Austin/Phoenix growth rates (Tucson, Scottsdale: 2014, construction, schools)

[sunluv]

How they compare: Austin, Phoenix two of the fastest-growing cities in the US

[Jeanneelise]

Phoenix's congestion might also be an issue, or lack there of

Ive lived in Austin for the last 25 years , Now I live here as of 6 months ago. Austins traffic is far worse.

Phoenix boasts about 1.4 million residents while Austin has roughly 840,000, and that hampers Phoenix's ability to grow at a breakneck speed.

This made me laugh. They did not take into account all the small cities surrounding both areas, the thing is Austin and those little cites are close knit and essentially one city compared to the Phoenix metro area. Take Westlake hills its is own city in theory but its right in the Austin area. Phoenix is sprawling, Austin is not compared to the valley of the sun. Phoenix is nondiscript and beige as regards to housing. Austin is not, Austin is much older and has a tighter core.
The music in Austin is dead, Phoenix could be a grand city and kick Austins butt if they embrace the festive live and let live nature of Austin and the colors of the desert sunset and flowers. DITCH THE BEIGE you damn HOAS!! (OH forgot Austin doesn't have the HOAS like phoenix does)

I like both cites but I love the heat here. Yes its a dry heat excpet in the monsoons and then it feels like Austin for two months!

[UKWildcat1981]

I am looking at moving to either one of these cities after I finish graduate schools.. I love both cities. The reason both of these cities are growing fast is because they are both great places to live. I am trying to decide between Austin TX, Phoenix AZ/Valley metro and Denver on a place to live.. its hard all are great places. I really love the Western part of the USA.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Jeanneelise

Ive lived in Austin for the last 25 years , Now I live here as of 6 months ago. Austins traffic is far worse.
This made me laugh. They did not take into account all the small cities surrounding both areas, the thing is Austin and those little cites are close knit and essentially one city compared to the Phoenix metro area. Take Westlake hills its is own city in theory but its right in the Austin area. Phoenix is sprawling, Austin is not compared to the valley of the sun.

The latest Census count shows Phoenix has 1,513,367 or 1.5 million.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...ions/11479515/

This couldn't be further from the truth There is a reason it's called the Valley. It's essentially one city. You can't tell when youre driving through Tempe and Scottsdale or Tempe and Chandler for example. They bleed into one another like L.A.

In Austin, there is a clear separation among it's suburbs. You clearly know when you are in Round Rock, Georgetown etc.

Also, Austin is a lot smaller. You can immediately tell when you fly into their airport which feels like a small city airport compared to Sky Harbor which is far larger and busier.

The reason the roads in Austin are busier is because you have less of them. The highway/freeway system in Austin is not fully developed. Case in point, getting to the airport in the past required taking side streets to get to the Austin airport. There was a lot of construction to fix this problem. In the Valley, we have multiple loops and freeways. You still have to take side streets and there are not a lot of freeways in Austin. Austin reminds me of Tucson in that respect. Phoenix is closer to Dallas in terms of size and scopre. Austin is much smaller.

I think Austin is overrated. It's hyped because it's the only somewhat liberal/progressive/non-Texas feeling city in the state of Texas. Among Texans, Austin is their pride and joy. However, to anyone living in the West, it doesn't really feel any different than Phoenix, Portalnd or a lot of cities on or near the West Coast in my opinion. Austin is also not that liberal or progressive socially. It is relative to Texas but it feels socially moderate to me. There are still a lot of cowboys in Austin.

[PlainWhite]

Austin is still in Texas, and Texas is still very much a southern state, with all the wingnut detritus that goes with that. Phoenix is in Arizona, a libertarian, "live and let live" state. And Phoenix has a major league team in each of the four major sports, which is my own personal litmus test for a liveable city.

[caryberry]

Originally Posted by PlainWhite

Austin is still in Texas, and Texas is still very much a southern state, with all the wingnut detritus that goes with that. Phoenix is in Arizona, a libertarian, "live and let live" state. And Phoenix has a major league team in each of the four major sports, which is my own personal litmus test for a liveable city.

You got to be kidding about the lack of "wingnut detritus" in Arizona politics.

[goolsbyjazz]

I lived in both cities and, while Austin may have a livelier downtown area (slightly because of the Colorado river, 6th street), it is not in the same category as Phoenix. Phoenix, simply put, is huge while Austin has that hometown feeling. It is closer to Tucson, in comparison, than to Phoenix. Nice city, but apples to oranges.

[8to32characters]

Austin and Tucson have much more personality than Phoenix.

[UtahNative67]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Austin and Tucson have much more personality than Phoenix.

Totally untrue.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Austin and Tucson have much more personality than Phoenix.

Hardly. Tucson, maaaaaaybe, definitely not Austin.