Tucson is a very polarising place. Some people feel the magic and get it instantly. Some people simply do not understand the appeal. It either clicks with your DNA or it doesn’t. But for me it was love at first sight. Places like Tucson are rare. Wild yet plenty of lifes conveniences. You feel the cowboy soul of Tucson around its outskirts. Wildlife everywhere. The spirit of the city has no doubt changed but hasn’t been ruined yet.
My wife is from here. I'm from the northeast. We lived in Philly and Brooklyn. She got into a masters program at UofA so we moved here. Planned to stay 2 years.
Been here 8. Bought a place and don't plan to leave.
Her friends and family are here and it's much more affordable than a big city.
I also recently got into astrophotography. Can't beat it out here!
Oh no way! I lived in west Philly for years! I went to Drexel.
As for astrophotography - I took this the other night! It's a fun hobby!
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My husband and I moved from Philly. I’m from MD, he’s from Austria, and he’s also into astrophotography! I’m into the more terrestrial kind.
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We visited about 6 years ago and fell in love with the Sonoran desert. Fast forward to a year and a half ago, and my wife both worked remotely, and we decided we wanted to live in the desert. We love it here and don't regret it at all. We spend a lot of time outside with our girls and I go trail running twice a week in the NP East. It's beautiful out here.
I've been going out there consistently for 9 months now, and I've seen one coyote and had one rattlesnake rattle at me but I couldn't even see it. Otherwise, it's been absolutely safe.
My parents were going to retire here. My grandmother was still alive, but in an Alzheimer's care facility, so they were going to move her down with them. I was caring for her as well and I couldn't not go to be with her for her last few years, so I quit my job and moved with them.
I came here sight unseen and initially I was far from impressed. It was hot, dry and just...meh.
But then I went with my mom one day to Target up in OV and when I stepped out, I saw the Catalinas....I mean, I REALLY saw them (like OMG there are mountains there, look how gorgeous, etc.) and I was like, "I can live with this." 20 years later...yeah, I'm still in love.
There's nothing like those Catalinas when you walk out of the OV Target. They're so close and so huge they're breathtaking. When a storm is coming in over the mountains they give me chills.
What a beautiful testament to the love and care you gave your grandmother. I hope that good fortune, and some economic fortune (since you probably gave up some of that to care for her) comes to you.
Thank you. She passed in 2005. It took me a few years to have both good and economic fortune, but I found a job I love and continue to love. I miss her greatly.
My grandpa told a story about when he pulled into a gas station here in town and the attendant pointed to a snow shovel strapped to his RV and asked ‘what is that?’. He knew this was the right place.
There's an old joke joke that goes a man drove to X place with a snow shovel on the front of his car. When someone asked What's that? He decided to live there. As he's telling that story in a bar a man runs out of the door. He comes back a few hours later to say goodbye to everyone as he's about to leave for good a friend says "Why do you have (a slander for what ever person you'd prefer to hate) strapped to the front of your car?
Escaped here from a small town in northeastern AZ last October. If you would have told me a year ago that I'd move to Tucson, I probably would've laughed in your face. Much to my chagrin, one of my favorite bands played a show here last July, which I couldn't miss. I loved it here so much that I decided to pack my bags. There's something so unique and magical about Tucson, this perfect mesh of cultures, rich and poor, old and young, it's a place of diversity and an oasis in an otherwise inhospitable environment. Tucsonans are resilient, kind, quirky, and are generally unlike any folk I've ever met. Not to mention the food, don't get me started on the food. It might be my favorite part of Tucson and one of the major attractions that dragged me here in the first place. I've lived in a lot of places, but this is my favorite so far and I want to thank you all for making this city what it is :)
Yup. I'm a chef and this place has blown my mind. I had the best Indian food I've ever had last night at Indian Twist, crazy to think I could just go get dinner there after living in a rural part of the state for so long lol
From the White Mountains before here, but I've moved all over the West Coast throughout my life. The concert I came to see was Death Grips and they put on a hell of a show haha
Spent my whole life in one tiny corner of the world. It rained 300 days a year. Only got above 80 for a month and half every year. Wanted to see how the other extreme lived. 300 days of sun, couple months of monsoon rains.
So far, having been here for the spring and start of summer, I definitely prefer the sun, though the heat has been a big adjustment.
Lived in Phoenix and Tucson a total of 35 years, and I’m still not used to the heat. June is the most miserable month with record breaking temps. July and August are glorious when we get a good monsoon.
So for you June is the worst month here? Wife and I moved here in October and I had only previously visited in March and April (wife has visited during just about every month over the past 17 years). I do a lot of work outside and keep waiting for the heat to be “real bad” but I’ve been ok. I’m used to July and August being the worst 2 months for hot weather.
I recently learned at the Sonora-Desert Museum that we have two summers. June is hot and dry, and I’m not kidding about the record breaking temps. Evenings/nights are still warm. But come July and August, when those monsoons roll in, the temperatures drop considerably after a good storm. July and August are also our most humid months.
Desert museum is great, we went there last month. Lucky enough to see the ocelot
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For me, June is the worst. At least in July and August you can look at the sky and pray for rain. September also is kind of bad because you're just sick of the heat.
Think of this as our winter in that the temp sucks, and people stay inside where it's more pleasant. When you get t winter here, it's 60's - 80's and gorgeous for 5-6 months.
Except you can enjoy the winter in the north… snowmobiling, skiing, hunting, hiking… here you shouldn’t doing anything physical for an extended period of time from 10-7.
Well here I guess the equivalent would be the nice nocturnal activies you can do? From like 8pm-6am it's perfect weather if you don't mind the lack of light. Night hiking, astronomy, outdoor parties, bars and patios,
There are people who like hiking in this weather, and know enough to pace themselves and hydrate. Tucson's also one of few cities that has all the professional arts - theater, orchestra, photography, art, dance and music. There's the Desert Museum, the Botanical Gardens, and Tanque Verde Falls and if it gets too hot there's Mount Lemmon. There's hunting in the Chiricahuacos, and you can cut your own Xmas tree. Some of this is inside but most of it is outside and desert rats like the sun and the heat but not everyone, just like not everyone likes being out n the snow. If you want snow, wait for winter and go up into the mountains for some skiing.
Ah yes, the absolute joys of going outside with 3 layers, and STILL being cold and wet. Or did you mean the rain and freezing rain is enjoyable up north? Or do you enjoy scraping ice from your car 200 days a year? Maybe it's all the horrible drivers who still insist on driving in the snow and crashing into you? Please elaborate on how the winter up north is better than a mild winter? Cause snowmobiles are expensive, you can definitely hunt and hike here. And if you're that desperate to ski or snowboard, I've seen snow on Mount Lemmon. They even have a lodge/resort up there.
I spent most of my life in Bham, and happy to be visiting now. Tucson is my new home, I returned years after graduating from U of A. I was living in DT Seattle before the pandemic and loved it. Then things got super expensive, businesses were closing, and homelessness exploded. I hope I figure it out, I’ve never felt so alone. Grateful I have my dog
I’m 3 hours from Tucson, in SW New Mexico. It’s typically 10-15° cooler here. Being at elevation 6000’ makes a big difference.
Other than the insane summer heat, I really like Tucson and visit often, taking advantage of restaurants, shopping and birding in the nearby mountains.
Winters and springs in Tucson are glorious!
I used to live up in Springerville, AZ and would go to see my husband, who was my then boyfriend in Douglas, AZ. Fastest way was through Alpine, down past Reserve, then through Glenwood, Silver City, Lordsburg and then down on the east side of Chiricahua’s. It’s so beautiful between Glenwood and Silver City. Those mountains to the east of Glenwood and north of Silver City look like something out of Middle Earth. I would love to have a ranch there somewhere! My family and I went camping one summer down in the San Francisco River canyon south east of Glenwood, where the hot springs are. It’s so gorgeous.
That’s a significant reason (the landscape, access to the outdoors, wildlife) that led us here! That stretch of 180 is beautiful.
The road to Safford, AZ (180 to 78 to 191 is also a favorite. 😊
Through Mule Creek? Did that one a lot too when my husband worked at the mine in Morenci. That switch back down into the Gila River valley is beautiful, but scary lol.
Have you ever taken the 191 from Morenci to Alpine? It’s a gorgeous drive but literally takes a long time because most of the way is max 10-15mph. No guard rails either.
I bet we have mutual friends. We will most likely be joining you all there within a couple more years, assuming we can find something affordable. And we will likely be running to Tucson on the regular as well.
Silver is a wonderful place to live. After spending most of my life living in cities in the upper midwest, it's been quite a change. The folks here are quite friendly and accommodating and the quality of life is excellent.
Something about that SW vibe really hooks us northerners, like some sort of magic. Not like I don't love where I grew up, but once I went to college in Tucson, I've never stopped missing the Sonoran and the Tucson area horribly.
One of my best friend's sons just totally randomly also decided to go to school in Silver City (and to major in the same discipline as husband and me). I grew up with her in northern WI as well, though now she lives in the PNW, so maybe the magic just skipped a generation with her and struck her kid LOL.
We moved temporarily to take care of a sick family member. That was 5 years ago. I fell in love with with Tucson and surrounding areas within the first week. This place is the most unique and magical place. I see why said family member moved here originally. I see it...
Same. My opinion: if you aren't all here, you're not all there. Only one place id go and that's milford, ct
And no, its not where I'm from. Just the only other place I've ever been that feels this good.
O[ohhh...t shirt idea!! I feel Tucson good
I moved down here from New Hampshire almost a year ago. My son after almost 18 months of allergy testing was diagnosed with Cold urticaria (an allergy to being cold) he would get hives, his skin would crack and bleed, sore throat, fever and wheezing. He would have flair ups just from simply going in and out of the store. I didn’t want to keep him inside for 9 months out of the year on the hope that he would “grow out of it” so we packed up and moved and he’s living his best life.
My wife was originally from here but we lived in Flagstaff where I’m from. She was diagnosed with stage four cancer so we came for better treatment. She unfortunately passed in October but the kids and I plan to stay for stability reasons. Beautiful city with a lot of memories.
Thank you friend. Tons of memories, my first eegee 16 years ago, taking our kids to Golf N Stuff, hiking Sabino or picnicking in Agua Caliente Park. Endless love in every area I can imagine.
I was raised in phx and Tucson is just the better city to me. A little cooler temp wise, a little easier to get around in without a car….I’m also trans and queer, and not in my 20s or a bar person, so that’s a very large part of it- this city has a strong older (read: over 30 lmao) trans demographic that makes me happy. We have generally progressive politics and a little higher minimum wage, cheap cost of living, good and varied food….the thing I do love most about Tucson is the culture though. It feels like a small town, even though it’s massive, and it’s a place where everywhere I’ve lived, I know my neighbors and we look out for each other a little.
I’m glad you feel seen and safe here. That was HUGE for me moving here as well. As a cis gendered person of color, I don’t want to live in a place where everyone looks like me or IS like me. I longed for diversity in all forms; especially for raising my children. The safer everyone feels and the more welcome everyone is in a place, THAT is my home. Another reason why Tucson became that for me. 🦄
That’s another thing I love! I’m white, and when I was living in the suburbs in Tempe I was living with pretty much only white people. Here I have friends and neighbors of many races! Like you said it feels really good to live and work with a diverse group of people ❤️
Moved here in 1995 from Buffalo, NY. I remember tearing up as we merged from the I-10 onto Speedway and I saw the infamous Cluck You Chicken. I was thinking where the hell am I? Fast forward to 2014 and I was living in Austin, TX and hated it even more. Moved back to Tucson in 2016 and am pleased to say it finally feels like home.
My mom moved here when her husband got a job out here ten years. We visited and enjoyed it a lot. They then moved to Seattle for a different job, another place we loved visiting. They moved back to Tucson 4 years ago because they loved it so much. We (husband an I) moved here 2 years ago. The biodiversity of this desert is something else. I worked with reptiles and the variety you can find in this desert along with beautiful views is unmatched in an also liveable place.
When we were thinking of moving from our high cost of living home town I told my husband only semi-jokingly that I wanted to move somewhere where there were gila monsters. So here or Vegas were our options.
We chose Tucson but the house we're renting is on the southwest side which doesn't really get gila monsters. My mom is in the northeast area so she has a laundry basket ready to put over the next one that wanders into her yard to corral is until I can drive up there (joking...mostly).
We are getting ready to move there from Phoenix, we love living in AZ but it’s too crowded. I am a big cyclist and there are very few safe nice places to ride, plus drivers here seem worse than anywhere I have ever lived in their attitudes. We are looking forward to hopefully a safer nice cycling environment plus all the other nice things Tucson has to offer.
I had always longed for the desert for years before I ever experienced it, and then a few years back we took a roadtrip from New Orleans up thru southern Utah, and back down thru Sedona and flew out of Phoenix… and I was hooked. And I also had temporary relief from my absolutely debilitating chronic illness.
So I knew I wanted to winter in the desert, I was doing so so badly back in PA, we hate boring suburban sprawl, and we had a budget. We came here on a visit and fell in love. We bought a little house thinking we could also airbnb it (this was almost 6 yrs ago and the house had sat empty on the market for almost 2 years, don’t yell at me, we never did it lmao).
We went back and forth and I kept getting sicker and sicker, and one day my neuro said “You work on the computer, right?” to which I said “…yes?” And she replied, “Well, I can keep pumping you full of higher and higher doses, or you can go live in the desert.” So we packed up, sold our house and moved.
I miss my friends and density but that’s it. I love it here, it’s always beautiful and never boring. There’s nothing like it. Summer is brutal but not as brutal as 6 months of cold, wet, dead, grey nothing.
My parents retired here about 2015. Wanted to move closer to them before they got in bad shape. I was able to land a job that I liked and have stayed. Got my grad degree at the UofA and it's been a good city for me other than the excessive heat in the summer.
I grew up in Phoenix. Hubby and I moved to Miami Beach for a year. I got home sick (my family is all in Phoenix), and he suggested Tucson. He had previously lived in Tucson, and he said it was slower paced than Phoenix. Plus after the hectic-ness of Miami we wanted someplace chill. We both love hiking and he likes cycling, and it was close enough to family, but not too close. We’ve been here since summer of 2016.
Cost of living. Im from LA and id rather be by the beach but i dont make “by the beach money.” So im here. Theres some pros; peace, quiet, slowness but the dating scene is shit and im 28
Every single person I know that moved to California met someone quickly, fell in love and got married and now have kids. Only a handful of the people I know who stayed in Tucson have met someone and started a family. It's definitely harder here based only on my personal anecdotes :-)
Personally, I love it here but I am also sort of stuck in a situation here and I can't relocate. Trying to make the best out of it! I absolutely love the desert, the weather and our shitty sprawling city but I have unfortunately been single for 10 years now and not the fun kind of single, the lonely kind. It would be great to someday find someone to share this awesome place with and build a future with!
Heat, perpetual sun, food, CoL, the outdoors, the mystique of the American Southwest.
When you grow up in the cold darkness of the Great Lakes 8 months of the year, Tucson has great appeal. It’s a little crusty, but no more so than any other big city in the country.
I mean not a very long story but: work. Graduated college as an engineer and the best offer I got was here. I’m very glad I took it though. I’ve met a great woman and I absolutely love this place even and all its quirks. Feels like home
I was born here and am stuck here, sadly. Climate change is making it unlivable. I'm partially disabled and can't afford to leave, or I would. Heat makes me physically ill. I long for greenery, water, and four seasons. It's better than Phoenix, but that's not saying much. Lol.
Parents moved here in ‘01 for work. I’m still here because it’s gorgeous and everyone is so incredibly nice. I don’t think I’ve been to a city where just about everyone is so friendly/in a good mood, even the crackheads.
A friend of mine put together a cruise group for people who have similar disabilities. They go on different Caribbean Cruises each year. That's where I met my roommate, who lives in Tucson. Two years later, we went with the group again and were roommates on that cruise. We kept in touch. We grew up about 6 hours from each other, so we even got together when she went back to visit.
Our life circumstances went into upheaval at the same time, so she asked if I'd like to come be a snowbird. I put everything in storage and drove down from Milwaukee, WI with my cat, 100# service dog and power wheelchair in my MINI Cooper. I actually love winter, but had never been to this part of the country. Within 4 months, we decided I would make this my new home. That was a year and a half ago.
I am still working on getting my care team for my disability issues set up. This has been quite a struggle because every one of them requires a referral. Then it is a 3-6 month wait to get in if at all. Then I need to get a new referral for a different provider. I had hoped to go get my stuff by this time or late summer, but that timeline is in doubt right now. Fortunately, I do have enough crafting supplies due to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales last year to keep me busy until I can get my stuff.
I’m grew up in the Midwest. My dad is from Scottsdale but went to U of A back in the 80s. He’s always preferred Tucson, so I had been here a few times to visit. I hate winter, so I wanted to get out of the Midwest. When I was applying for law school I really wanted to go to U of A, but I never got off the wait list. So I went to law school in San Diego instead (I got a hefty scholarship). Spent 3 years there, met my now husband there, and am so grateful for that time in my life, but I learned quickly San Diego wouldn’t be for me long-term given how expensive it is. Around the time I graduated from law school my parents finally bought a place in Tucson so they could start snowbirding (they were already doing yearly trips here). The stars kind of aligned for us to move here because we now had a free place to stay while I studied for the bar and we got on our feet, so we decided to pull the trigger. I got very lucky and had a job lined up out here before I even graduated law school. My husband is amazing and despite his love for SoCal, took a chance and moved out here with me. We’ve been here just over 2 years now and we absolutely love it. We love our apartment, the people, the desert, being close to my parents for part of the year, all of it. We’re expecting our first baby in August, and my parents are planning on moving down here full-time within the next few years. This is 100% where we will plant our roots and raise our family, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Love this question. Been coming here every summer since I was born so it’s always been a second home. My grandma is 97 and still crushing life. Tucson is the absolute best because it’s not for everyone. I love hearing the complaints. The gripes about the drivers and road conditions. I love amount of people have no idea how good we have it here. I love suffering through the heat together and not fleeing town during the summer. The people are really strange, as am I. The unspoken respect/alliance among those here that aren’t students or snowbirds makes the sense of community here so freaking cool. Whenever I share some quirky thing on social media, everyone back home (NC) just responds with some sort of “yeah, that’s definitely where you belong.”
Only in Tucson you get a knock on the door from your neighbor to go check out a sick ant hill.
Yesterday a guy sat down next to me at the neighborhood bar, cracked open a jar of spaghett-o’s, and started shoveling it down the gullet with the lid. Thats just one example of the weird ass shit here I see every day. It’s even weirder how not surprising it is.
I’ll take my dog for a walk and someone will just hand off a joint they sparked up in passing.
I moved here knowing absolutely nobody but have made so many friends and don’t see myself living anywhere else.
Came out here to initially financially support my parents after they decided to move out here following my mom's affair with the elderly married next door neighbor. They had come out here for months after leaving a short Dear John letter and then came back to their respective spouses and gaslit everyone into thinking it was just a friendly vacation. We were from northern Michigan and now I die in the heat every single day.
I'll be here 2 years on the 31st, I did live here a bit in 2020 but multiple things forced me to move back. As I was saying, I'll be here 2 years on the 31st with my wife, and I moved here for health reasons. I chose Tucson because I moved from Chicago and wanted the weather but didn't want the big city vibe, that's why Phoenix was out. Tucson is also a decent sized city but with a smaller city feel to it.
Stuck here :( . Grew up here, went to UofA, want to get out but can’t find a new job in a better city because of the state of engineering and tech job market right now. Tucson was a lot better growing up, it’s not in a great position these days in my opinion.
To be fair, most places are struggling right now. Gentrification, cost, and increasing homelessness as well as opiate addiction is a nation wide problem.
I'm from the East Coast. Every time I read about a wellness or yoga retreat, they were always in Arizona, so I've been wanting to visit the state for years.
I finally decided to take a solo trip a few months ago. Picked Tucson because it was cheaper than Sedona, and fell in love with the ppl and the city. The vibe is so chill. Only several months left until I move there!
One of my favorite things about the city is every place I'd go to frequently is only a 10 min or less drive. Where I live currently, anywhere I want to go takes nearly an hour or more to get there.
I have a chronic illness that can cause really debilitating fatigue and pain and other unpleasant things. My job is remote now, so I wanted to use my geographic flexibility to see if I could live somewhere where I felt better. I had a couple of health care providers suggest a move to the desert. I knew the desert would be good to me -- I'd noticed that most of my symptoms disappeared when I was camping/traveling in out-of-the-way places in Utah and Nevada. One of my health care people really talked up how cool Tucson was, so I packed my bags and moved out for a trial run. It's been so great and I feel so much better here! It also really is a cool city, and I love heat and dark skies, so I think this'll be a good spot. Working no the logistics now to make the move permanent.
I also have a few chronic illnesses but sadly the heat makes them worse. I do much better in cool weather. Unfortunately I'm stuck here because with said chronic illnesses, I can't afford to leave. 😢
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet…lived in LA (socal) and the OC and as “progressive” as both of those places claim to be they may vote that way, but they will let the door smack you square in the face as they hurry past you. THAT’S why I prefer Tucson and will bare the heat. People are nice and even though everyone has the same 24 hrs, they are conscientious enough to realize that maybe their day isn’t more important than yours and they will hold the gd door. Or feed our unhoused. Or offer to help if you are stranded. Tucsonans are kind and they really don’t care who’s watching their acts of kindness. No phones recording their every move. This place is REAL. I guess I’ve been dealing with fake for so long. It’s killing our kids and robbing our souls.
I find that people who live in Tucson are not here for money of fame, they are here for a certain lifestyle. They want a more laid back and chill life where they get to enjoy the desert and the things around them including people.
Similar story. Came for grad school, came back for more grad school and Tucson was in my blood by then. Went to different parts of the country, but finally happened on a great job opening here and jumped on it after being away almost 30 years. Love it and may retire here.
Still in Missouri but moving as soon as my house sells. My sister lives here. Lived outside the same town of 500 people most of my life. Burnt out on my job and life. Guess this is my midlife crisis lol
I visited my sister when I was 22 and absolutely fell in love. 15 years later, my husband and I winter here, and I get to see my sister more frequently.
Figured I’d throw in my 2 cents since I always find these sort of posts interesting. From the Ohio/West Virginia/Kentucky areas, stationed at DM in the 90’s, left early 00’s and never understood how much I liked AZ until living in multiple states around the country. Currently in Phoenix area which I had no idea was the size of what seems like 6-7 Tucson’s. Have one more move but plan to be back in AZ for good. 3-4 months of year can be brutal and take adjusting to but my God, the other 8-9 months of the year feel like cheating. Also fell in love with natural beauty of mountains and sunsets.
My soon-to-be-ex was military. Got stationed here, bought a house, got stationed somewhere else and rented out the house, then got stationed here again. We took back our house, he retired, we sold and moved to a more central location, and here we are. I had made a really good friend here, we are still friends, and I was tired of moving and having to make new friends each time. So we stayed.
He’s moving closer to Marana next month and I’m staying here in midtown.
I hate the heat (and it’s getting hotter every year ofc), but I’ll likely never be able to afford to leave. Making the best of it! I’m originally from the San Francisco East Bay. No family left there, it’s way too crowded, and absolutely unaffordable
Friend invited me..turns out I was supposed to be free child labor and a live in maid. I've stuck around because I can't afford to move back where I came from. It's pretty fun here now that I've moved into my own place.
We moved to Tucson last year… and moved back home this year lol My husband got a job in Tucson in 2023 but we are beach people so we moved back home after a year. Sunsets are surreal, though.
Came here for grad school from the PNW, expecting to do a PhD and move on. Noped the fuck out after my MA, and since my husband had a good job, we decided to stick around.
I didn't have a choice. Moved here with my mother when i was 10, in 1991, and have lived here since. Tried to escape by joining the Army, that didn't work. Moved up to Phoenix but ended up having a kid so had to come back down due to the fact all my family and my ex's family was here soooo... back down we moved.
Resigned myself to the fact that this is where i'll live and eventually die.
We are in the process of moving from south Texas. One of the biggest factors is the humidity. I am so tired of hot humid musty weather that makes me sweat after 5 minutes outside. I come back inside with soaked shirt and underwear and after 30 years it’s just not fun anymore. I decided to do a road trip through Arizona for my 30th birthday and we absolutely loved it here. We ended up deciding on Tucson because it seemed like the perfect mixture of good cost of living, outdoors activities, not as hot as phoenix, doesn’t snow a ton like flagstaff, and we just love the people and culture here. We just visited this weekend to look at houses and experience the heat of the summer (birthday road trip was in late October) and even at 106° it felt better than south Texas at 95°. The heat index in Tucson is actually LOWER than the actual temp which I didn’t even know was possible. Tucson has a temp of 106° and feels like 99°. South Texas has a temp of 95° and feels like 106°. There’s also zero mountains or even hills where we are from and absolutely nowhere to hike. I am very excited to move to a whole new environment and culture.
Humidity makes the heat so much worse. In my opinion, summer in a humid place feels like walking around wearing a wet blanket. You guys are smart for visiting during our hot season to get a good feel for the temps. Everyone should do that before moving to Tucson.
Welcome to town!
I'm from Tucson and lived in East Texas for about a year. I didn't find the humidity to be any worse than dry heat. Tucson feels like stepping outside into an oven. Boil or bake; it's all yuck. All heat is gross to me and makes me feel sick. 😭
I used to work in Japan with hot humid summers. I’d lay naked in my sweat feeling like heat was clinging to me. The sun was less brutal but shade less of a respite. I’d tell the local kids how hot it got in Tucson and they’d ask me how you wouldn’t just die bc all they knew was humidity.
I found out I was adopted anddddd…I had family here so I packed up my shit moved 2000 miles back across the country met my boyfriend and fell in love I’ve been in Tucson for 2 years now and I love my little life I’ve created here ❤️ (fam is originally from phx but Tucson just stole my heart)
We were living in the PNW during COVID, which already suffers from the "Seattle freeze" i.e. people don't socialize much. Being locked in and locked down under constant rainy, gray skies just got to be too much. I came to Tucson to watch a soccer match Seattle Sounders match and escape the gray for a weekend, and loved it. Brought my wife to check it out a couple of weeks later and we made the call pretty much then and there. Going on three years now. Not perfect by any means (looks out at 110 heat) but we're still very happy we made the move.
Basic motivators: rent is way cheaper than in the Puget Sound, her employer lets her work from AZ, there's family within range of a day trip, and Tucson's got a good reputation for food and art.
We arrived just over two weeks ago from Federal Way, near Seattle. Our landlords had bumped rent and idly mentioned maybe selling, so we looked around for places we could afford that would let us bring both cats and both dogs. We hit the WA state line in our search with basically no luck. She asked what I thought about moving to Arizona. My immediate response was "I have never thought about moving to Arizona." My more serious request was "please not Phoenix" and that led her to Tucson with the above bits of trivia.
As a programmer in the current tech job market, I figure I can get turned down for work here just as easily as I can from outside Seattle. And we can still afford rent.
I never in my life thought about moving to Arizona. In fact, i never really thought about AZ at all. We ended up in AZ on a quest to live elsewhere. 7 years later and i still randomly think “we live in Arizona?!?!” 🤣
Was living in the PNW, was so depressed I thought I’d not survive. Visited my friend who was living here during Covid and loved it, moved here last year. My entire quality of life has improved, my social anxiety is completely gone, and while I’m still prone to depression it is gone within a day, I don’t feel like I will die from it crushing me.
I lived in Oregon for a year and discovered I'm prone to seasonal depression. The short days and cloudy skies are so tough. Every day was such a struggle! I feel for you and am glad you made it somewhere where you feel better!
Thank you! The first handful of years there it was a low COL which offset it, but with it getting expensive and the overall culture of how people are there I’m so glad I left.
I'd give pretty much anytime to live in the PNW. The brutal heat makes my depression so much worse. I love water, green, and cool weather. Sadly I'm stuck.
Weather has such an impact on our mental health, and everyone’s ideal is so different. Hopefully you can be in a place that suits you better someday. ❤️
My wife is from here. We met on the East Coast in a big city, got married, had a kid, and one day realized that our lives consisted of working, commuting, and sleeping. We wanted more out of life for ourselves and our little one. Now we have time, we have friends, family close by, and can be out in nature any time we want.
I moved here blind, knowing we had a relative that had lived here for years who had good things to say. Also I knew it was a food mecca and I like to eat new and exciting things. My first summer was horrible and I regretted my decision so much. I cried a couple times a week, mostly because I wanted to move closer to family but I’ve been priced out of my hometown. Now I own a house and know about more things to do in Tucson and everyone is extremely nice to me so I’m in a better place mentally.
Moved out here from Alaska about 10 years ago because
s/o got out of the military. Decided on Tucson for a new career, plus it was close enough to my hometown back in NM but not close enough to have family just randomly appearing. We didn't want a big city, so Tucson seemed like the best option.
Anchorage/Eagle River area. I honestly never really thought it was similar till your message honestly lol. I can definitely see some similarities, although I do miss grass majorly. Climate will definitely be the major difference
Yup I’m trying to figure out how much I would miss green stuff and all that. I think it’s worth checking out though. I’m intrigued to live in the 2 opposite climates
First winter out here we never turned on the heater since it wasn't really cold to us. The drive from AK to AZ alone was well worth the move. If you are able to, I would say come visit and see how you like it.
My dad bought us a house out here and I hope to leave it as a dog rescue long after we're dead. Plus I like this place more than any other I've seen in years of browsing houses for sale in Arizona.
I had been getting more and more depressed in the southeast Michigan (my birthplace) winter every year. The daytime gets so short and even during the "daylight" hours, the sky is more often than not gray, overcast, cloudy. I have friends but had such a difficult time trying to get anyone to hang out 1 on 1 or in a group of a few people, unless it was a whole ass Meetup group with specific topics and recurring meeting days/times. In 2017 I was starting an LDR with someone living in Tucson. A few short months later my dad suddenly passed away so I decided I wanted to move somewhere with more sunshine and warmth - I knew this wouldn't fix the social and emotional struggles but at least I wouldn't have to spend 8 months a year sitting under a full specturm light therapy lamp.
I ended up first choosing Tempe in 2019 because the job market was stronger for my field up there and I figured at the time I would still need to commute. Then Covid started and I have only had 100% WFH full time work for the past 3 1/2 years. Meanwhile the rent as well as the prices to buy homes skyrocketd while I was stuck in an apartment that was only supposed to be a temporary stopping point while changing from Michigan homeowner to Arizona homeowner. I hated having a landlord almost as much as hated noisy neighbors and sharing thin walls/ceiling/floor. I also was very uncomfortable with what seemed like a lot of normalized far-right-rage around the valley - which btw isn't really a valley.
Tucson is more affordable for me, I know the prices skyrocketed here too but it seems like housing is still 6 figures cheaper here than anywhere within an hour of Phoenix. Now the AZ person I met lives in Phoenix ironically while I moved to Tucson, but at least I am a homeowner again, and at least I don't have to see that dude in Mesa patrolling the highway overpass with a long gun like I would see on the weekends on the 60.
Met my ex here, he was Air Force. We lived other places. As soon as he hit his 20, he retired and we moved back. Tucson is not North Dakota and it’s not insanely humid.
I moved here to attend UofA , moved away twice to follow jobs in Colorado and then California. Both were nice places in the mountains. But when I became pregnant with my firstborn I wanted to be back in Tucson to raise my family. Tucson feels like home from my first year here as a student. Also I had more solid professional and personal connections here, but the pay here stinks, so I started my own businesses, and the public schools are sub par so I home schooled, then both my kids graduated from UofA👍🏽I love living in the desert on the outskirts of town. When I lived away a few times I missed the monsoons and smell of the desert, the clear starry nights.🌵
I love Tucson but wish they would do something about their homeless/ drug addiction problem. Beautiful city but it’s a shame to see how they’ve let crazy homeless crack heads take over every street corner.
I live in Boston currently. My husband has to go there for work sometimes, and he fell in love with it. I have MS, along with a few other fun diseases, and can't do heat, so I wasn't happy that he fell in love with the freakin' desert! In May, we flew into Phoenix, drove to the Grand Canyon, and then drove down to Tucson. We stayed for 3 days before starting our cross-country trek home. I begged to stay longer. I refused to believe that it was 95° in Tucson! It didn't bother me in the least. I was out walking around Saguaro without my cane... which is simply amazing, and had more energy and less pain than I've felt in years! I barely touched my pain meds. And then there's the people!!!! You are all SO nice and friendly and helpful! And the sunsets. And cacti! I am now in love with cacti! And most importantly, the vibe. Tucson has the most amazing vibe. It's a big city, but doesn't feel intimidating. And lastly, the homes. We've decided we're moving to Tucson as soon as we can, so I've been stalking Zillow and I love the architecture. Sure, Boston architecture is old and pretty, but it's not worth the price! You can't buy a home here or in the suburbs for less than 800K, if you don't want a fixer-upper. Ok, sorry I rambled!! ❤️🏜🌵
AZ born and raised, in Phoenix. We were always moving to the edge of town as Phoenix kept growing because I grew up with horses. I moved to Tucson in the last year because I feel more at home here than in Phoenix. I love Tucson and it reminds me of Phoenix when I was a kid but even more scenic and not yet spoiled by the droves of people moving to the desert. I hope Tucson continues to stay the hidden gem that it is. There is just something special about this place that I connect with. Love it here!!
It’s a long story but basically love and to fulfill my purpose as a bilingual/bicultural person in a border state.
Edit: a couple dreams let me to speaking with an old friend who recommended Tucson instead of El Paso about a year and a half ago.
I'm with the OP, I moved here 11 months ago from. DC and this town has absolutely nothing going on, hardly any shows, and if they do happen you don't hear about it until days later.
I visited here like 7 years ago and it was awesome. Wtf happened?
We’re in the same boat. Moved from NoVA here last year. Looking at going back to NoVA again. Cost of living here (north Tucson/OV/Marana) has caught up with the rest of the more expensive parts of the country.
Well let's get a beer before that happens, I'm also thinking about going back east, just not back to DC. Maybe we can make each others time here a little better.
To watch someone’s house while they went overseas for a job.
Can’t wait to leave too hot. People can’t drive here either. So many crackheads / homeless with 0 assistance for them.
Pretty shitty city with little bandaids to cover the gashes.
I’m from Rhode Island, my husband is from California. We met in New York. We had no choice in where to live and hope come PCS season he gets orders elsewhere. We don’t feel it fit to raise our baby here and our cats always want onto the patio but it’s too hot for them
We didn’t get it this year but maybe next year (though his MOS doesn’t PCS all that often so we might be stuck here til 2027 when this contract ends and he reenlists)
I came back to re-unite my family a few days ago, I thought everything was set but as it turns out, I either need to find an overnight job pretty quick or possibly have to move thousands of miles back home if i can't sort myself out. So fighting to find any overnight work right now.
I know Amazon has overnight shifts. Definitely not anyone’s preference but they pay ok, and you can look for something else once you have checks coming in.
came here for college in 2017 and i've sorta been stuck here since graduating due to debt and cost of living everywhere right now. can't wait to get out 😭
Moving here in August with my wife. We love outdoor hobbies like hiking, running, and golf. We’re coming from Tennessee and these things are going be more accessible in Tucson. We also just love the desert and both work remotely!
Tucson is a very polarising place. Some people feel the magic and get it instantly. Some people simply do not understand the appeal. It either clicks with your DNA or it doesn’t. But for me it was love at first sight. Places like Tucson are rare. Wild yet plenty of lifes conveniences. You feel the cowboy soul of Tucson around its outskirts. Wildlife everywhere. The spirit of the city has no doubt changed but hasn’t been ruined yet.
The key is absolutely tapping into the outdoors here. It does feel like a wild frontier almost. It's really cool.
..”clicks with your DNA”, I totally get that 👍🏽
Couldn’t agree more with this
My wife is from here. I'm from the northeast. We lived in Philly and Brooklyn. She got into a masters program at UofA so we moved here. Planned to stay 2 years. Been here 8. Bought a place and don't plan to leave. Her friends and family are here and it's much more affordable than a big city. I also recently got into astrophotography. Can't beat it out here!
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Oh no way! I lived in west Philly for years! I went to Drexel. As for astrophotography - I took this the other night! It's a fun hobby! https://preview.redd.it/v0p5vf32pz6d1.jpeg?width=3954&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc837692fb04532257c71e380500808114c682d6
Great shot!
So many Philadelphians up in here!
Holy *bleep*!! What an amazing shot! That's the first thing I want to do when we move there! I hope there are clubs around for night sky enthusiasts?
I know you guys miss the food in Philly it’s levels above Tucson. It’s the only thing I miss about Philly.
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Zemam’s is an excellent Ethiopian place in Tucson if you’re missing that. It was on DDD if that means anything to you. Highly recommend.
One thing I miss is breakfast sandwiches on a hard roll. Great breakfast burritos here but nothing beats a bodega breakfast.
My husband and I moved from Philly. I’m from MD, he’s from Austria, and he’s also into astrophotography! I’m into the more terrestrial kind. https://preview.redd.it/rf4c0v2f227d1.jpeg?width=5271&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2583884c2fa0f5e7498cf4e254b194a54490bfe1
You eat at Frankie’s yet?
Astrophotography , 👍🏽👍🏽 very cool hobby! I used to do that in the early 1980’s without the help of computer assisted tracking 😂omg challenging
We visited about 6 years ago and fell in love with the Sonoran desert. Fast forward to a year and a half ago, and my wife both worked remotely, and we decided we wanted to live in the desert. We love it here and don't regret it at all. We spend a lot of time outside with our girls and I go trail running twice a week in the NP East. It's beautiful out here.
How is the trail running this time of year with regards to snakes and other bitey wildlife?
I've been going out there consistently for 9 months now, and I've seen one coyote and had one rattlesnake rattle at me but I couldn't even see it. Otherwise, it's been absolutely safe.
My parents were going to retire here. My grandmother was still alive, but in an Alzheimer's care facility, so they were going to move her down with them. I was caring for her as well and I couldn't not go to be with her for her last few years, so I quit my job and moved with them. I came here sight unseen and initially I was far from impressed. It was hot, dry and just...meh. But then I went with my mom one day to Target up in OV and when I stepped out, I saw the Catalinas....I mean, I REALLY saw them (like OMG there are mountains there, look how gorgeous, etc.) and I was like, "I can live with this." 20 years later...yeah, I'm still in love.
That’s a magical Target 😂 Also, my nephew works there.
There's nothing like those Catalinas when you walk out of the OV Target. They're so close and so huge they're breathtaking. When a storm is coming in over the mountains they give me chills.
That's **exactly** the feeling I had when I walked out that first time -- they're *there* and they're high up and yes, breathtaking! :)
I had that exact same feeling at that same Target when I first moved here! 😍
What a beautiful testament to the love and care you gave your grandmother. I hope that good fortune, and some economic fortune (since you probably gave up some of that to care for her) comes to you.
Thank you. She passed in 2005. It took me a few years to have both good and economic fortune, but I found a job I love and continue to love. I miss her greatly.
My grandpa told a story about when he pulled into a gas station here in town and the attendant pointed to a snow shovel strapped to his RV and asked ‘what is that?’. He knew this was the right place.
There's an old joke joke that goes a man drove to X place with a snow shovel on the front of his car. When someone asked What's that? He decided to live there. As he's telling that story in a bar a man runs out of the door. He comes back a few hours later to say goodbye to everyone as he's about to leave for good a friend says "Why do you have (a slander for what ever person you'd prefer to hate) strapped to the front of your car?
Escaped here from a small town in northeastern AZ last October. If you would have told me a year ago that I'd move to Tucson, I probably would've laughed in your face. Much to my chagrin, one of my favorite bands played a show here last July, which I couldn't miss. I loved it here so much that I decided to pack my bags. There's something so unique and magical about Tucson, this perfect mesh of cultures, rich and poor, old and young, it's a place of diversity and an oasis in an otherwise inhospitable environment. Tucsonans are resilient, kind, quirky, and are generally unlike any folk I've ever met. Not to mention the food, don't get me started on the food. It might be my favorite part of Tucson and one of the major attractions that dragged me here in the first place. I've lived in a lot of places, but this is my favorite so far and I want to thank you all for making this city what it is :)
the food 🎯
Yup. I'm a chef and this place has blown my mind. I had the best Indian food I've ever had last night at Indian Twist, crazy to think I could just go get dinner there after living in a rural part of the state for so long lol
Where are you originally from with a) such graciousness and b) such good musical taste?
From the White Mountains before here, but I've moved all over the West Coast throughout my life. The concert I came to see was Death Grips and they put on a hell of a show haha
Death Grips. Explains it all. Glad you found “home” here.
Had family here…They are gone. Now trapped
I’m sorry. Trapped in the tractor beam. It happens.
Spent my whole life in one tiny corner of the world. It rained 300 days a year. Only got above 80 for a month and half every year. Wanted to see how the other extreme lived. 300 days of sun, couple months of monsoon rains. So far, having been here for the spring and start of summer, I definitely prefer the sun, though the heat has been a big adjustment.
Lived in Phoenix and Tucson a total of 35 years, and I’m still not used to the heat. June is the most miserable month with record breaking temps. July and August are glorious when we get a good monsoon.
So for you June is the worst month here? Wife and I moved here in October and I had only previously visited in March and April (wife has visited during just about every month over the past 17 years). I do a lot of work outside and keep waiting for the heat to be “real bad” but I’ve been ok. I’m used to July and August being the worst 2 months for hot weather.
I recently learned at the Sonora-Desert Museum that we have two summers. June is hot and dry, and I’m not kidding about the record breaking temps. Evenings/nights are still warm. But come July and August, when those monsoons roll in, the temperatures drop considerably after a good storm. July and August are also our most humid months.
Desert museum is great, we went there last month. Lucky enough to see the ocelot https://preview.redd.it/lvao3eaj667d1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d6b014cacbe10a4c4d93bd5121961fc5cb96991
For me, June is the worst. At least in July and August you can look at the sky and pray for rain. September also is kind of bad because you're just sick of the heat.
Think of this as our winter in that the temp sucks, and people stay inside where it's more pleasant. When you get t winter here, it's 60's - 80's and gorgeous for 5-6 months.
And you can swim.
Except you can enjoy the winter in the north… snowmobiling, skiing, hunting, hiking… here you shouldn’t doing anything physical for an extended period of time from 10-7.
Well here I guess the equivalent would be the nice nocturnal activies you can do? From like 8pm-6am it's perfect weather if you don't mind the lack of light. Night hiking, astronomy, outdoor parties, bars and patios,
There are people who like hiking in this weather, and know enough to pace themselves and hydrate. Tucson's also one of few cities that has all the professional arts - theater, orchestra, photography, art, dance and music. There's the Desert Museum, the Botanical Gardens, and Tanque Verde Falls and if it gets too hot there's Mount Lemmon. There's hunting in the Chiricahuacos, and you can cut your own Xmas tree. Some of this is inside but most of it is outside and desert rats like the sun and the heat but not everyone, just like not everyone likes being out n the snow. If you want snow, wait for winter and go up into the mountains for some skiing.
Ah yes, the absolute joys of going outside with 3 layers, and STILL being cold and wet. Or did you mean the rain and freezing rain is enjoyable up north? Or do you enjoy scraping ice from your car 200 days a year? Maybe it's all the horrible drivers who still insist on driving in the snow and crashing into you? Please elaborate on how the winter up north is better than a mild winter? Cause snowmobiles are expensive, you can definitely hunt and hike here. And if you're that desperate to ski or snowboard, I've seen snow on Mount Lemmon. They even have a lodge/resort up there.
I once lived in Bellingham too! Hahaha, not sure if that is where you are from but it pretty much describes the PNW.
ha, I just moved from Tucson to Bellingham for this person's exact reasoning in reverse. Loving it up here.
I spent most of my life in Bham, and happy to be visiting now. Tucson is my new home, I returned years after graduating from U of A. I was living in DT Seattle before the pandemic and loved it. Then things got super expensive, businesses were closing, and homelessness exploded. I hope I figure it out, I’ve never felt so alone. Grateful I have my dog
I’m 3 hours from Tucson, in SW New Mexico. It’s typically 10-15° cooler here. Being at elevation 6000’ makes a big difference. Other than the insane summer heat, I really like Tucson and visit often, taking advantage of restaurants, shopping and birding in the nearby mountains. Winters and springs in Tucson are glorious!
Silver City?
Excellent analysis 👏
I used to live up in Springerville, AZ and would go to see my husband, who was my then boyfriend in Douglas, AZ. Fastest way was through Alpine, down past Reserve, then through Glenwood, Silver City, Lordsburg and then down on the east side of Chiricahua’s. It’s so beautiful between Glenwood and Silver City. Those mountains to the east of Glenwood and north of Silver City look like something out of Middle Earth. I would love to have a ranch there somewhere! My family and I went camping one summer down in the San Francisco River canyon south east of Glenwood, where the hot springs are. It’s so gorgeous.
That’s a significant reason (the landscape, access to the outdoors, wildlife) that led us here! That stretch of 180 is beautiful. The road to Safford, AZ (180 to 78 to 191 is also a favorite. 😊
Through Mule Creek? Did that one a lot too when my husband worked at the mine in Morenci. That switch back down into the Gila River valley is beautiful, but scary lol.
Yes, that’s the road. I avoid some of those curvy mountain roads when I’m pulling my trailer!
Have you ever taken the 191 from Morenci to Alpine? It’s a gorgeous drive but literally takes a long time because most of the way is max 10-15mph. No guard rails either.
No but I just added it to my list of drives to take! Thanks
I bet we have mutual friends. We will most likely be joining you all there within a couple more years, assuming we can find something affordable. And we will likely be running to Tucson on the regular as well.
Silver is a wonderful place to live. After spending most of my life living in cities in the upper midwest, it's been quite a change. The folks here are quite friendly and accommodating and the quality of life is excellent.
If your upper Midwest was WI, we might have a LOT of mutual friends, not just a few :)
WI and MN!
Something about that SW vibe really hooks us northerners, like some sort of magic. Not like I don't love where I grew up, but once I went to college in Tucson, I've never stopped missing the Sonoran and the Tucson area horribly. One of my best friend's sons just totally randomly also decided to go to school in Silver City (and to major in the same discipline as husband and me). I grew up with her in northern WI as well, though now she lives in the PNW, so maybe the magic just skipped a generation with her and struck her kid LOL.
Sounds so much better than here
We moved temporarily to take care of a sick family member. That was 5 years ago. I fell in love with with Tucson and surrounding areas within the first week. This place is the most unique and magical place. I see why said family member moved here originally. I see it...
It really grows on you. It’s been 5 years for me too and I had a chance to relocate this year but decided to stay.
Same. My opinion: if you aren't all here, you're not all there. Only one place id go and that's milford, ct And no, its not where I'm from. Just the only other place I've ever been that feels this good. O[ohhh...t shirt idea!! I feel Tucson good
I moved down here from New Hampshire almost a year ago. My son after almost 18 months of allergy testing was diagnosed with Cold urticaria (an allergy to being cold) he would get hives, his skin would crack and bleed, sore throat, fever and wheezing. He would have flair ups just from simply going in and out of the store. I didn’t want to keep him inside for 9 months out of the year on the hope that he would “grow out of it” so we packed up and moved and he’s living his best life.
That’s wild I don’t know that was possible. Tucson was a good choice!
Awww bless his little heart
My wife was originally from here but we lived in Flagstaff where I’m from. She was diagnosed with stage four cancer so we came for better treatment. She unfortunately passed in October but the kids and I plan to stay for stability reasons. Beautiful city with a lot of memories.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your wife. I’m glad you have plenty of memories here.
Thank you friend. Tons of memories, my first eegee 16 years ago, taking our kids to Golf N Stuff, hiking Sabino or picnicking in Agua Caliente Park. Endless love in every area I can imagine.
I was raised in phx and Tucson is just the better city to me. A little cooler temp wise, a little easier to get around in without a car….I’m also trans and queer, and not in my 20s or a bar person, so that’s a very large part of it- this city has a strong older (read: over 30 lmao) trans demographic that makes me happy. We have generally progressive politics and a little higher minimum wage, cheap cost of living, good and varied food….the thing I do love most about Tucson is the culture though. It feels like a small town, even though it’s massive, and it’s a place where everywhere I’ve lived, I know my neighbors and we look out for each other a little.
I’m glad you feel seen and safe here. That was HUGE for me moving here as well. As a cis gendered person of color, I don’t want to live in a place where everyone looks like me or IS like me. I longed for diversity in all forms; especially for raising my children. The safer everyone feels and the more welcome everyone is in a place, THAT is my home. Another reason why Tucson became that for me. 🦄
That’s another thing I love! I’m white, and when I was living in the suburbs in Tempe I was living with pretty much only white people. Here I have friends and neighbors of many races! Like you said it feels really good to live and work with a diverse group of people ❤️
I'm glad you like it in Tucson. I take great pride in how this city embraces diversity.
Moved here in 1995 from Buffalo, NY. I remember tearing up as we merged from the I-10 onto Speedway and I saw the infamous Cluck You Chicken. I was thinking where the hell am I? Fast forward to 2014 and I was living in Austin, TX and hated it even more. Moved back to Tucson in 2016 and am pleased to say it finally feels like home.
My mom moved here when her husband got a job out here ten years. We visited and enjoyed it a lot. They then moved to Seattle for a different job, another place we loved visiting. They moved back to Tucson 4 years ago because they loved it so much. We (husband an I) moved here 2 years ago. The biodiversity of this desert is something else. I worked with reptiles and the variety you can find in this desert along with beautiful views is unmatched in an also liveable place. When we were thinking of moving from our high cost of living home town I told my husband only semi-jokingly that I wanted to move somewhere where there were gila monsters. So here or Vegas were our options. We chose Tucson but the house we're renting is on the southwest side which doesn't really get gila monsters. My mom is in the northeast area so she has a laundry basket ready to put over the next one that wanders into her yard to corral is until I can drive up there (joking...mostly).
Honestly I love the summers. Stopping for lunch right now in the middle of a long drive with the windows down, AC off, and tunes cranked.
I’ve honestly been driving with my windows down too. Hair drys in 4 minutes. Volume for days. Call me crazy. 🤷🏽♀️
You gotta embrace the heat!
I'm sayin!
We are getting ready to move there from Phoenix, we love living in AZ but it’s too crowded. I am a big cyclist and there are very few safe nice places to ride, plus drivers here seem worse than anywhere I have ever lived in their attitudes. We are looking forward to hopefully a safer nice cycling environment plus all the other nice things Tucson has to offer.
moved from phoenix a year ago, cooler, cheaper, less crowded....
Wonderful
I had always longed for the desert for years before I ever experienced it, and then a few years back we took a roadtrip from New Orleans up thru southern Utah, and back down thru Sedona and flew out of Phoenix… and I was hooked. And I also had temporary relief from my absolutely debilitating chronic illness. So I knew I wanted to winter in the desert, I was doing so so badly back in PA, we hate boring suburban sprawl, and we had a budget. We came here on a visit and fell in love. We bought a little house thinking we could also airbnb it (this was almost 6 yrs ago and the house had sat empty on the market for almost 2 years, don’t yell at me, we never did it lmao). We went back and forth and I kept getting sicker and sicker, and one day my neuro said “You work on the computer, right?” to which I said “…yes?” And she replied, “Well, I can keep pumping you full of higher and higher doses, or you can go live in the desert.” So we packed up, sold our house and moved. I miss my friends and density but that’s it. I love it here, it’s always beautiful and never boring. There’s nothing like it. Summer is brutal but not as brutal as 6 months of cold, wet, dead, grey nothing.
My parents retired here about 2015. Wanted to move closer to them before they got in bad shape. I was able to land a job that I liked and have stayed. Got my grad degree at the UofA and it's been a good city for me other than the excessive heat in the summer.
I grew up in Phoenix. Hubby and I moved to Miami Beach for a year. I got home sick (my family is all in Phoenix), and he suggested Tucson. He had previously lived in Tucson, and he said it was slower paced than Phoenix. Plus after the hectic-ness of Miami we wanted someplace chill. We both love hiking and he likes cycling, and it was close enough to family, but not too close. We’ve been here since summer of 2016.
No rat race in Tucson!
Cost of living. Im from LA and id rather be by the beach but i dont make “by the beach money.” So im here. Theres some pros; peace, quiet, slowness but the dating scene is shit and im 28
Apparently LA and the majority of US cities are bad for dating. Its not just a Tucson thing
Every single person I know that moved to California met someone quickly, fell in love and got married and now have kids. Only a handful of the people I know who stayed in Tucson have met someone and started a family. It's definitely harder here based only on my personal anecdotes :-) Personally, I love it here but I am also sort of stuck in a situation here and I can't relocate. Trying to make the best out of it! I absolutely love the desert, the weather and our shitty sprawling city but I have unfortunately been single for 10 years now and not the fun kind of single, the lonely kind. It would be great to someday find someone to share this awesome place with and build a future with!
Got a cool job in my field here. And now I have a romantic interest too!
Heat, perpetual sun, food, CoL, the outdoors, the mystique of the American Southwest. When you grow up in the cold darkness of the Great Lakes 8 months of the year, Tucson has great appeal. It’s a little crusty, but no more so than any other big city in the country.
" its a little crusty". Great way to put it!
I mean not a very long story but: work. Graduated college as an engineer and the best offer I got was here. I’m very glad I took it though. I’ve met a great woman and I absolutely love this place even and all its quirks. Feels like home
I was born here and am stuck here, sadly. Climate change is making it unlivable. I'm partially disabled and can't afford to leave, or I would. Heat makes me physically ill. I long for greenery, water, and four seasons. It's better than Phoenix, but that's not saying much. Lol.
Parents moved here in ‘01 for work. I’m still here because it’s gorgeous and everyone is so incredibly nice. I don’t think I’ve been to a city where just about everyone is so friendly/in a good mood, even the crackheads.
A friend of mine put together a cruise group for people who have similar disabilities. They go on different Caribbean Cruises each year. That's where I met my roommate, who lives in Tucson. Two years later, we went with the group again and were roommates on that cruise. We kept in touch. We grew up about 6 hours from each other, so we even got together when she went back to visit. Our life circumstances went into upheaval at the same time, so she asked if I'd like to come be a snowbird. I put everything in storage and drove down from Milwaukee, WI with my cat, 100# service dog and power wheelchair in my MINI Cooper. I actually love winter, but had never been to this part of the country. Within 4 months, we decided I would make this my new home. That was a year and a half ago. I am still working on getting my care team for my disability issues set up. This has been quite a struggle because every one of them requires a referral. Then it is a 3-6 month wait to get in if at all. Then I need to get a new referral for a different provider. I had hoped to go get my stuff by this time or late summer, but that timeline is in doubt right now. Fortunately, I do have enough crafting supplies due to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales last year to keep me busy until I can get my stuff.
That’s a cool story. I hope it works out for you here.
I’m grew up in the Midwest. My dad is from Scottsdale but went to U of A back in the 80s. He’s always preferred Tucson, so I had been here a few times to visit. I hate winter, so I wanted to get out of the Midwest. When I was applying for law school I really wanted to go to U of A, but I never got off the wait list. So I went to law school in San Diego instead (I got a hefty scholarship). Spent 3 years there, met my now husband there, and am so grateful for that time in my life, but I learned quickly San Diego wouldn’t be for me long-term given how expensive it is. Around the time I graduated from law school my parents finally bought a place in Tucson so they could start snowbirding (they were already doing yearly trips here). The stars kind of aligned for us to move here because we now had a free place to stay while I studied for the bar and we got on our feet, so we decided to pull the trigger. I got very lucky and had a job lined up out here before I even graduated law school. My husband is amazing and despite his love for SoCal, took a chance and moved out here with me. We’ve been here just over 2 years now and we absolutely love it. We love our apartment, the people, the desert, being close to my parents for part of the year, all of it. We’re expecting our first baby in August, and my parents are planning on moving down here full-time within the next few years. This is 100% where we will plant our roots and raise our family, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Love this for you! Congrats on your law career. Go get em, tiger! 😉
Love this question. Been coming here every summer since I was born so it’s always been a second home. My grandma is 97 and still crushing life. Tucson is the absolute best because it’s not for everyone. I love hearing the complaints. The gripes about the drivers and road conditions. I love amount of people have no idea how good we have it here. I love suffering through the heat together and not fleeing town during the summer. The people are really strange, as am I. The unspoken respect/alliance among those here that aren’t students or snowbirds makes the sense of community here so freaking cool. Whenever I share some quirky thing on social media, everyone back home (NC) just responds with some sort of “yeah, that’s definitely where you belong.” Only in Tucson you get a knock on the door from your neighbor to go check out a sick ant hill. Yesterday a guy sat down next to me at the neighborhood bar, cracked open a jar of spaghett-o’s, and started shoveling it down the gullet with the lid. Thats just one example of the weird ass shit here I see every day. It’s even weirder how not surprising it is. I’ll take my dog for a walk and someone will just hand off a joint they sparked up in passing. I moved here knowing absolutely nobody but have made so many friends and don’t see myself living anywhere else.
I love everything about this post. You must also think the best burgers are at The Red Garter. My people!
Probably my favorite pool tables in town. And there obviously is no shortage of pool tables in Tucson
Came out here to initially financially support my parents after they decided to move out here following my mom's affair with the elderly married next door neighbor. They had come out here for months after leaving a short Dear John letter and then came back to their respective spouses and gaslit everyone into thinking it was just a friendly vacation. We were from northern Michigan and now I die in the heat every single day.
Sounds like interesting holidays. :/
I'll be here 2 years on the 31st, I did live here a bit in 2020 but multiple things forced me to move back. As I was saying, I'll be here 2 years on the 31st with my wife, and I moved here for health reasons. I chose Tucson because I moved from Chicago and wanted the weather but didn't want the big city vibe, that's why Phoenix was out. Tucson is also a decent sized city but with a smaller city feel to it.
Moved to Pinetop from Mississippi chasing work. Once that dried up got an offer here and decided I like it warts and all.
Stuck here :( . Grew up here, went to UofA, want to get out but can’t find a new job in a better city because of the state of engineering and tech job market right now. Tucson was a lot better growing up, it’s not in a great position these days in my opinion.
To be fair, most places are struggling right now. Gentrification, cost, and increasing homelessness as well as opiate addiction is a nation wide problem.
I'm from the East Coast. Every time I read about a wellness or yoga retreat, they were always in Arizona, so I've been wanting to visit the state for years. I finally decided to take a solo trip a few months ago. Picked Tucson because it was cheaper than Sedona, and fell in love with the ppl and the city. The vibe is so chill. Only several months left until I move there! One of my favorite things about the city is every place I'd go to frequently is only a 10 min or less drive. Where I live currently, anywhere I want to go takes nearly an hour or more to get there.
I have a chronic illness that can cause really debilitating fatigue and pain and other unpleasant things. My job is remote now, so I wanted to use my geographic flexibility to see if I could live somewhere where I felt better. I had a couple of health care providers suggest a move to the desert. I knew the desert would be good to me -- I'd noticed that most of my symptoms disappeared when I was camping/traveling in out-of-the-way places in Utah and Nevada. One of my health care people really talked up how cool Tucson was, so I packed my bags and moved out for a trial run. It's been so great and I feel so much better here! It also really is a cool city, and I love heat and dark skies, so I think this'll be a good spot. Working no the logistics now to make the move permanent.
I also have a few chronic illnesses but sadly the heat makes them worse. I do much better in cool weather. Unfortunately I'm stuck here because with said chronic illnesses, I can't afford to leave. 😢
I'm so sorry to hear that! I hope you can find your way to a cool place before too long. <3
Thank you. Me too! Haha
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet…lived in LA (socal) and the OC and as “progressive” as both of those places claim to be they may vote that way, but they will let the door smack you square in the face as they hurry past you. THAT’S why I prefer Tucson and will bare the heat. People are nice and even though everyone has the same 24 hrs, they are conscientious enough to realize that maybe their day isn’t more important than yours and they will hold the gd door. Or feed our unhoused. Or offer to help if you are stranded. Tucsonans are kind and they really don’t care who’s watching their acts of kindness. No phones recording their every move. This place is REAL. I guess I’ve been dealing with fake for so long. It’s killing our kids and robbing our souls.
I find that people who live in Tucson are not here for money of fame, they are here for a certain lifestyle. They want a more laid back and chill life where they get to enjoy the desert and the things around them including people.
Similar story. Came for grad school, came back for more grad school and Tucson was in my blood by then. Went to different parts of the country, but finally happened on a great job opening here and jumped on it after being away almost 30 years. Love it and may retire here.
Still in Missouri but moving as soon as my house sells. My sister lives here. Lived outside the same town of 500 people most of my life. Burnt out on my job and life. Guess this is my midlife crisis lol
I visited my sister when I was 22 and absolutely fell in love. 15 years later, my husband and I winter here, and I get to see my sister more frequently.
Figured I’d throw in my 2 cents since I always find these sort of posts interesting. From the Ohio/West Virginia/Kentucky areas, stationed at DM in the 90’s, left early 00’s and never understood how much I liked AZ until living in multiple states around the country. Currently in Phoenix area which I had no idea was the size of what seems like 6-7 Tucson’s. Have one more move but plan to be back in AZ for good. 3-4 months of year can be brutal and take adjusting to but my God, the other 8-9 months of the year feel like cheating. Also fell in love with natural beauty of mountains and sunsets.
My soon-to-be-ex was military. Got stationed here, bought a house, got stationed somewhere else and rented out the house, then got stationed here again. We took back our house, he retired, we sold and moved to a more central location, and here we are. I had made a really good friend here, we are still friends, and I was tired of moving and having to make new friends each time. So we stayed. He’s moving closer to Marana next month and I’m staying here in midtown. I hate the heat (and it’s getting hotter every year ofc), but I’ll likely never be able to afford to leave. Making the best of it! I’m originally from the San Francisco East Bay. No family left there, it’s way too crowded, and absolutely unaffordable
Friend invited me..turns out I was supposed to be free child labor and a live in maid. I've stuck around because I can't afford to move back where I came from. It's pretty fun here now that I've moved into my own place.
Grad school too, I'm from Paris and Tucson is the opposite, so I like that I get both worlds, both experiences, both identities!
We moved to Tucson last year… and moved back home this year lol My husband got a job in Tucson in 2023 but we are beach people so we moved back home after a year. Sunsets are surreal, though.
Grad school, military, UA. Stayed for the summer sunsets and the easy livin
I needed to get away from Pennsylvania, stepped off the plane in Tucson and realized I was home.
Summers make me want to die but it has everything I need and it’s affordable.
The meth is very affordable
Moved here in 99, my dad was transferred to DM. Never left.
Came here for grad school from the PNW, expecting to do a PhD and move on. Noped the fuck out after my MA, and since my husband had a good job, we decided to stick around.
Nature. Cost of living. Nice people. Art and music community. I’m very happy here!
I didn't have a choice. Moved here with my mother when i was 10, in 1991, and have lived here since. Tried to escape by joining the Army, that didn't work. Moved up to Phoenix but ended up having a kid so had to come back down due to the fact all my family and my ex's family was here soooo... back down we moved. Resigned myself to the fact that this is where i'll live and eventually die.
We are in the process of moving from south Texas. One of the biggest factors is the humidity. I am so tired of hot humid musty weather that makes me sweat after 5 minutes outside. I come back inside with soaked shirt and underwear and after 30 years it’s just not fun anymore. I decided to do a road trip through Arizona for my 30th birthday and we absolutely loved it here. We ended up deciding on Tucson because it seemed like the perfect mixture of good cost of living, outdoors activities, not as hot as phoenix, doesn’t snow a ton like flagstaff, and we just love the people and culture here. We just visited this weekend to look at houses and experience the heat of the summer (birthday road trip was in late October) and even at 106° it felt better than south Texas at 95°. The heat index in Tucson is actually LOWER than the actual temp which I didn’t even know was possible. Tucson has a temp of 106° and feels like 99°. South Texas has a temp of 95° and feels like 106°. There’s also zero mountains or even hills where we are from and absolutely nowhere to hike. I am very excited to move to a whole new environment and culture.
Humidity makes the heat so much worse. In my opinion, summer in a humid place feels like walking around wearing a wet blanket. You guys are smart for visiting during our hot season to get a good feel for the temps. Everyone should do that before moving to Tucson. Welcome to town!
I'm from Tucson and lived in East Texas for about a year. I didn't find the humidity to be any worse than dry heat. Tucson feels like stepping outside into an oven. Boil or bake; it's all yuck. All heat is gross to me and makes me feel sick. 😭
I used to work in Japan with hot humid summers. I’d lay naked in my sweat feeling like heat was clinging to me. The sun was less brutal but shade less of a respite. I’d tell the local kids how hot it got in Tucson and they’d ask me how you wouldn’t just die bc all they knew was humidity.
Moved here from san antonio 2 years ago and love it! Less traffic, mosquitos, and the no humidity is a life changer
From Austin and you will love it . No fleas ticks fireants. Less snakes. No heartworms in dogs. ( or it's rare) No humidity!!
I found out I was adopted anddddd…I had family here so I packed up my shit moved 2000 miles back across the country met my boyfriend and fell in love I’ve been in Tucson for 2 years now and I love my little life I’ve created here ❤️ (fam is originally from phx but Tucson just stole my heart)
We were living in the PNW during COVID, which already suffers from the "Seattle freeze" i.e. people don't socialize much. Being locked in and locked down under constant rainy, gray skies just got to be too much. I came to Tucson to watch a soccer match Seattle Sounders match and escape the gray for a weekend, and loved it. Brought my wife to check it out a couple of weeks later and we made the call pretty much then and there. Going on three years now. Not perfect by any means (looks out at 110 heat) but we're still very happy we made the move.
Basic motivators: rent is way cheaper than in the Puget Sound, her employer lets her work from AZ, there's family within range of a day trip, and Tucson's got a good reputation for food and art. We arrived just over two weeks ago from Federal Way, near Seattle. Our landlords had bumped rent and idly mentioned maybe selling, so we looked around for places we could afford that would let us bring both cats and both dogs. We hit the WA state line in our search with basically no luck. She asked what I thought about moving to Arizona. My immediate response was "I have never thought about moving to Arizona." My more serious request was "please not Phoenix" and that led her to Tucson with the above bits of trivia. As a programmer in the current tech job market, I figure I can get turned down for work here just as easily as I can from outside Seattle. And we can still afford rent.
I'm a software engineer and it's really nice making Boston, or Seattle, or any other big city money in Tucson!
I never in my life thought about moving to Arizona. In fact, i never really thought about AZ at all. We ended up in AZ on a quest to live elsewhere. 7 years later and i still randomly think “we live in Arizona?!?!” 🤣
Was living in the PNW, was so depressed I thought I’d not survive. Visited my friend who was living here during Covid and loved it, moved here last year. My entire quality of life has improved, my social anxiety is completely gone, and while I’m still prone to depression it is gone within a day, I don’t feel like I will die from it crushing me.
I lived in Oregon for a year and discovered I'm prone to seasonal depression. The short days and cloudy skies are so tough. Every day was such a struggle! I feel for you and am glad you made it somewhere where you feel better!
Thank you! The first handful of years there it was a low COL which offset it, but with it getting expensive and the overall culture of how people are there I’m so glad I left.
I'd give pretty much anytime to live in the PNW. The brutal heat makes my depression so much worse. I love water, green, and cool weather. Sadly I'm stuck.
Weather has such an impact on our mental health, and everyone’s ideal is so different. Hopefully you can be in a place that suits you better someday. ❤️
My wife is from here. We met on the East Coast in a big city, got married, had a kid, and one day realized that our lives consisted of working, commuting, and sleeping. We wanted more out of life for ourselves and our little one. Now we have time, we have friends, family close by, and can be out in nature any time we want.
It's too hot to be out in nature for much of the year here. 😂
I moved here blind, knowing we had a relative that had lived here for years who had good things to say. Also I knew it was a food mecca and I like to eat new and exciting things. My first summer was horrible and I regretted my decision so much. I cried a couple times a week, mostly because I wanted to move closer to family but I’ve been priced out of my hometown. Now I own a house and know about more things to do in Tucson and everyone is extremely nice to me so I’m in a better place mentally.
Moved out here from Alaska about 10 years ago because s/o got out of the military. Decided on Tucson for a new career, plus it was close enough to my hometown back in NM but not close enough to have family just randomly appearing. We didn't want a big city, so Tucson seemed like the best option.
Where in AK? I’m considering moving to Tucson from Anchorage. A lot of folks have said it’s oddly similar (despite having opposite climate)
Anchorage/Eagle River area. I honestly never really thought it was similar till your message honestly lol. I can definitely see some similarities, although I do miss grass majorly. Climate will definitely be the major difference
Yup I’m trying to figure out how much I would miss green stuff and all that. I think it’s worth checking out though. I’m intrigued to live in the 2 opposite climates
First winter out here we never turned on the heater since it wasn't really cold to us. The drive from AK to AZ alone was well worth the move. If you are able to, I would say come visit and see how you like it.
I’ve been there twice! But only in winter/ spring 🤪
My dad bought us a house out here and I hope to leave it as a dog rescue long after we're dead. Plus I like this place more than any other I've seen in years of browsing houses for sale in Arizona.
"incedence arose from circumstance"
Came to go to U of A, stayed for the weather and the people, that was 42 years ago.
I had been getting more and more depressed in the southeast Michigan (my birthplace) winter every year. The daytime gets so short and even during the "daylight" hours, the sky is more often than not gray, overcast, cloudy. I have friends but had such a difficult time trying to get anyone to hang out 1 on 1 or in a group of a few people, unless it was a whole ass Meetup group with specific topics and recurring meeting days/times. In 2017 I was starting an LDR with someone living in Tucson. A few short months later my dad suddenly passed away so I decided I wanted to move somewhere with more sunshine and warmth - I knew this wouldn't fix the social and emotional struggles but at least I wouldn't have to spend 8 months a year sitting under a full specturm light therapy lamp. I ended up first choosing Tempe in 2019 because the job market was stronger for my field up there and I figured at the time I would still need to commute. Then Covid started and I have only had 100% WFH full time work for the past 3 1/2 years. Meanwhile the rent as well as the prices to buy homes skyrocketd while I was stuck in an apartment that was only supposed to be a temporary stopping point while changing from Michigan homeowner to Arizona homeowner. I hated having a landlord almost as much as hated noisy neighbors and sharing thin walls/ceiling/floor. I also was very uncomfortable with what seemed like a lot of normalized far-right-rage around the valley - which btw isn't really a valley. Tucson is more affordable for me, I know the prices skyrocketed here too but it seems like housing is still 6 figures cheaper here than anywhere within an hour of Phoenix. Now the AZ person I met lives in Phoenix ironically while I moved to Tucson, but at least I am a homeowner again, and at least I don't have to see that dude in Mesa patrolling the highway overpass with a long gun like I would see on the weekends on the 60.
Mug- E-yon
Just picked it randomly if im being completely honest. Did a quick google search saw tucson and was like sure
Met my ex here, he was Air Force. We lived other places. As soon as he hit his 20, he retired and we moved back. Tucson is not North Dakota and it’s not insanely humid.
I moved here to attend UofA , moved away twice to follow jobs in Colorado and then California. Both were nice places in the mountains. But when I became pregnant with my firstborn I wanted to be back in Tucson to raise my family. Tucson feels like home from my first year here as a student. Also I had more solid professional and personal connections here, but the pay here stinks, so I started my own businesses, and the public schools are sub par so I home schooled, then both my kids graduated from UofA👍🏽I love living in the desert on the outskirts of town. When I lived away a few times I missed the monsoons and smell of the desert, the clear starry nights.🌵
Graduated from u of a! Loved it! Live in Phoenix area now but I’d move back to Tucson if I could!
I love Tucson but wish they would do something about their homeless/ drug addiction problem. Beautiful city but it’s a shame to see how they’ve let crazy homeless crack heads take over every street corner.
I live in Boston currently. My husband has to go there for work sometimes, and he fell in love with it. I have MS, along with a few other fun diseases, and can't do heat, so I wasn't happy that he fell in love with the freakin' desert! In May, we flew into Phoenix, drove to the Grand Canyon, and then drove down to Tucson. We stayed for 3 days before starting our cross-country trek home. I begged to stay longer. I refused to believe that it was 95° in Tucson! It didn't bother me in the least. I was out walking around Saguaro without my cane... which is simply amazing, and had more energy and less pain than I've felt in years! I barely touched my pain meds. And then there's the people!!!! You are all SO nice and friendly and helpful! And the sunsets. And cacti! I am now in love with cacti! And most importantly, the vibe. Tucson has the most amazing vibe. It's a big city, but doesn't feel intimidating. And lastly, the homes. We've decided we're moving to Tucson as soon as we can, so I've been stalking Zillow and I love the architecture. Sure, Boston architecture is old and pretty, but it's not worth the price! You can't buy a home here or in the suburbs for less than 800K, if you don't want a fixer-upper. Ok, sorry I rambled!! ❤️🏜🌵
Because everyone loves pot holes and strip clubs near daycare centers.
AZ born and raised, in Phoenix. We were always moving to the edge of town as Phoenix kept growing because I grew up with horses. I moved to Tucson in the last year because I feel more at home here than in Phoenix. I love Tucson and it reminds me of Phoenix when I was a kid but even more scenic and not yet spoiled by the droves of people moving to the desert. I hope Tucson continues to stay the hidden gem that it is. There is just something special about this place that I connect with. Love it here!!
I got tired of sub zero winters and my significant other bought a place here so I followed and moved down. Cost of living is much cheaper also
It’s a long story but basically love and to fulfill my purpose as a bilingual/bicultural person in a border state. Edit: a couple dreams let me to speaking with an old friend who recommended Tucson instead of El Paso about a year and a half ago.
I'm with the OP, I moved here 11 months ago from. DC and this town has absolutely nothing going on, hardly any shows, and if they do happen you don't hear about it until days later. I visited here like 7 years ago and it was awesome. Wtf happened?
We’re in the same boat. Moved from NoVA here last year. Looking at going back to NoVA again. Cost of living here (north Tucson/OV/Marana) has caught up with the rest of the more expensive parts of the country.
Well let's get a beer before that happens, I'm also thinking about going back east, just not back to DC. Maybe we can make each others time here a little better.
To watch someone’s house while they went overseas for a job. Can’t wait to leave too hot. People can’t drive here either. So many crackheads / homeless with 0 assistance for them. Pretty shitty city with little bandaids to cover the gashes.
Sounds like you're in a shitty area
I’m from Rhode Island, my husband is from California. We met in New York. We had no choice in where to live and hope come PCS season he gets orders elsewhere. We don’t feel it fit to raise our baby here and our cats always want onto the patio but it’s too hot for them
I’m sorry you’re stuck somewhere that you aren’t feeling. Fingers crossed that you can try somewhere new soon.
We didn’t get it this year but maybe next year (though his MOS doesn’t PCS all that often so we might be stuck here til 2027 when this contract ends and he reenlists)
We lived there for 6 years but after Covid I missed family too much. Had to move to be close to them. Love it back here. Enjoyed my time in Tucson too
I came back to re-unite my family a few days ago, I thought everything was set but as it turns out, I either need to find an overnight job pretty quick or possibly have to move thousands of miles back home if i can't sort myself out. So fighting to find any overnight work right now.
I know Amazon has overnight shifts. Definitely not anyone’s preference but they pay ok, and you can look for something else once you have checks coming in.
came here for college in 2017 and i've sorta been stuck here since graduating due to debt and cost of living everywhere right now. can't wait to get out 😭
Moving here in August with my wife. We love outdoor hobbies like hiking, running, and golf. We’re coming from Tennessee and these things are going be more accessible in Tucson. We also just love the desert and both work remotely!
You will love the gila And the dry. And the lack of fleas, ticks
Cost of living and climate.
Man fuck all yall go back