Money.com, owned by Time Inc., released the Best Places to Live 2015 ranking, with Mesa being named the Best Big City in the Southwest.
Mesa joins Pittsburgh, Tampa, Denver and Omaha in the top five best places to live for cities with more than 300,000 residents. The popular financial website reviewed 63 urban centers, looking at the job market, affordable housing and factors such as accessibility to health care, culture and open space. Extra points were awarded for low crime and strong public schools in selecting the top city in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest and West.
“I agree, Mesa is the best big city in the Southwest, and we are only getting better,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said. “Mesa is a great place to live and raise a family. Mesa Arts Center and our Parks and Recreation Department are national leaders, while Apple Inc. and the new light rail extension make our city attractive to the millennial workforce.”
The online story’s subtitle reads, “Great schools (and great golf) create the newest Arizona star.” The article continues, “There are bigger cities in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson) and bigger golf meccas, too (Scottsdale). Mesa can hold its own in both categories, and it beats them all in one key way—it’s a great, affordable city for raising a family.”
The article also mentioned our local communities, such as Las Sendas and the new Eastmark development. “Even tony neighborhoods like the mountainside Las Sendas, 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix, on the new Highway 202, are in reach for middle class families.”
The City of Mesa also was listed in the top five best places for outdoor lovers. In selecting these urban areas, Money.com ranked cities based on access to green spaces, percentage of the population that is at least moderately physically active, proximity to camp sites, ski resorts and golf courses. Most weight was given to green space access and physical fitness, with only one city being chosen per state.
“For those of us that have chosen to make Mesa our home, these rankings come as no surprise,” Mesa City Manager Chris Brady said. “However, it is always gratifying to receive third-party endorsements and acknowledgement.”
The article cited, “The Mesa area is great for hikers, cyclists, horseback riders and kayakers looking to explore. Within the city limits, residents also can enjoy Mesa’s unique series of urban fishing lakes… as well as more than 200 golf courses nearby.” Also ranked in the top five were Anaheim, Colorado Springs, Minneapolis and Anchorage.