Moving from Minneapolis, MN to Phoenix, AZ

Are you moving from Minneapolis, MN to Phoenix, AZ?

From snow to sunshine

From the snow to the sunshine! I’m sure that’s the first thing your neighbors thought of when they learned about your move from Minneapolis to Phoenix. And indeed they were right. You won’t be ice skating on a snow-covered Lake Harriet when you get to Phoenix! What will you get in its place? Three hundred days of beautiful sunshine, cool winters with no sleet or snow shoveling, and a lower cost of living to name a few! Let’s look at some of the reasons you’ll like your new sunshiny home.

Five Phoenix Facts

  • It’s the capital of Arizona and the state’s most populous city.
  • The current population is roughly 1,625,000.
  • It’s located in Maricopa County (you’ll need that for voter registration!).
  • Phoenix got its name because it was birthed out of the ruins of an older civilization (a Native American tribe had dwelt there beforehand).
  • Four Fortune 500 companies call Phoenix their home.

What is the Valley of the Sun?

That’s what the Phoenix metropolitan area is called. It’s also referred to as the Salt River Valley, The Valley or just Metro Phoenix. It includes a large portion of the central part of the state of Arizona — Scottsdale, Mesa, Phoenix (the largest of the metropolitan’s cities), Chandler, Tempe, Surprise, Glendale and several other smaller suburbs. Whatever you choose to call it, the metro area is booming; it has a population of over four and a half million.

Climate in Phoenix

The Arizona climate might actually be the reason that you’re moving to Phoenix. Many people migrate to south-central Arizona for no other reason. The clean, dry desert air and overall lack of allergens brings many allergy-prone people to live in The Valley.

Summers are hot in Phoenix, and they’re quite long (thank goodness for air conditioning!). June through August averages near or over 100 degrees on most days. But the good news is that it’s not muggy. With less than ten inches of rain per year, Phoenix is anything but a high-humidity area! Winters are very mild, with no snow. Even January, the coolest month, has an average low of the mid-40s. So no need to pack your snow shovel!

Cost of Living in Phoenix as Compared to Minneapolis

It’s more affordable to live in Phoenix than in Minneapolis. The cost of living in your new city will be a little under ten per cent lower than your previous city. So you can save some money at the end of the month! A few factors play into this, but the biggest one is the price of buying a house. Housing is about 15% less expensive in the Valley of the Sun. The median home price ranges from $191,000 to $213,000. Health costs are cheaper in Arizona, as well, though not as drastically — they’re about 5% lower than in MN.

Jobs in Phoenix

Phoenix is the center of Arizona’s economy. Because of the nearly-endless sunshine and warm weather, tourists flock from all over North America to take in a bit of the city, making tourism a major economic driver. Food prep and retail are, as well, largely because of the tourism factor. Insurance, finance, manufacturing, management occupations and healthcare also are big players. Real estate is a pretty big deal, too. Real estate developers don’t have a lot of restrictions to fight against when building, so during times of a strong economy, it and construction surge. So if you haven’t found a job in The Valley yet, you have lots of fields to choose from!

Income tax in Phoenix is fairly low — 3.36%, and sales tax is 8.60%.

Healthcare in the Valley of the Sun

Phoenix has great healthcare. It has enough hospitals and medical centers to meet the needs of the bourgeoning population, too. There are forty-two licensed hospitals in the region and more than 33,000 medical professionals. So don’t worry about your family’s healthcare needs — the Valley of the Sun has you covered!

Education

If you’re moving into Maricopa County with school-aged children, you’ll have 58 school district to choose from. And if you’re moving into Phoenix itself, you can choose from among 16 school districts (benefit of having such a large population!). The area has several charter schools and a pretty strong magnet program, as well, with magnet schools specializing in such things as computer studies, aerospace, agri-business and other fields.

For higher education, the first thing people think of when they think of this area is University of Phoenix. And they should! This enormous educator is housed in Phoenix and boasts over 300,000 students throughout North America. But for on-campus studies, Arizona State University, or ASU, is the biggest educator in the The Valley (though its main campus is actually in Tempe). For three years in a row, ASU has been ranked at the very top of U.S News and World Report’s list of Most Innovative Schools in America.

Moving from Minneapolis to Phoenix

Once you’ve decided to move from Minneapolis to Phoenix, the actual moving part should be the least of your worries. With nearly 1,800 driving miles between the two cities, you for sure don’t want to haul a rental truck all that way! Instead, let U-Pack ® handle the stressful part of the move for you. All you have to do is load up your stuff into the moving equipment in Minneapolis. Then a U-Pack driver will pick up the equipment and transport it to Phoenix. Then you unload it in your new home! It’s that easy! So call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 or go online to get a free quote, and find out how U-Pack® can move you to Phoenix within your budget. Explore our location map here to find the service centers near you.