Coolidge, Arizona (Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler: middle-class, real estate, crime rate)

[lakepowellman]

I am trying to get some information about Coolidge, Arizona.

I visited Coolidge, Arizona way back in 1999 but I have not been there since. Back it 1999 it looked like a quiet little town.

I have some questions about Coolidge, Arizona that I have listed below.

Why is the housing so cheap in Coolidge, Arizona ?

How long is the drive out to Mesa, Arizona like out by Mesa Community College or Fiesta Mall.

Is Coolidge, Arizona a safe place to live in ?

Are there gangs roaming the streets in Coolidge, Arizona ?

How far is the drive to Florence, Arizona ?

Is Coolidge, Arizona a good place to raise a Family ?

Any and all information about Coolidge, Arizona would be appreciated.

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by lakepowellman

Why is the housing so cheap in Coolidge, Arizona ?

Coolidge doesn't have much of an economy nowadays. In the 50s & 60s it was a normal small town in a land of small towns. For some reason, their economy didn't grow. By the 70s their economy was in trouble and by the 90s their downtown looked like a ghosttown. I really don't know why.

Housing is cheap because the people who live there don't make enough to afford much. Real estate people haven't been able to attract higher paying clientele. There is some new housing out of town, actually in town, but out of what I considered town as a kid. I don't know how they are doing.

Originally Posted by lakepowellman

How long is the drive out to Mesa, Arizona like out by Mesa Community College or Fiesta Mall.

50-60 miles. It will take about an hour.

I don't know the answers to the rest of your questions. I don't live there and only visit relatives there maybe twice a year. My cousins live there. I don't know about gangs.

The positives, you can actually see the milky way at night, nearby farms, and that small town feeling.

The negatives, nearby farms, that small town feeling and maybe gangs.

It all depends on what you are looking for. Maybe you could spend a few days there before you make up your mind.

One addendum: Florence is only 10-15 miles away. The desert west of there is pretty.

[Steve Pickering]

Florence isn't that far. They moved their City Limits almost right up to Cooledge and built thousands of new homes within the new Florence City limits. House are selling for around $60,000 that cost $200,000 to build.

[coatimundi]

The housing is cheaper in Coolidge than in the rest of the Phoenix Metro area because it's so far out. Pinal County also has cheaper land.
Coolidge, at its heart, is a cotton farming community. It's surrounded by fields and its emergence as a bedroom community is only very recent. Most people there are either poor or very much middle-class.
The summers are crazy hot and, when they spray the cotton fields, you'll get several days of bad smells and, when they harvest them, you'll often get dust storms or, at the least, large clouds of dust.
I've never found it to be a particularly nice town and, yes, there are gang issues there, but I don't know if I'd say they "roam the streets." The situation could certainly be worse. But, if given the choice between Coolidge and Florence, I would choose Coolidge. There's a transient nature to prison towns like Florence that makes them seem really awful.
Coolidge to Mesa via 87 will take almost an hour at rush hour. I take it as a back road a lot and it generally takes me a 20-30 minutes to reach the 202 freeway from Coolidge. You may be able to shave a few minutes off by jumping over to I-10 then to the 202 and 101 freeways, but it'll add a lot to your mileage. You could also jump on the 202 to the 101 in Chandler and that would save a little time. But it's a long drive any way you do it.
There is the Anthem development (I don't remember exactly what it's called, but it's the same company that developed the Anthem in North Phoenix) just north of Coolidge that may be better for you. I can't imagine housing prices there did well with the crash since it's so far away and caters exclusively to commuting Phoenicians. I believe they're zoned for Florence schools.

[observer53]

Actually, I think the "Anthem" development is just north of Florence, not Coolidge.

[Steve Pickering]

Almost right. It is Florence and it is Just North of Coolidge. That is the development Florence beat Coolidge to the tax punch on and moved Florence City Limits some 10 or more miles out.

[ErikCortez]

I bought a minivan in Coolidge last year; it used to be decent looking going by the empty gas stations, etc. Its pretty sad looking today

[virgil tatro]

our family is seriously concidering a move from montana to florence Arizona. I have been offered a couple of different mining jobs down there.. The warm weather would sure be nice it was a high temp here today of 7 above zero.. I am very worried about the schools and gangs etc down there are there things like that to worry about.. we have a 16 year old son that is a sophmore in high school and i am a little worried about moving him.. he is a good kid has his own 4x4 truck and a car plays drums and guitar and writes music.. there is just not much for our kids in montana...

[observer53]

Originally Posted by virgil tatro

our family is seriously concidering a move from montana to florence Arizona. I have been offered a couple of different mining jobs down there.. The warm weather would sure be nice it was a high temp here today of 7 above zero.. I am very worried about the schools and gangs etc down there are there things like that to worry about.. we have a 16 year old son that is a sophmore in high school and i am a little worried about moving him.. he is a good kid has his own 4x4 truck and a car plays drums and guitar and writes music.. there is just not much for our kids in montana...

I don't know what mining jobs you've been offered in Florence. Any mining operations are northeast or southeast of there. Florence is a fairly quiet town. Lots of government and DOC employees living there, if it's still like it was when I lived there many years ago. The demographic of the Anthem development might be a little different. The schools there are probably not as good as those in the more populated areas, but I have not heard that gangs are a huge issue. If your son minds his business as he has up to now, I would think he would be okay in that regard.

[kenners]

Powell and Virgil,

Coolidge is a horrible place. The city is run down and there are shady looking people roaming the streets. There are many people in Coolidge actually live in houses with boarded up windows. Most of the people who live in this town do not even have respect for themselves more or less others.

The city of Coolidge has an extremely high crime rate for such a small town. Many tourist and snowbirds see the outskirts of Coolidge and they think that the whole city is nice . If you just drive on the outskirts of Coolidge like by the Super Walmart and the Safeway and out by the Casa Grande Ruins well it is very nice and clean in that area. It is also very nice out by CAVIT. When you actually drive into Coolidge you will see the horrors of the city itself. Drug addicts and Gang Bangers are walking the streets at all times of the day and night. The roads in the city are all beat up and the city Library sucks. The city Library in Coolidge is an absolute joke and it is also a place where the junkies and Gang bangers hang out alot at. It is kind of sad that you cant even take your kids to the Library in Coolidge without the possiblity of something happening to your child. The city parks are also run down and the junkies and Gang Bangers also like to hang out at the city parks.

There are also not enough Police here in Coolidge so criminals run this town. There is just to much crime here in Coolidge for the police to handle so many times the Police are forced to look the other way.

Coolidge, Arizona is a place where kids can learn the ins and outs of how to be a criminal.

Coolidge, Arizona is a breeding ground for criminals.

Even the so called "Good Kids" out here in Coolidge are BAD.

I am doing everything I can to get my Family out of Coolidge, Arizona.