Which is the best place to live? That’s a question that has been debated for years! You’ll have to decide but just to help you understand which is which, let’s define them.
East Valley is commonly defined as those cities and towns in Maricopa County that are south and east of Phoenix: Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Queen Creek, Sun Lakes, and of course Scottsdale.
West Valley is defined as all the cities and towns that are west of Phoenix: Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg, Youngtown, Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand.
I’ve probably missed some areas, but this is a good idea of how the geography is divided. There is also the Greater Phoenix or Metro Phoenix area. Once you’re living here, you’ll hear about even more cities. Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States according to the 2020 Census.
Since Scottsdale is probably the most well-known on this list, you can imagine that there are many attractions and housing choices available. But if the “exciting or glamorous life” isn’t what you’re looking for, maybe it’s a good family community or you might need to consider proximity to work.
One thing to consider is transportation and while the freeway system is pretty good, public transportation is not the greatest. Most people drive to work which means rush hours are brutal!
Just before I moved here, I started looking at housing options and after a trip to the valley my family decided on the West Valley. Housing was newer and cheaper in 2009. Of course, these days, new construction is all over the city, east and west and housing prices once considered affordable are going up up up!
According to the Arizona Multiple Listing Service the average home price in Phoenix in May 2022 was $480,000. The market has cooled recently but will that last? So, you’ll definitely need to do your research.
What city have you heard that is the best place to live? Be sure to check out a great story on the history of the valley and leave your choice in the comments and this debate can continue! https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/history/2015/05/14/125-republic-anniversary-west-valley-history-shaped-pioneers-world-events/27208041/
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