Phoenix Relocation Guide

W E L C OM E T O A R I Z O N A

high-tech, and bioscience industries. Not surprisingly, the local job market continues to grow at a steady rate. As of 2019, the Associated Press noted that Phoenix was number eight on its list of major cities in the nation that were, “the largest generators of net jobs.” The city also sported an unem- ployment rate below the national average at low rate of 4.0 percent. Arizona State University, the University of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University, and the internationally recognized Thunderbird School of Global Management graduate school, located in nearby Glendale, also provide a talented and educated work- force and entrepreneur community. In fact, Arizona State University is recognized as the number one university in the country for innovation, according to the U.S. News . NATURAL BEAUTY – AND PLENTY OF OUTDOOR FUN The Phoenix area’s natural beauty is just another reason for the city’s appeal, which has nurtured an active outdoor lifestyle and boasts beautiful places to swim, hike, cycle, boat, golf, and much more. The city’s natural surroundings invite resi- dents to take part in a vast range of outdoor and sports activities, a pastime of many Arizona residents. Thanks to more than 325 days of sunshine each year, an average high temperature of 85 degrees, and just 7.66 inches average annual rainfall, Phoenicians hardly ever need worry about the weather, so long as they wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water during the summer. Golf, in particular, is a beloved sport every- where in Arizona, including the Phoenix metroplex. With more than 200 golf courses, including many municipal courses and a host of private links and country clubs, there is no shortage of golfing possibilities throughout the state. In fact, Arizona is home to the renowned Waste Management Phoenix Open every spring, and many courses throughout the area are world-class courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and others. There are golf greens for every skill level, so everyone can enjoy the abundance of golfing that Arizona has to offer. | CONTINUED PAGE 16 >

Desert Botanical Garden at sunset Photo by Adam Rodriguez courtesy of Visit Phoenix

bands, opera and ballet companies, produc- tion and presentation theaters, dance organizations, art and history museums, a science center, the city zoo, a botanical garden, and countless festivals. In fact, there’s such a rich concentration of arts and culture spanning the city’s unique and interesting communities that there are major annual festivals in almost every Phoenix-area city. Take the family and explore the Arizona Renaissance Festival, the Arizona Scottish Highland Games, the Dia de los Muertos Festival, Matsuri: a Festival of Japan, the Native American Fine Art Invitational, the Scottsdale Arts Festival, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival, the Tempe Festival of the Arts, the Harvest Festival, the Family Cornfest and Arts and Crafts Fair, the Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival, or Way Out West Oktoberfest! The best part is that this is just a taste of the festivals available for Arizona residents and out-of-towners. Museums and galleries celebrate Southwest art and culture, as well as classic art genres. The Phoenix Art Museum, which opened in 1959, is known for its diverse visual arts collection, including exhibitions and permanent collections that include famous artists, such as Rembrandt, Norman Rock- well, Annie Leibowitz, and Monet. The museum also includes more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin

American, Western American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design.

The Arizona Science Center in Phoenix features hands-on exhibits and a plane- tarium, and the Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest. For a list of cultural and creative arts opportunities, visit www. visitphoenix.com/events. Phoenix is also home to a thriving busi- ness community, with major, private-sector employers calling the city home, as well as corporate and regional headquarters for well-known Fortune 500 companies, such as Avnet, Freeport-McMoran, Republic Services, and PetSmart. Fortune 1000 compa- nies based in the Phoenix area include Swift Transportation, Apollo Education Group, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Pinnacle West Capital. In addition, many other major corporations have significant operations in the Phoenix metro area, including Intel, U-Haul International, Honeywell, and Boeing, among several others. Phoenix is also among the nation’s fast- est-growing regions and has been recognized for strong job growth and entrepreneurial environment, especially in the aerospace, PHOENIX’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY

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