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hazel_native
jobs
Best industries in Surprise right now
Hey folks, It's a a mid-size city city with about 150K people. What would you do?
1 upvotes
13 Replies
Luca Moore
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 8 years ago from Minneapolis and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Maple Ridge. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in manufacturing. If you're in education you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 5 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: average. Tons of options if you like Korean.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Maple Ridge. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in manufacturing. If you're in education you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 5 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: average. Tons of options if you like Korean.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
34 upvotes
Daniel Ramos
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a HR manager, 52, moved here 8 years ago from Seattle. I've lived in Sunset and Highland, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good healthcare facilities
2. Good internet infrastructure
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited high-paying job options
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The food scene situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Sunset: Great for remote workers. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Highland: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Seattle, everything felt hit or miss. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $60K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a HR manager, 52, moved here 8 years ago from Seattle. I've lived in Sunset and Highland, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good healthcare facilities
2. Good internet infrastructure
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited high-paying job options
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The food scene situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Sunset: Great for remote workers. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Highland: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Seattle, everything felt hit or miss. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $60K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
31 upvotes
Chloe Cook
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a contractor, 45, moved here 12 years ago from Charlotte. I've lived in Highland and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Good healthcare facilities
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not a lot of cultural diversity
2. Chain restaurants dominate
3. The walkability situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for families. challenging vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Charlotte, everything felt solid. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $50K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
Hope this helps!. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a contractor, 45, moved here 12 years ago from Charlotte. I've lived in Highland and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Good healthcare facilities
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not a lot of cultural diversity
2. Chain restaurants dominate
3. The walkability situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for families. challenging vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Charlotte, everything felt solid. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $50K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
Hope this helps!. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
31 upvotes
Michael Adams
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem surprisingly good.
I've been here 6 years and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The thing nobody mentions is housing market. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the job market is legit. And if you're into photography, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Springfield side vs the Downtown side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Feel free to reach out with questions..
I've been here 6 years and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The thing nobody mentions is housing market. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the job market is legit. And if you're into photography, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Springfield side vs the Downtown side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Feel free to reach out with questions..
30 upvotes
sacramento_adam
exactly what I was thinking
28 upvotes
Gabriel L.
I work in retail here and I have mixed feelings honestly. The job market for my field is tough. Hope this helps!.
27 upvotes
portland_allison
interesting, hadn't considered that
27 upvotes
waylon_kid
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a HR manager, 27, moved here 9 years ago from New York. I've lived in Highland and Midtown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Good internet infrastructure
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Property taxes are high
3. The traffic situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for remote workers. pretty good vibes, walkable.
- Midtown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from New York, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are established. Gas is stable. You can live comfortably on $80K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a HR manager, 27, moved here 9 years ago from New York. I've lived in Highland and Midtown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Good internet infrastructure
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Property taxes are high
3. The traffic situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for remote workers. pretty good vibes, walkable.
- Midtown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from New York, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are established. Gas is stable. You can live comfortably on $80K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
26 upvotes
Scarlett Stewart
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 2 years ago from Miami and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in The Heights. It's surprisingly good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in tech. If you're in government you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 14 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like BBQ.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in The Heights. It's surprisingly good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in tech. If you're in government you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 14 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like BBQ.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
24 upvotes
Nevaeh Clark
preach
15 upvotes
Landon Wilson
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want school system, then yeah this place is great. But if housing market matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
10 upvotes
Mason Wilson
seconding this
6 upvotes
Violet T.
underrated comment
1 upvotes