Is Scottsdale a Good Place to Live?

Scottsdale draws people who want to have an upscale desert living experience with nearly year-round sunshine. While the cost of living in Scottsdale is higher than the national average, the community enjoys a low crime rate, highly rated public schools and a low unemployment rate. Additionally, the community’s proximity to Phoenix provides additional opportunities for employment and higher education. Read on about some of the reasons that make Scottsdale such a great place to live.

Employment in Scottsdale

There are a wide variety of employment options in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area. Manufacturing and tourism are the primary industries. Manufacturing includes aircraft parts, electronic equipment, radios, leather goods and more.
The largest public sector employees in the Scottsdale area include Scottsdale Unified School District and the City of Scottsdale. The largest private sector employers Scottsdale area include Scottsdale Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, General Dynamics, CVS Caremark and Go Daddy. Additionally, some people chose to work in Phoenix, which has a wide variety of employers of varying sizes.
The unemployment rate is in Scottsdale is below the national average. In February 2013, Scottsdale had an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent, which is two percent lower than the national average of 7.5 percent. Unemployment in adjacent Phoenix was also below the national average in February 2013, with a rate of 6.7 percent.

Cost of Living

Jacksonville’s cost of living is higher than the national average. Scottsdale’s cost of living is 122 compared to a national average of 100. While food and utility costs in Scottsdale are on par with the rest of the county, the higher housing prices drive the overall higher cost of living in Scottsdale.

Education and Schools

Scottsdale is rich with educational resources for all age groups. The Scottsdale Unified School District serves Scottsdale as well as Paradise Valley and portions of Phoenix and Tempe. The schools are all highly rated within Arizona.
For higher education opportunities there is Scottsdale Community College. There are also technical/vocational schools like the Arizona Culinary Institute. In Phoenix, which is about 20-miles from Scottsdale there is a dozens of schools, including community colleges, private colleges and as well as Arizona State University.

Crime Rate

Scottsdale has a lower crime rate that Maricopa County as well as Arizona. There is a higher average household income, family income and per capital income in Scottsdale compared to the rest of Arizona, which plays a role in the lower crime rate. The Scottsdale Police Department runs a neighborhood watch program, a crime prevention program and other programs to deter and reduce crime proactively.

Park and Recreation in Scottsdale

The City of Scottsdale maintains a robust Parks and Recreation Department which includes a network of parks, fields, pools, fitness center, senior centers, tennis courts, and more. They also have a full slate of recreation classes for a wide variety of ages. Whether you want to play some tennis or just have an impromptu picnic, the large network of park and recreation opportunities is a real bonus to those living in the Scottsdale area.