Is Arizona Crowded? In terms of people per square mile and urban sprawl? (Phoenix: real estate, casinos)

[7stringguitarguy]

Im from Southern California and I was curious about Arizona mainly southern Arizona Tuscon area, it seems like beautiful place the sonora desert with cacti and the desert life act. I want to visit . I was wondering if Arizona has endured the same fate as coastal Southern California with the mass urban development and sprawl. So Cal is basically all built up from San Diego to San Barbara with small pockets left of rural and open space.

[observer53]

Southern Arizona is not like southern California at all. Tucson is a spread out city, but it's just not that large in terms of population, compared to metro Phoenix or to southern California cities, and doesn't have all the contiguous suburbs around it. The other cities/towns in southern Arizona have a lot of open space between them, as any map would show you.

[7stringguitarguy]

I heard that soon Phoenix and Tucson will become the same metropolitan area in the future because of urban sprawl aside from a few things blocking it.

[RichCapeCod]

I live in Green Valley. Picked up a buddy and we drove into the nearby desert for some recreational shooting. Met a nice gentleman who had done some grouse hunting while we were there. He lived in Tucson. This area is about six miles from my friend's house.

Drive ten minutes off into the desert and it feels like you're in the middle of nowhere.

Rich

[WilmaWildcat]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

I heard that soon Phoenix and Tucson will become the same metropolitan area in the future because of urban sprawl aside from a few things blocking it.

I am not contradicting this, but "soon" is relative; this was being said when I first moved to Tucson in 1981 -- which is now 36 years ago. Last time I drove I-10 to Phoenix, there was still open space along the highway itself, not to mention if you got off the road and drove east or west.

If anyone wants to compare Arizona urbanization against any other state, there is a handy statistical guide of all the states using US Census data at Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbani..._United_States

The table shows that California, for example, has a more highly urbanized population (95.2%) than Arizona (89.8%). What this means is not necessarily that the state is covered with people but that the population is gathered into urban areas.

In the American west this happens most often because of water issues. The west is dry; we all gather around the water sources in the dry parts of the west.

[Finper]

I live in so cal Orange County and Tucson is no comparison. The fwys are beautiful smooth clean, no traffic. There is a lot of sprawl not many multi story buildg at all. The people in Tucson are so friendly and nice it's quite a culture shock. Real estate is very affordable. I love the desert I feel real peace there and can't wait to move there. You should def visit

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

I heard that soon Phoenix and Tucson will become the same metropolitan area in the future because of urban sprawl aside from a few things blocking it.

Yeah, maybe in a 1000 years from now they will become a megalopolis, which, I guess, could be considered soon, if you believe the earth is around 4.5 billion years old!

Tucson has been hovering just under, at, or just over 1,000,000 people in the metroplex for awhile now. Pull up Google Maps and type in Gila River Indian Reservation and that's why the Tucson and Phoenix metroplexes will never meet. Heck, Casa Grande and Phoenix will never be connected for the exact same reason and they are a lot closer than Tucson is.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

I heard that soon Phoenix and Tucson will become the same metropolitan area in the future because of urban sprawl aside from a few things blocking it.

They've been saying that since I was a kid (i.e., for decades). It's not going to happen, soon or otherwise. Too much Indian land (and probably other government land) in between the two, and not enough water.

[wit-nit]

Two thirds of AZ land will not be developed. It's either government land or Indian reservations that take up the space.

[jamies]

Don't believe those guys, they're friendly folks. Arizona is just plum full up. Try New Mexico. Well ok, if you're nice we can probably squeeze one more in.

First of all, there ain't nothing to see south of the north end of Phoenix, except maybe Bisbee, and the Kitt Peak area.

Of course this is my opinion, which is usually the exact opposite of Observer's.

Coming from Cali, civilization as you know it ends around Banning. There's a potty stop called Blythe, and then after you escape Commiefornia and cross the crick into the Arizona Free Territory it's pretty much empty for about three hours until you hit Phoenix. It looks about like Vegas without casinos. Takes about 25 minutes to cross the megalopolis, or two hours at rush hour, then open space till you drift into Tucsonifornia. There's not much to see there either.

Now the north half of the state is some mighty pretty country. The largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. Nearly 13,000 foot mountains. Well ok, One mountain. And there's a big canyon, which makes it a pain in the neck to get to Salt Lake City on the freeway. There's some other cool places but you will have to discover them.

Anyway, you should come see. Bring lotsa money, we need it!