Phoenix, Arizona

This part of Phoenix is perfectly located. It's not too far east, so you aren't risking slipping a little bit north and ending up in Scottsdale with all the trust fund babies and gold diggers. It's definitely not too far south either, which is equally important. But I digress...The Camelback Corridor (40th st - 16th St on Camelback) is the best of the big pile of worst that is Phoenix. You have a lot of choices if you need a restaurant, there's grocery stores and any kind of store you could ever need up and down Camelback Rd. The schools in this area are wonderful if you have kids, and the quiet neighborhoods nestled off 32nd St just after Camelback are perfect for any family. You can be downtown in the blink of an eye (if you're smart), so sportsfans can take advantage of being right within reach of the Suns and D-Backs...if anyone still cares about the D-Backs...plus you get all the benefits of downtown like the gorgeous library if you happen to read or want to escape from everyone or enjoy Art Walk on First Friday. The best part? Since you don't live there, you don't have to deal with the traffic every morning and evening! Because you're less than a ten minute drive away from the cozy little Biltmore Area. Oh yes, and three more reasons to love this part of town? 1. Delux. If you can't appreciate the state's biggest draft beer selection and really tasty fries and burgers, then you just aren't right. 2. Biltmore Fashion Park. For those of us that love to shop, although putting an outdoor mall in Phoenix is so stupid it's unfathomable. Do they want us delirious so we'll buy anything? 3. Merc Bar. The only place worth hanging out and having a drink. The Mill Ave bars in Tempe are stuffed full of annoying ASU frat boys, and Scottsdale bars..ewwwwww. Need I say more? The Merc is classy, doesn't have blasting music so you can actually have a conversation without blowing out your voice if you choose, and the atmosphere is poshly decorated and relaxing. You gotta love a place that will tell a dude to hit the road if he shows up in flip flips and expects to get in. And as a bonus for baseball fans, this is the place to be to meet anyone on any team in town playing the D-Backs.

Living in Phoenix is not all it is cracked up to be.
Although you are closer to everything major and the baseball stadium as well it is very crowded and polluted.
There are many homeless people on the streets of Phoenix as well, I would see them all the time hanging out with their shopping carts in front of fast food restaurants.
However, I had a job with the University of Phoenix Online but decided to move to a not so populated area of the metro.
I moved to Mesa into Epernay on Main Street.
If you feel crowded in Phoenix, I recommend moving to Mesa because the bus still goes there (even if it takes an hour!) and it is a little safer, less crowded and you don't have to look over your shoulder every five seconds.

I lived here for many years and it was just wonderful. Everything is close and if you have to drive it's easy taking one of our many freeways/interstates.

Phoenix AZ is experiencing some severe growing pains. Although the housing market has burst they are still building new homes in the subburbs because most people with children do not want to live in the inner parts of the city. There are some area's that are undesirable and unsafe because of gang activity and crime. There are lots of retirment communities that are really nice to live in but they have many compliants about the home owner associations who are over zealos or try to enforce new rules that you did not sign up for when your purchased your home.
The new communities are wonderful; this is the best place for families with kids.They offer great shopping, medical facilities and dining/entertainment with easy access to the free ways.
Metropolitan Phoenix is actively trying to solve thier traffic woes by increasing road construction and the light rail is going to be in service this fall. It is expected to be a great alternative for commuters who work in down town Phoenix.