Are you thinking of moving to Arizona and finding difficulties in choosing whether to Phoenix or Tucson? This is indeed a tough decision to make since both cities can offer you warm weather all year, great cultural scenes, good music, beautiful desert sunrises. Moreover, these two regions are also growing rapidly each passing day, all thanks to the low cost of living. However, to help you make the right choice, you will need information concerning both cities and choose the one that suits your specifications and tastes. Is it better to live in Tucson or Phoenix? Read more to find out!
Advantages and disadvantages of living in Tucson versus residing in Phoenix.
1. Tucson is considered an independent city and is known for its quiet lifestyle and the focus on the independent restaurants over the large chains. One of the essential benefits of living in Tucson city is that the city retains the historic atmosphere in the neighboring university, the breweries, the good environment, and the music scenes. The Hut, which is one of the largest tiki head in this city attracts many residents in the area. The place is powered by solar energy during the day and changes into astronomy at night.
2. Besides the beautiful scenery and places like bars in Tucson, the city offers other things activities too. Some people can get discouraged and fooled by the size of the city. Living in Tucson city exposes you to a life full of fun and enjoyment. There are so many events to engage yourself in and beautiful scenes to explore. The city itself hosts a lot of sporting events, for instance, NASCAR and raceway park. Moreover, you cannot miss anything downtown too because it’s known for its cool music scene.
3. The other good thing about Tucson for everyone is that it is a great place to retire. Most retirees have always chosen Arizona over other states for their retirement for good reasons. The city of Tucson in Arizona has a low cost of living that favors both the poor and the rich. Also, who would not want to enjoy the great climate of Tucson during their off job days? Tucson has excellent climate throughout the year. You will not have to go on vacation during winter or summer because of the ideal weather. Another thing about Tucson is its excellent health care system and the affordability of the services. For any adult in their retirement age, you will find that your health needs maintaining all the time. Tucson can sure give you access to health care services at all times.
4. Nevertheless, every city has its limitations, and so does Tucson. One of the cons of living in Tucson is the lack of a good road system. Tucson struggles with a problem of poor roads; however, on the contrary, Phoenix offers its residents a great highway system. The Tucson city is small, but you can have difficulties in navigating it because of being stuck on the street surfaces. This affects mostly people living in suburbs who face major drawbacks while they try to move in and out of their homes as they go about their daily duties. The city has only one good highway from the southeast to the northeast, but you will not always need this road to access the other parts of the city. For this reason, therefore, you will be forced to drive on the poor condition street surfaces with a 45 MPH limit.
5. Tucson city also experiences intense monsoon winds. When comparing the two cities, it can be surprising how a two-hour drive can make a tremendous difference in terms of climate. The two cities have almost the same kind of weather but slightly cooler in Tucson than it is in Phoenix. However, Tucson can be unwelcoming when it comes to its strong monsoon winds. In a certain period of the year, for instance, in mid-July and September, monsoons cause heavy rain that leaves all streets flowing. However, this won’t last for long.
Living in Phoenix advantages
1. Phoenix is one city you won’t hustle for long without a job. The city offers great job opportunities, and this is brought about by the fact that the city is bigger than Tucson. The city has a robust and incredible job market with a lot of industries in it. These industries have their roots deep down that their projected success goes even beyond 2026. Industries dealing in services such as healthcare, transportation, finance, energy, technology, construction, hospitality, and also real estate are doing well in Phoenix. The economy of the city is strong, and any resident is allowed access to quality service. In recent reports, Phoenix was listed second in the country’s job market.
2. Phoenix also offers an excellent highway system for its residents. While the city is defined by so many people commonly termed as urban sprawl, the city is also known for its great highways that connect it to the other parts of Arizona. In this city, you won’t encounter traffics or rush hour problems, which is the case in other cities like Tucson. Phoenix allows you to access all your daily needs outside the house without going through a lot of pain.
3. It doesn’t come as a surprise to you that Phoenix is a center for different kinds of recreation, culture, and entertainment, given that it is the capital and one of the largest cities in Arizona. The city has various sports venues, art centers, and museums. Moreover, you will get to enjoy the sports leagues in the city such as the Phoenix Suns, and the Arizona cardinals. Museums like Heard Museum offers you the opportunity to learn about the city from the art stored in them. For the food lovers and especially people who love trying new foods, Phoenix is a place for you. It is a paradise for different foods and diverse cuisine from all over the world.
4. However, by now, you should already know that everything has its flaws, and Phoenix is no exception. As you think of moving to Phoenix, you need to have in mind that the city is not great for walking. The town has pedestrian-unfriendly urban areas. If you would like to move around on foot and enjoy what the city offers, Phoenix cannot be the right place for you. The city sprawl can also be a drawback. Some people will consider the urban sprawl a benefit, but this means that you will depend on your car more. With or without traffic, you are forced to drive for long drives and still be in the city.
Other factors to consider to help you make informed decisions include;
• The cities cost of living and Tucson has a lower cost of living when compared to Phoenix. Purchasing a house in Tucson is cheaper compared to the Phoenix prices.
• You can also compare populations of the two, and in this case, Phoenix has a large population compared to Tucson
• In terms of which is city is safer, Phoenix has lower crime rates compared to Tucson
• The climate is almost similar to Tucson but Tucson is a bit cooler
In conclusion, both Phoenix and Tucson cities are better for living. However, depending on your budget and the kind of lifestyle you want to live, and the budget you have for purchasing a home, one of them can be better for you. If you are looking for safety and a city that is more developed in terms of transportation and other social amenities, you will definitely find a place in Phoenix. However, if you are looking to spend less in purchasing your home and the general cost of living, Tucson can be your new home because of its low cost of living.