Located in the northeastern part of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix is the fifth most populous city in the United States and the largest state capital by population. Situated in Maricopa County, Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and is located in the central region of the state. The city is home to the largest municipal park in the United States.  

What is the community of Phoenix like?  

Home to around a whopping 1.68 million residents, Phoenix is a world in its own right. Known as the “Valley of the Sun”, Phoenix is the anchor of Phoenix metropolitan area, which is the 11th largest metropolitan area by population in the United States with approximately 4.73 million residents as of 2017. Almost needless to say, Phoenix is home to a breathtaking array of natural scenery, outdoor recreational facilities, educational institutions, and economic opportunities.  
The city is particularly known for its desert vistas, unique wedding destinations, and a plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities. The South Mountain Park is the jewel crown of Arizona and is the largest municipal park in the United States. Spanning over 16,000 acres of pristine desert terrain, the park is home to 60 miles of splendid trails for hiking, cycling, and horse riding. Despite being located in the blistering Sonoran Desert, there are six lakes nearby where water lovers can kayak, paddleboard, Jetski, waterski, boat, fish, or just lounge on the shore.  
The city of Phoenix is also known for its museums, arts, and crafts. Founded in 1959, the Phoenix Art Museum has been a center of art and learning for over 55 years, and is the largest art museum in the Southwestern United States. The museum plays home to a variety of permanent collections that span several different genres, including American, Asian, European, and Latin American art, as well as traveling fashion and photography exhibitions. 
Founded in 1929, the Heard Museum is one of the foremost tourist attractions in Arizona and has continued to educate and promote a greater understanding of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, particularly American Indian tribes and other cultures of the Southwest.
Downtown Phoenix is one bustling part of the city that is home to an extensive array of amenities. Get on a helicopter in the downtown area to take a 20-minute flight over Phoenix’s immaculate skyline. Or, visit the CityScape, which is home to a myriad of shops, bars, restaurants, and clubs, to indulge in an unparalleled shopping and dining experience.  
Other prominent attractions in Phoenix include, among others, the immersive Arizona Science Center, Heritage Square, Desert Botanical Garden, and the picturesque Camelback Mountain.  

What is Real Estate like in Phoenix?     

Real estate in Phoenix has shown an average growth of 4.33% per year since the year 2000. Since 2000, the prices of homes in Phoenix have appreciated by a staggering 143.59%. National real estate firm, HomeSmart, categorizes Phoenix’s housing market as ‘very competitive’. The sale prices of homes in Phoenix have experienced strong growth of more than 22.5% over the last year.  
The median home price in Phoenix is $375,000. Currently, there are 4,735 active homes for sale in Phoenix, and normally it takes just 37 days for a listed home to sell. The average cost to rent a house in Phoenix is $1,588 per month. At present, there are 565,832 homes and apartments in the city, 53.8% of which are owned, and the remaining 46.2% are rented.      

How is the economic landscape of Phoenix?    

Phoenix is a major economic center in Arizona. As of 2017, the Phoenix MSA had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of just under $243 billion. The top five industries in Phoenix include real estate, finance and insurance, manufacturing, retail trade, and healthcare. Phoenix is home to four Fortune 500 companies, namely, Avnet, Freeport-McMoRan, PetSmart, and Republic Services. 
Over the last year, Phoenix’s job market has grown by 3.3%, while its unemployment rate stands at a decent 4.9%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by a whopping 48.2% in the next ten years.  
On average, a Phoenix resident earns around $24,000 per annum. The city’s median household income per resident is about $46,900. Most of the residents of Phoenix work in office and administrative support, food preparation and serving, transportation and material moving, and management. The single largest occupation is retail salespersons, which account for 3.7% of the workforce. 

How are the schools in Phoenix?     

Phoenix is covered by 29 school districts. With over 27,000 students, and spread over 220 square miles, Phoenix Union High School District is one of the largest high school districts in the country, containing 16 schools and nearly 3,000 employees.  
When it comes to higher education, Phoenix is home to one of America’s largest public universities – the Arizona State University Phoenix Campus. Founded in 1885, ASU is presently home to nearly 90,000 undergraduate and 20,000 post-graduate students across its five campuses and four regional learning centers throughout Arizona. It offers 350 programs through its 17 colleges, and more than 170 cross-discipline centers and institutes for undergraduate students, as well as more than 400 graduate degree and certificate programs. The university's faculty of more than 4,700 scholars has included 5 Nobel laureates, 6 Pulitzer Prize winners, 4 MacArthur Fellows, and 19 National Academy of Sciences members.  

Phoenix in a nutshell        

To sum up, Phoenix is a bustling major metropolitan city in Arizona. The city is home to a bewildering array of recreational, professional, and economic opportunities. Home to a large number of top-notch educational facilities, rich cultural heritage, prolific museums and science centers, and a vibrant community, Phoenix is an ideal place to raise a family.