6. And The Drivers Are Not Good
While with shorter commutes, when driving, you get to deal with drivers that are not very good, as they drive recklessly. Arizona is one of the more dangerous states when it comes to driving in general, as it has been ranked as the 6th most dangerous state in terms of drivers. If you choose to move to San Tan Valley, Arizona, make sure you get really good car insurance as the odds of getting in an accident are far higher here than they are in most other states and cities.
7. The Cost Of Homes Are High
When it comes to getting a house in the San Tan Valley, you are going to be looking at houses that are a fair bit above the national average. The current average price of a home within the city is $484,880, a whopping $115,100 over the national average. One of the major reasons for this is due to the natural beauty of the area surrounding you but is the surrounding nature worth an extra $115,100? Along with this the price of homes in San Tan Valley is also quickly getting more expensive. In just the past year the average price of homes has increased by 20.4% and shows little sign of slowing down.
8. And The Cost Of Living Is Too
If the above-average price of a home wasn’t enough, just about every other aspect of life is going to be a higher cost as the San Tan Valley comes in with a cost of living score of 107.9. While homes are one of the many factors, the other highest parts contributing are transportation with 109 and miscellaneous expenses with 103.4.
This means if you ever want to go out and do something for entertainment you are going to be in a bit of trouble as both aspects are going to be a fair bit above the national average. Along with that, you need to have a car to get around and if you need to get a repair it is going to be much more expensive.
9. TAXES!!!
Unfortunately, tax is a constant that we will always have to deal with no matter what city we choose to live in. The largest tax problem you are going to have to be concerned about is the fact that both sales tax and property tax are above the national average.
One of the big things that you are going to have to deal with is the high sales tax in Arizona. The national average when it comes to sale tax is just 6.500%, however, in San Tan Valley, you are going to have to deal with a sales tax rate of 6.7%.
Along with the sales tax, San Tan Valley has a higher property tax compared to other Arizona cities. You still are going to be paying right at the national average but still will have to pay more when compared to many other nearby locations in Arizona.
10. The Job Market Isn’t That Good
While the city itself has been growing quickly, most of the growth and development that have been going on has been homes and smaller businesses like chain restaurants and supermarkets. So, if you are interested in getting a minimum or lower-wage job, the San Tan Valley is a great city for you.
However, if you are looking to be able to afford the high cost of living and expensive homes, you will have to commute to one of the larger nearby cities like Tempe, Pheonix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, or Scottsdale.
11. And The Economy Is In A Bad Place
San Tan Valley is unlucky as it has one of the poorer economies in the surrounding area and even has a poorer economy in the rest of the United States. There are plenty of different jobs in both the San Tan Valley and surrounding valleys as not many companies are moving into the area for a variety of reasons. From this, the average income for those in San Tan Valley has slowed to an average of just over $65,000 per household each year, a bit under the United States average of just $70,700 a year. And signs show that the economy is only going to continue to stagnate in upcoming years as more businesses pass over the city for other opportunities.
12. The Schools Aren’t Getting A Passing Grade
For any parents who are hoping to move to San Tan Valley, you may want to think twice since the public schools offered within the city are not the best. Already Arizona has subpar schooling with just a 46% proficiency in both math and reading. The reading level of the state is slightly better at 47% however, within the city, the average is worst than the state’s average.
Even just though the states are below average, San Tan Valley’s school district comes in with proficiency in reading and math of just 38%. Again reading is better at a 39% proficiency ability, however, math proficiency is at a poor 37%. A major factor in this is the fact that the school districts are spending nearly $2,000 less per student than the state average.
13. The City Is Boring
Yes, there are lots of mountains, valleys, rivers, beaches, and other natural parks that are amazing to visit and incredibly beautiful, however, besides these the city of San Tan Valley doesn’t have many activities for you to enjoy. These natural places are great for during the winter months, but once you get into the hot and sunny season it becomes more difficult and less fun to be out in those areas. So when it is over 80 degrees for 8 months, there won’t be much for you to do in San Tan Valley without leaving for Tempe or another nearby city.
14. The Government Isn’t Improving The City
Another one of the most common problems that people state concerning the city of Joliet is the fact that the local government is not good at making the changes the city needs. Complaints vary from calling the government corrupt and greedy to simply calling them very slow and old-timey.
Whatever reason you may assume that the government isn’t making decisions in order to improve the city, most will find this constant stagnation very frustrating. And it is in part that this lack of progression that the city has often been called boring and that the job market has been struggling so much in recent years.
15. There Isn’t Public Transportation
When it comes to public transportation, the transportation of San Tan Valley is fairly is both fairly lacking and more expensive than most public transportation systems in other cities. The first negative of public transportation is the fact that it only operates from 8 am until 4 pm, meaning that if you rely on the bus in order to get to work and get off at 5 pm, then you are in trouble because the bus is no longer running.
Along with this, the cost of a single ticket is $4, and for those who are looking to get a monthly pass, it will cost you $70, which is about $10 more than the monthly average. This money can quickly add up for a bus ticket that doesn’t run at the most convenient times and often doesn’t go far beyond the downtown area.
16. The Is Lots Of Trash And Litter
Litter is another major problem that you are going to have to deal with. According to the locals you are going to have to put up with lots of litter so much that it is a constant problem to the point where the whole of the city just has a dirty feel. There are constant attempts of cleaning up the litter, including a site and event to help locals remember to clean up, however it hasn’t had much of a result.
17. You Don’t Have Any Sports
Located just 30 miles south of Pheonix it may seem that there are plenty of different teams for you to choose to root for. And Pheonix is a great sports city. However, if you want to attend any sporting events, you will have to drive for at least an hour and deal with traffic. When it comes to sports teams in the San Tan Valley, you don’t have any major or minor league options, but rather you simply have small young youth leagues for a variety f different sports.
