Chandler Arizona Ranked in latest "Best Places to Live"

Chandler Arizona was recently ranked as number 30 on Money Magazine's "Best Places To Live" list. Being a Chandler resident for the past 12 years, I am very proud that our city has reached that designation. The study used education, crime, weather, housing, job growth, and quality of life as their determining factors. Some of the great things I have discovered about Chandler are as follows:

EDUCATION:

Chandler/Gilbert Community College - CJCC has been named for the second year in a row to the U.S. President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Only 68 community colleges received this reward, out of the nation's 1100 community colleges. Chandler-Gilbert Community College was one of only four colleges nationwide to receive the 2007 Campus Sustainability Leadership Award in the category of two year institutions. The award recognizes institutions that have demonstrated an outstanding overall commitment to sustainability. In the 2006-2007 school year, the Coyotes also produced five NJCAA All Americans, and five Academic All Americans in their athletic programs.

Chandler Unified School District also has one of the best academic and athletic programs in the state. The studends test scores are constantly above the state and national averages, and there have been many state champions in Football, Baseball and other sports.

Some parts of Chandler also include the Kyrene School District for kindergarden through 8th grade. Out of their 25 total schools, 22 were rated as "Excelling" and 3 "Highly Performing" Schools using the State labeling system. All schools meet or exceed the state goals.

SHOPPING:

The Chandler Fashion Center is the second largest mall in the Phoenix area, and with over 180 stores, a plethera of restaurants to choose from, and a 20-Plex Harkins Theatres, it is a shoppers paradise.

RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT:

Chandler is well known for it's Ostrich Festival, and the Christmas Parade and Tumbleweed Christmas Tree Celebration. Snediger park (the former home of the Milwaukee Brewers spring training) is also a large multi-use park for soccer, baseball, and softball enthousiasts, and also has a skatepark. Desert Breeze Park is a great park for picnics and young children, as it has a lake, playground, water fountains, carousel, and railroad.

WEATHER:

Chandler climate is hot during the summer, when temperatures tend to be in the 90's and cool during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 50's. Average temperatures during the warmest month of the summer tend to be in the low 100's, but it's a dry heat (We consider it our winter in comparison to other parts of the country). During the winter, we still experience temperatures in the 60's and 70's, but sometimes cools to below freezing at night. The average rainfall is a little over 9 inches, and we have over 300 days of blue skies.

HOUSING:

The median home price in Chandler is $270k. Up until 2004, that was probably as low as $180k, but Chandler, like most of the rest of the country, experienced a housing boom. This year prices have dropped about 15% from last year. Homes are still very affordable.

JOB GROWTH/EMPLOYMENT:

Chandler is known as the silicon valley of the desert. There are many hi-tech businesses that have sprung up here over the past 20 years. Some of the most well known are Intel, Microchip Technology, Orbital Sciences, and Freescale Semiconductor. Some of the other largest employers in Chandler, not including The City of Chandler and the Chandler Unified School District, are Countrywide, Wells Fargo, Verizon, and Chandler Regional Hospital. Job growth from 2000-2007 rose 37.58%.

According to the study, the median annual income for Chandler is $79,411. Chandler also has its own municipal airport, and Chandler Regional Hospital that serve the area. Overall, Chandler is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It is very well located to neighboring cities of Tempe, Gilbert, and has two major freeways for great access throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area.