Interested in moving to Phoenix? You may want to read these articles first.
Phoenix In the News
There’s more bad news for Phoenix, and the word is getting out. Phoenix residents certainly cannot count on the local news outlets for the realistic information on Phoenix. If you live in Phoenix, tune into the news. If you’re not living in Phoenix, see if you can find an online video feed for the news. You will very rarely hear about the air pollution, crime and overall quality of life from the local news. Instead, the newscasters will brag about how they called all their friends back east during the winter and told them they were poolside. Sure, that’s something to brag about. The “winter” is nice, but it will make some miss having four distinct seasons.
Why does the Phoenix news media not have air quality forecasts during the weather segments? Why don’t they talk about the allergies they’re suffering, the failing education system, the lack of financial security or the high rate of drug use? Instead, they talk about it being in the 70’s and 80’s in the “winter” and say, “This is why we live here! Isn’t it great?”
I’m glad people are trying to stay positive about Phoenix, but you have to realize they have a vested interest in the area. It’s sort of like selling a house. You want to show all the good things about the house, but you don’t want to talk about the time the water heater busted or you had a pipe burst. The local Phoenix news media wants you to invest in the city because it’s more viewers for them. Granted, one of the articles below is from a Phoenix news website, the newscaster puts a spin on the story at the very end about the high school graduation rate.
During this time of year, NoArizona receives a lot of traffic from search queries regarding moving to Phoenix. The assumption is they’re from colder states and are tired of winter. As a matter of fact, yesterday NoArizona received the most readership in one day since its inception. People are curious about Phoenix because they see the 70’s and 80’s on the weather map. If you’re one of those readers, thank you for visiting. My intention is not to sway your opinion about moving to Phoenix, but I do want you to know the truth about the desert life.
It’s these reasons and more that I’ve come to realize Phoenix is not the place for me. Life in Arizona is acceptable for some, while others have found it difficult to bear. Besides, it’s a matter of perspective. If living in Arizona is so bad, why not just move? The long answer is in another article. The short answer is, I am moving.
No Arizona! 
Another GREAT article! I get notified every time you post a new article and I read this article in the parking lot of FIesta mall (ugh)
Anyway, I’m proud to say that THIS YEAR I’m LEAVING AZ FOR GOOD (THANK GOD!!!!!!) FINALLY!
Southern California – I’ll see you in a few months!
I’m not far behind ya!
See you here! I MADE IT ~ OUT!!!!
I hate anchorpeople on the news. They call them presenters in the UK for a reason, all they do is read copy and are not real journalists. That’s besides the point, as they all do the same thing in every major city. Chicago reporters do the stories of gang violence, blah blah blah but the useless Chicago police chief is never criticized. Isn’t State St. and Michigan Ave. lovely? Aren’t the museums great? Yeah if you can get to them through the potholed streets, a foot of snow and if the ancient 19th century technology of Metra with their broken ass diesel powered trains always late or cancelled. Not to rag on you but you forgot how f***ed up it is on this part of the country. We have pollution and shit here too, could be why my sinus are congested all year long. The only thing that may possibly be better is the singles scene but guess what? I can’t afford to go out here! There you got single moms, just plain Mormons and Old Town Scottsdale princesses, here you got ugly Greeks and Polish and Sicilian women EVERYWHERE, “money is the only thing” mentality and Jewish princesses. I understand you hate the place and have gained new perspective, yet consider that the Midwest and East coast cities are getting worse with the failing economy, out of control social liberal policies, skyrocketing cost of living and rising crime rates. Phoenix has serious problems but compared to here, it ain’t that bad.
I get a laugh when I read some of the comments on here
Rude people in Phoenix? What? You have never been to New York City. People there are rude beyond belief. Philadelphia? The people there throw snowballs at Santa Claus.
Traffic? Phoenix has no traffic. Rush hour is like a Sunday morning drive compared to Los Angeles, Seattle or Dallas
Half of the country is freezing right now. This afternoon I worked on my sun tan..
Phoenix is paradise!!!
Im from Philly, lived in LA for 4 years and been in Phx for 3. and also been 2 New york twice and its way worse here. people threw snowballs at santa Clause cause the regular Santa didnt show up at an Eagles game and was replaced with a DRUNK santa who looked homeless.. he embarrased himself and the spirit of CHRISTMAS. People dont wanna c a homeless lookin drunk Santa..Getur story straight b4 u post u moron! Plus the drivers here are the WORST. SELFISH, ARROGANT, PRETENTIOUS BELIGERENT, COCKY, SNOTTY and XTREMELY ARGUMENTATIVE WITH NO IMPULSE CONTROL EVEN WHEN THEY’RE PROVEN WRONG!
To the comments above. To each his own I suppose.
But I’ve been to New York, I’ve been to Philly. Many times. I’ve never been robbed there. You are correct, half the country is freezing. And while they are enjoying the beauty of spring, summer, and fall-we will be melting in a toxic cloud of super heated brown Arizona pollution for 6 months. LA traffic is bad; it’s a function of the population size. But there is a distinction between driving in crowded conditions and driving stupid. Driving in Az can be a life or death endeavor. The poor quality of life here should not be sufficient to justify the “but at least it doesn’t snow here” verbiage I often here. In fact, twice in the last week I heard the usual Az lines: “yes the crime is high, yes it’s overcrowded, yes the schools are bad, yes the economy is bad, yes the air is polluted-but at least it does not snow”. I will never understand it. You have a miserable quality of life and 6 months of weather that is just as uncomfortable as the cold! If I had discovered this blog last year, I might have avoided a move here. If you are researching a potential job here, etc, I would encourage you to consider; you will be hard pressed to find a state with such a low quality of life. If you do not believe me, take the leap and see for yourself! I certainly did. If I can avoid being robbed for the 4th time, avoid being hit in my car for the 3rd time, and avoid becoming comfortably numb to the 120 degree summers, I may one day escape this overpopulated and undereducated wasteland.
So BD the air pollution in shities like LA, NYC and Chicago are justified yet somehow in Phoenix it should be clean air and palm tress? Rich white assholes like you came here for decades and tried raping the local economy for everything it had while middle class to poor people suffered. I lived there 11 years and had two robbery attempts, both on my cars. My hometown in the suburbs is filled with people kicked out of the torn down projects, living in section 8 apartment while yuppie c*nts and sissies got their half million dollar condos bulit for them. The job market in Shitcago sucks, we are second only to Detroit in yearly murder counts, taxes are astronomical and cost of living is like getting raped figuratively. Phoenix sounds pretty damn good compared to this!!! The Chicago area was a SWAMP before we took it from the Native Americans and guess what? They were nomadic and knew better than to build anything on the sloppy cold piece of shit. Back to the subject, yes moron, I’d rather have 120 degrees every 50 or so years (never gets that hot, it hit 122 which is the all-time record there) than goddam 6 months of fucking snow, wind that will fray off your skin and frigid Arctic blasts of cold. So what if there is crime, you and your Jew / Mormon money worshipping friends created that environment there! Who are you kidding and if you don’t like it, get the fuck out crybaby.
Im a poor white boy from philly on a military disbility and BD has a point
I wish I would have did my research before deciding to come to phoenix! I wanted to escape winter in Chicago, but i’ll say this, I’ll take a winter in Chicago any day compared to Phoenix! I drove here and I could have sworn I heard flames in my head I should have known then it was a hell hole!
Some people will complain about anything. They die and go to heaven, and then complain that there are too many people playing harps and singing. Oh well, to each their own.
I dont complain much.. Ive had a hard life and lived in 5 DIFFERENT CITIES IN 5 DIFFERENT STATES and Phoenix is the worst for peoples personality
You’ve obviously never lived in IL for any extended time….. Desert pride!!
There is no debate IMHO. I went through a nothing summer (I can literally count on one hand the nice days we had here) after the worst winter I ever experienced in Chicago, and the Phoenix area is a shithole?!? You’re happy wherever you choose to be happy. On that note we all have physical limitations. I flew to Phoenix recently for the Labor Day weekend and felt great! The sun actually comes out and I don’t have to wade through oppressive humidity and constant changes in barometric pressure like I do in Shitcago. Nor did I constantly hear about goddam sports which is the real religion of the Midwest. Unfortunately there are no jobs in Phoenix for my skill level in IT. They either want entry level or very advanced people in that job market. Maybe in about 5 years I can make a move. I shall see what happens! I’m not staying in the Midwest long term. Perhaps I’ll make an Ultra Liberal Chicago Sucks page on here!
Gotta admit, my Wheaties got a good piss before that last post. I love the desert and NEVER should have left. Anyone who defends LA or Shitcago or NYC is basically saying one pile of dogshit is better than another. AZ here I come!
Come on in and thaw out, we’ve kept it toasty for you! LA, Chicago, NYC…definitely worse than AZ.
I left a small town in Ohio early in February to escape the freezing weather, “lack of culture,” and lack of opportunities. Arizona wouldn’t have been my choice besides the fact that I have relatives there & therefore my mom was comfortable with me leaving to a place I new little about. Ideally I would have chose California or Washington State- but my mom wasn’t having that since I’m to young. (Even though I’m a functioning adult at 20..) But anyways! I took my option of Arizona figuring I could easily get a job, save up some money and move to Cali by August with a friend of mine. (Which were already my plans before moving to this desert state.) Arizona was going to be my stepping stone & sure enough I drove all the way out here to be let down.
I was really happy and pleased when I first arrived here. There were more restaurants & shopping areas and the temperature wasn’t in the negatives!
My feelings changed in a few weeks after looking for jobs & finding few opportunities. Anything I did apply for, I didn’t hear back from. The weather was nice & everything because it was winter but it started to get boring. Thinking ahead into the summer made me realize that staying there until August was going to be way too long.. (& hot.)
I have made a bad decision that has proven to be more of a waste of time & money than a stepping stone.. I’m planning on contacted my old boss to see if she’ll employ me once again if I move back. It sucks that I didn’t see this blog sooner… It would have saved me from this big mistake.. At least my appreciation for Ohio has returned & I’ll be more grateful upon my return. I miss its bipolar weather, European influences and most of all its biodiversity & trees!!!!
I’m sorry to hear the move has been so bad. I can honestly say, I’ve been in your shoes. I loved my first two weeks here; I’ve now been here 1 year to the day. To the comments above, if you love the desert, I am glad for you. To the other comments above, I am certainly not advocating pollution! I am simple making the point -Az is an utterly miserable place from my perspective. I could not have scripted a worse move than coming to this barren wasteland. Generally speaking, if you live in an area with a very poor quality of life-you get used to it. In my assessment, many individuals here have accepted less. Nearly everyone I know here has been the victim of crime! I know individuals who have had their cars stolen, windows broken, and bullets fired at their cars in fits of road rage. I am not complaining. I am simply stating a fact; regardless of how people here rationalize that “at least it does not snow”-it is not normal to wake up hearing gunshots. I have seen half the nation and never have I witnessed such an armpit. Let’s stop pretending. This region gets 3 inches of rain per year. We are not meant to be here by the millions….Don’t believe me? I encourage you to get out, see what life offers beyond this brown cloud-see the trees, green grass, and find fertile soil surrounded by neighbors who will not rob you. I have seen it firsthand; I left that land to come here…But I will not accept that this is the best that we can do.
I feel you!
Blast freezer Midwest hellhole update! As I type this it’s -2 degrees wind chill in the lovely Shitcago north suburbs. Still have a shitty low paying IT job too. Another point I wanted to make: I was at a Twin Peaks when I visited there a few months back. My neck was hurting after a while, so many very pretty chicks working there. Yet when I go to the one here in the distant north suburbs, all but a few of them are average looking if not howlers! What is it about the Midwest that they can’t find enough pretty girls? They’re a commodity here and all go for rich guys or thugs!!! God I hate Shitcago.