Help! We're thinking of moving to Tucson and need your opinion (Phoenix: appointed, fit in)

[Kenny Thompson]

Hey DK,

I have to agree on some things and comment on a few more.

First off I would suggest a visit in the summertime to understand how hot it gets here. Take a weekend trip and stay at "La Paloma"...its a great resort/hotel and the shopping is top notch.

You are exactly right about the good and bad areas of town. If your husband is going to have a good paying job then look into either Vail/Rancho del Lago (SE Tucson) or Dove Mountain (NW Tucson). Both areas are in the upper tier of schools (Mountain View HS was voted top 5 HS's in AZ), and both areas are great areas to invest in. Prices of homes have slipped in the past year, but recently have stabilized and are now on the upswing again. I have had quite a bit of success in the Vail area specifically.

In regards to the comments of the city being trashy or rundown, all major metro areas have those pocket neighborhoods that are under duress. One thing is though, the southside of town is a very diffrent place if you are unprepared or unfamilular with the culture.

[TucsonDesertRat]

Originally Posted by DKNorthwest

Hello! My husband and I are thinking of moving our family to Tucson from Portland, OR, for his job opportunity. We have a 5 month old daughter. We've heard mixed reviews about the area but are particularly concerned about drug issues, crime, and the school system. (I'm a teacher btw) My thought is that like any city there are good and bad areas and you just have to stick to the good...am I off base?

The poorer schools are pretty bad. Most of TUSD is pitiful. Vail has an awesome school system. I hear Catalina SD gets high marks but the kids there are from richer family's and instead of crack and weed they can afford horse.

The crime is out of control but they do a pretty good job of downplaying it. If you can afford 350K and up you can avoid most of the bad areas. Houses in my hood go in the 200k range these days and I hear gun fire about every other night.

Most of the crime is property related but thee are a lot of deviants here as well. Where ever you are going to move, check the address here https://az.gov/webapp/offender/main.do for sex offenders in the area before you commit.

Stay away from South Tucson and Mid Town and you ought to be ok.

Make sure you have good auto insurance (collision) as the drives here are some of the worst I have ever seen with maybe the exception of Madrid.

The music scene is almost non-existent. There are some good places to eat around town and a few even open past 9PM. PLENTY of pizza and fast food.

Avoid needing a doctor as there are so many retirees with health issues that it can be 3 months or longer to get into a decent specialists office for the first time - if you can find one taking new patients. The emergency rooms are not much better and when busy you can be there for HOURS before anyone sees you. Avoid Saint Jo's Hospital like the Plague. TMC is good but has gone down hill. UMS is not bad but it is a learning hospital so unless you know someone there it is luck of the draw.

If you have money, like to golf, and own blinders, it is a perfect place to live.

If you don't mind the crime and the lousy drivers and like the outdoors it is an AWESOME place to live.

As for good sides and bad sides, we have them but it is a lot like Austin in that it is a patchwork of good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. Depends on what block you are on.

Since your kid is only 5 months old you could always move here and then leave before she was old enough for you to have to worry about the drug issues.

[odinloki1]

Originally Posted by DKNorthwest

Hello! My husband and I are thinking of moving our family to Tucson from Portland, OR, for his job opportunity. We have a 5 month old daughter. We've heard mixed reviews about the area but are particularly concerned about drug issues, crime, and the school system. (I'm a teacher btw) My thought is that like any city there are good and bad areas and you just have to stick to the good...am I off base?

I taught for two years and in Vail which is rated high and everyone says its a good district. I found it to be horrible. After moving here from MI it was a big letdown. The kids are unmotivated. The salaries are pathetic, and the parents are the textbook definition of uninvolved. Yearly salary increases do not match inflation or the cost of living. My fiance teaches in the Sunnyside District and is incredibly frustrated by all of the factors I listed above. She has put in approximately 1000 hours as student council advisor with various fundraisers and planning for prom and the district will not compensate her for ANY of her time. TUSD's budget shortfall is so big it has to close 4 schools to make ends meet. Last I checked though, the population is not decreasing by that much. Hopefully your husband will make a lot of money moving here because you will not.

Stuff to do outdoors. If you can each carry 3 gallons of water with you as well as a bottle of sunscreen and a portable shade device then yeah you can go. If not, summer is off limits.

[TucsonDesertRat]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

Stuff to do outdoors. If you can each carry 3 gallons of water with you as well as a bottle of sunscreen and a portable shade device then yeah you can go. If not, summer is off limits.

So, get a 3 liter camel back pack, wear long sleeves, shades, and a cowboy hat and some sun screen and you'll be ok hiking.

If you stay hydrated you won't feel the heat (much) till it gets over 110 because humidity is almost non existent in the summer except during Monsoon season and you don't want to hike the canyons then anyway unless you want to drown...

[Kenny Thompson]

The heat really isnt that bad. If its unexpected, or you are unprepared, they it will bother you...but ill take 2 months of obnixous heat for 10 months of enjoyable weather. Where else can you play golf, go hiking, or relax at the park 350 days out of the year?!?

Its all a matter of opinion I know, but you really have to spend the time out here with an open mind to really appreciate all that Tucson has to offer.

[DKNorthwest]

thank you everyone for your input! all of your replies are a huge help. Our possible move is on hold for now but we will be revisiting the idea in the future so I'll be bringing this info to the table!

[AnnWilson]

Originally Posted by DKNorthwest

Hello! My husband and I are thinking of moving our family to Tucson from Portland, OR, for his job opportunity. We have a 5 month old daughter. We've heard mixed reviews about the area but are particularly concerned about drug issues, crime, and the school system. (I'm a teacher btw) My thought is that like any city there are good and bad areas and you just have to stick to the good...am I off base?

Hi, WE have lived here for four years and love it. Just be sure to pick a good area....we live in Marana and are very satisfied.....there are many good areas .... we have not experienced any negative issues since we have been here....all good things.

[TucsonDesertRat]

Originally Posted by AnnWilson

Hi, WE have lived here for four years and love it. Just be sure to pick a good area....we live in Marana and are very satisfied.....there are many good areas .... we have not experienced any negative issues since we have been here....all good things.

Well, if you go to Marana, check the flood plain maps cuz part of Marana is prone to flooding.

[RBChallenger]

It is a good place to live in general, just pick the are you live in carefully. Many would say the north east is your best bet, and it is beautiful with great school districts but it is expensive also. For me, Vail turned out to be the best alternative.

[galove]

[quote=odinloki1;2671958]I taught for two years and in Vail which is rated high and everyone says its a good district. I found it to be horrible.

We are looking at moving to the Vail District and have been trying to get some specific input on the schools. Maybe you can help. I'll have a 7th and 5th grader, so I'm more concerned about the middle school and high school. I'm trying to find info on curriculum. I saw one Vail HS offered only 2 AP courses. Is this common throughout the district? Do other districts offer more? What about second languages and career connections classes in middle school? Dove Mountain is the other area we're looking at. Anyone have specifics on those schools? THANK you.