I currently live in NJ, 15 min away from Manhattan. Saving my money to possibly buy a house in Phoenix with cash/no mortgage.

Doing research and it seems that Phoenix is one of the up and coming cities for new jobs in the future along with Nevada and many cities in Florida.

I love NYC, but I am getting stressed out from the high cost of living and rediculous property tax of 8-10% every yr.

What is the income tax in Phoenix?

Is it really terribly hot?

Is it true you are not allowed to have a private pool due to drought?

How big a problem is the "brown air" from pollution?

Are there any asian americans there?

Any insight is appreciated.

Here is the pic of the brown air i read about from smog in Phoenix.

And full article:
The following article was submitted by Steve Eastwood. Steve is a local resident, a Database Manager and a Web Designer.

At one time, Arizona was internationally known as a respite for people with respiratory difficulties. With ailments ranging from allergies to asthma to tuberculosis, patients flocked to the region for relief.

Since the early 1990's, residents of the Valley of the Sun have been looking for some relief of their own. The "Brown Cloud", as it has come to be known, shrouds the area in pollutants nearly year-round resulting in the American Lung Association giving Maricopa County it's lowest grade for air quality.

In March 2000, Governor Jane Hull formed the Governor's Brown Cloud Summit, a committee of local politicians and businesspersons, dedicated to restoring the Valley's air to its once pristine clear blue.

Chaired by local television weatherman and ex-State Representative Ed Phillips, the Summit examined this issue for ten months. They concluded that, for the most part, the Brown Cloud consists of tiny particles of carbon and nitrogen dioxide gas. These substances are deposited into the air mostly from burning fossil fuels. Cars, construction equipment, power plants, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and more contribute to the cloud.


The brown stripe across the valley isn't the result of a bad photo.
It's the brown cloud of air pollution that plagues the
Valley of the Sun. View from Squaw Peak Park.

While other cities have similar fossil fuel usage without the obvious after effects, the location and weather conditions that attract residents and visitors to the area also help trap those particulates and gases. At night, an inversion layer forms over the Valley. As with any desert, the air closer to the ground cools faster than the air above. Cool air then moves in on top of the warm air westward from the surrounding mountains. As a result, the air trapped closer to the ground in the Valley, the air containing the majority of the pollutants in the area, spreads. As the desert floor heats up during the day, the particulates rise forming a visible haze that expands as the day progresses.

Throughout the day, air shifts in the Valley cause variances in the Brown Cloud. From mid-day on, the cloud is pushed to the east. And, with every sunset, the cycle starts all over again.

 

Dude, move to Vegas. Reasons to consider: No state income tax, 1 point something property tax, less hot than Phoenix, you can have any pool you want, there is some smog, but if you live in the outer areas of the valley, you can see the smog down over the strip and not by you. There are plenty of Asian Americans. In fact, our China town is growing more and more. Many Asians work in the casino business.

I just bought a large 2500 sq ft house, new in a brand new area lush with landscape and nice parks, new shopping areas and within 5 miles of Red Rock Canyon, a national preserve for mid 200,000. Already increased in value to near 400,000 in 1 YEAR.

phoenix is nice, but vegas has lots more to offer. Unless your career is specific, vegas is the better choice. In fact, many are moving up here from AZ and CA. Phoenix is a much larger, established city with a larger downtown, more "white collar" jobs, pro sports teams, more infrastructure. Vegas is about 1.5 mil in pop. and still growing fast.

I'm from New York also and been here 14 years. It will be a culture shock till you get used to it. But Vegas is more comforting for the adjustment since many people from the east move here and bring their businesses and culture with them.

Good luck in your decision.

 

Pheonix isnt that bad. They have some really nice areas, even the ghetto isnt as bad as CA ghettos. I go to Phoenix like 6 times a year to see the inlaws. In the summer it gets to be like over 110. Your AC is running at all times car and home (seriously) and the homes also have watercoolers on the roof. When i go to the inlaws, their AC is on even when they arent there. They probably only turn it off in the winter.

My inlaws have a pool, i never heard anything about a drought. When CA has a drought, we take water away from AZ, so it couldnt be that bad.

And that brown cloud? Thats nothing, CA has one twice as dark as that one lol. I bet you that was a damn dust storm. Ive never seen their pollution like that.

Yes there are asians there. Living there is way cheaper then CA and NY. Las Vegas is a good place to live too, the homes there are cheap.

 

pheonix, deathly hot, nothing to do, i have a pool, people here pretty much go into hibernation (sp) when summer comes.

 

Ha....maybe if we would see u out at the Pavs once and awhile u would have more fun.... j/k

Not that hot, but if you are looking for IT jobs, Phoenix has alot of people looking for jobs, but it is getting better. Otherwise cost of living is reasonable and higher quality of life versus the parts of the country. I used to be full time IT consultant that traveled all over the nation and I thought Phx did well in the costs versus quality of life. Check out the East Valley.

 

Well, I can answer some of your questions... I've lived here for 20+ years.

It is hot as **** here about 8 months out of the year. The only real "cool weather" months are Nov-Feb. October and March are sometimes bearable, but every other month it will hit 100 degrees.

The private pool thing is a rumor. Where did you hear that? lol

The brown haze here is not as bad as the L.A. haze. In fact, that pic you posted is probably the worst I have ever seen in Phoenix. Like someone said, it looks like a dust storm or something. I don't think I've ever seen it that bad since i've lived here.

There is quite a diverse mix of people here, plenty of Asian-Americans, lots of Hispanic-Americans (is that the politically correct term?), African-Americans, etc. A good mix of people, I guess.

One good thing about Phoenix is that the cost of living is really low. Houses are fairly inexpensive, depending on where in town you want to live, of course. (And how far you want to have to drive to get to work. heheh)

I don't know about the property tax and income tax, I'd have to look that stuff up, but I'm feeling a little lazy right now. You could probably find that info online somewhere though.

One good thing that might not get mentioned is that Arizona is one of few states that doesn't require a front lisence plate.

To sum it all up, living here is not bad, as long as you can deal with the hot summers and the damn "snowbirds".

 

Phoenix is too damm hot, I have been here for two years and the summers just kill me. But when winter and spring are around it is the best because AZ has like 5-7 different lifezones so exploring this state is the ****. Go to sunrise and board, and get back here and it is in the 70s. This state just has it all, but being from chicago it is a little too hot for me here. I guess I would not mind it if it stormed at the end of each day during monsoon season, but it doesn't. That is why I am going to give Austin, TX a try, I know it is still hot but it is green like back in chicago, lots of lakes, and most important it storms like a **** there! I did two years of meteorology, and geography so I love all that weather

 

hey i'm going to be visiting phoenix later this month,

what are some of the great places (restaurants, parks, etc.) that you'd only know about if you were local?

sorry to kinda hijack but i think this could help mattnyu99 also!

 

windows on the green at the phoenician, zinc bistro; in scottsdale, Sekai sushi in gilbert if you like sushi. Macaroni grill is pretty good. pasta buroni for italian is great. Now for parks, slide rock is nice, you probably want to stay in higher then 4,000- ft, elevation if you are going to do something outside. Go to payson, prescott, sedona, jerome, flagstaff (sunset crater national, one of my favoraites), canyon de chelly(spider rock) look all those up for now, and let me know if you need more!

 

for a locals kind of place there is phah thanh vietnamese, rice box thai cuisine, and the lions den in pinetop it is home of the wine burger! there are tons more I just don't want to give you too much at one time.

 

thanks!! great lists, much appreciated!!

 

capt crunch im going out there this saturday, i have been insanly busy trying to find a job that pays well, but i found one so i will be out this weekend for sure, maybe i will bring the EVO hehe

 

Well I live in Page Arizona visit Phoenix at least 2 to three times a month. The Brown cloud ain't to bad really you can only notice it from views like in your picture. Heat is no joke there though all through the summer you'll swear that your living right above HELL because thats about how hot it gets. As far as people that live there I have some asian american friends from there so there are some yes, but the imagration problem from Mexico is becoming a problem. So bad the feds are steppin' in. The greatest things about Az are the women for sure. Cuss the hotter it gets the less clothes they want to wear so the ladies lookin' mighty fine out here. Also you got all sorts of great scenic drives, Sedona is a must see, Lake Havisue and Lake Powell are all cool places to visit during the summer season. Oh yeah and if you live in a remote area like me in Page Arizona by Lake Powell you don't have to worry about emission so upgrading your car is endless no smog checks or nothing it's great.

 

I have lived in both Phoenix and Las Vegas, and also Santa Monica, California. I would pick Phoenix in a heartbeat over Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a great place to own property, but the quality of the people, IMO, leaves a lot to be desired. I don't think that there are that many cool places to go in Vegas (how many times can you go to the Hard Rock to see all the LA wannabies?). Summerlin is fine and all (lived just north of there--Cheyenne and N. Hualapai), but I feel there's not much soul to the town. I didn't find the people all that interesting, but hell, that could just be me.

I find Phoenix to be a lot more interesting, with a more interesting night life, and a lot more green (trees, etc.) I guess I just get a better vibe from Phoenix than I do Las Vegas. I find the quality of the population higher, although Phoenix does have its mix of white trash too. Oh well, what are you gonna do.

 

I lived in Phoenix from March through July and it did get hot, but as long as you stayed by the pool and had a nice cold cooler full of beer it was great. I thought there was all types of ethincitys(sp?). The night life was great there. Mill Ave. all the way. If your in scottsdale try out the Fox Sports Grille and if your in the metro area NEVER EAT AT BIG BURRITO! One thing that Phoenix lacks that they need really bad is an amusement park. Like six flags or something. They have the space they just haven't done it I guess. Anyways I would choose phoenix over las vegas I've visted las vegas and it seems that all there is to vegas is the strip and that seems like it would get old after awhile. Just my .02