Thinking of relocating to Arizona, anyone have an opinion of the Phoenix area?

Second on my list of possible places to relocate as an elementary teacher are Atlanta (Fulton or Paulding County, Las Vegas (Clark County, good pay/signing bonus) or Austin, Texas. Any opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thinking of relocating to Arizona, anyone have an opinion of the Phoenix area?
Pheonix (and all of Arizona) is one of the most rapidly growing parts of the country and so new schools are popping up all the time. Arizona is also one of the most tight-fisted states and despite children and education often being used as a political footballs, it is generally poorly funded (ie: teacher salaries and supporting programs) compared to most states.





The city is growing rapidly in area too (sprawl and transportation becoming real problems) with entire suburbs of 10,000+ houses being built from scratch almost overnight in areas that used to be deserts or rural farms. This rapid building used to result in low home prices compared to most big cities, but housing prices have actually sky-rocketed the last couple years. Good deals can still be found in the new pop-up developments out on the fringes of the city, but don't expect to find a decent family home in the more central areas for less than $200K.





As for the city itself... rapid growth has also led to mass-produced cookie-cutter approach to development where most of the stores and resturants are big chains and every corner and housing development looks the same. Unlike the row houses of San Francisco or the all night diners of New York, Phoenix does not really have any style or local institutions that are uniquely its own... everything (including most of the population) came from somewhere else.





The summers are very hot (110+), but not very humid, which makes it much more bearable than it sounds. Winters are very mild and spring and fall are great. While few people would consider Phoenix one of the great cities of the world, the rest of the state has some truely world-class beauty and historic/cultural treasures (Grand Canyon, Sedona, Lake Powell).
Reply:Teachers are always needed.. of course.. The pay is probably a LITTLE more than what they pay in Atlanta.. BUT the housing market here is not conducive to a person on a teacher's salary IF they wnt to buy a house. Rents are around $900 a month for a one/2 small apartment. Weather, if you like it hot(not particiularly humid) in the summer months is a turn off to some people but certainly not to others. Winter months are NICE.
Reply:Phoenix is EXTREMEMLY dry and hot. I don't know if the climate plays a major role in your decision but since I'm from Tucson, Arizona, I know what the weather is like. I like Texas a whole lot better but then again...that's my opinion! GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND I WISH YOU THE BEST!!!!
Reply:Regarding Atlanta,


Very High Humidity. Heavy traffic.





Try researching the different states' education plans.





My sister is a teacher in Phoenix and cannot afford to buy a house.
Reply:phoenix area is very expensive to relocate, so try something else that is cheaper or move to an area which is more peaceful