Live Large In Phoenix: Young Or Old, Arizonan Or Out-Of-Stater, Urbanite Or Suburbanite
Phoenix, Arizona, has been growing in both size and reputation. And while The Valley has long drawn older people for year-round sunshine, now their secret is out, with younger folk and families also prizing the area’s good cost of living and housing plus the employment and recreational opportunities. But what exactly are the pros and cons of living in Phoenix?
Phoenix and its wider metropolitan area have been winning many plaudits in recent times. With a diverse job market including a sizable high-tech sector and an unemployment rate generally below the national average, it is proving to be a great place for working millennials and families. And homes here, even those with several bedrooms, can be good value compared to those in other parts of the country. If you are considering a move, think about maximizing your life in Metro Phoenix.
Trading a 2-bedroom for a 4-bedroom home: Phoenix is the best value
Home sizes have been shrinking a little in Phoenix. The average house size dropped from 2,553 square feet in 2010 to 2,386 square feet in 2019 — only San Diego, CA, and Denver, CO, saw higher increases. Apartments in Phoenix also dropped a little in size during the same period, from 944 to 869 square feet. However, the latest average is still significantly larger than the equivalent figures in places such as New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington DC and Chicago, where the averages are less than 800 square feet.
However, the great news is that you can still live large in Metro Phoenix! Among the nation’s biggest metro areas, The Valley has the lowest home price difference between the costs of 4-bedroom and 2-bedroom homes. The former would have cost an average of $440,300 a year or so ago, while the latter cost an average of $308,200, making moving up to larger home a very attractive option for expanding families in Phoenix. In contrast to this price differential of 43%, Greater St. Louis is at the other end of the spectrum with a 143% difference.
Metro Phoenix has top destinations for both snowbirds and youngsters
As Phoenix weather is famously good when other parts of America are cold, retirees there appreciate the winter warmth and lower bills. The area registers no fewer than seven top-100 top snowbird destinations, equal #1 with California’s Los Angeles metro area. Apache Junction, in the east of Metro Phoenix, ranks best nationally at #5, having a very high provision of seasonal housing and low average residential rents. Staying at one of the area’s many RV campsites is another great option, and space there can be extended year-round by renting a Phoenix climate-controlled self storage unit — they are plentiful and cost below the national average.
In recent times, Phoenix has become a magnet for young people and has been praised as the nation’s best city for millennials and a very good one for jobs. It is no surprise that it recently overtook Philadelphia to become the US’s fifth-largest city. Internet connectivity is excellent throughout the metropolitan area, with the city of Phoenix scoring the #4 spot for internet speed, boosting the employment market, both for regular employees and for those who work from home — the metro has been rated in the top-20 of technologically well-prepared metros.
Phoenix attracts other city dwellers but it’s suburbanites like to stay put!
In addition to a vibrant city center, Metro Phoenix’s satellite cities and suburbs are highly appreciated. In fact, a survey of renter applications demonstrated that the city of Phoenix attracts the fewest newcomers from suburbs, just 23% — by comparison, Columbus, Ohio, is the US city that attracts the most, 77%. Other Arizonan cities are the places that new city-center Phoenicians most often come from, especially Glendale, Scottsdale, Mesa and Tucson. Residents of Phoenix’s suburbs, on the other hand, seem very happy there and do not want to leave!
The list of Phoenix’s finest suburbs includes Desert Ridge, the Biltmore area and parts of Paradise Valley, and then there is the historic downtown Roosevelt Row district. Average home prices in these up-market areas, however, tend to range between $500K and $1M, which is considerably less than in some other exclusive neighborhoods around the nation. In addition, without a car, public transportation in the Phoenix area often costs a lot less than in other major cities — as a proportion of median earnings, about two thirds the cost in New York and Los Angeles, for example.
Phoenix Arizona viewed from South Mountain
Is phoenix a good place to live? The Phoenix metropolitan area backs up its accelerating reputation with figures that prove it is an excellent and cost-effective place to live for people of all ages. It ranks high in many assessments of living conditions and its housing can offer more than other sought-after places can. Whatever your age, profession or household status, can find what you need to live large in Metro Phoenix.
RV Storage Ideas: Smart Solutions for Every Space
The best RV storage ideas work by finding space you already have but aren’t using — under beds, inside cabinet doors, on walls, above entry steps and in the overhead bunk. Most RV owners run out of obvious places quickly, but the real storage capacity in a typical trailer or motorhome comes from vertical surfaces, divided compartments and rethinking what each space was designed for.
Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas for Less Chaos
The best way to organize kitchen cabinets is to store items where you actually use them: mugs near the coffee maker, plates close to the dishwasher, spices next to the stove. Small placement decisions like these turn crowded cabinets into functional ones, and they cost nothing to implement.
Where to Donate Clothes in NYC: From Pickup to Mutual Aid
Every year, 200,000 tons of clothing end up in NYC landfills — but yours doesn’t have to. Your unwanted clothes have a real second life waiting. Whether it’s a low-income family needing affordable basics, a woman reentering the workforce looking for interview wear, or an undocumented resident accessing free community support, the donation method you choose matters. Plus, there are plenty of convenient ways to go about it. Local mutual aid groups, free pickup services, mail-in programs, workforce nonprofits, and textile recycling — each one routes your clothes to neighbors and causes that need them most. Here’s where to donate clothes in NYC, according to your plans.
The Best U.S. Metros To Own A Boat
Boating is one of America’s favorite pastimes. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, nearly 100 million Americans go boating each year, and recreational boating contributes over $230 billion annually to the U.S. economy. It’s a lifestyle deeply shaped by geography, climate, and local culture.
Packing Tips for Moving in a Hurry: 5 Ways to Speed Things Up
Sometimes a move sneaks up on you and you wind up having to move in a hurry. A job starts sooner than expected, a lease ends abruptly, a sale closes fast, or life simply throws a curveball and suddenly you’re staring at a full house with only days or weeks to empty it. That short timeline can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to mean chaos. With a focused plan and a few smart shortcuts, you can pack up quickly, protect your belongings, and land in your new home without losing your mind.
How to Store Tools Properly: Keep Equipment Rust-Free and Tidy
Good tool storage saves you time, money and the very specific rage of finding a rusted drill you paid good money for. Cleaning, drying and organizing your tools properly keeps them rust-free and findable — and it takes less effort than most people assume. True, nobody wakes up thrilled to organize their tools; it ranks somewhere between cleaning the gutters and reading the terms of service. But here’s how to do it right without the hassle.
Drive-Up Storage Units: Pros, Cons and When They’re Worth It
A drive-up storage unit is a ground-level space with an exterior roll-up door, a lot like a detached garage. Units are usually arranged in rows with wide, paved aisles between them, so you can pull a car, van, or moving truck directly up to your door during access hours. The key feature is the access, and it comes in a few forms:
2026’s Best Cities for Roommates: Irvine, CA And Atlanta, GA, Lead In Shared Living Gains
Americans sharing a two-bedroom apartment instead of renting a one-bedroom alone can save, on average, about $6,700 per year. In some of the country’s most expensive cities, including Irvine, California, or Jersey City, New Jersey, the savings gap widens to around $13,000. For a growing share of renters, living with roommates is less of a lifestyle arrangement and more a conscious financial strategy.
How to Organize Your Kitchen Drawers: Smart, Practical Ideas That Make a Real Difference
The best way to organize your kitchen drawers boils down to a few core principles: give each drawer a specific role, store items close to where you use them, and choose organizers only after you’ve decluttered. Most kitchen drawers aren’t cluttered because of a genuine lack of space but because no one decided what belongs where. Fix that first, and the rest becomes much easier.