Located on the southeastern side of Phoenix is Gilbert.
It is a suburb that is home to excellent dining and entertainment options. Aside from these, there are also several amenities that you can find in any of its neighborhoods.
Recent reports show Gilbert is one of Arizona’s best places to raise a family.
It is also reported to be one of the happiest cities in the country.
In these studies, the considerations include quality of life, income, and several other factors.
And the best thing about Gilbert is its small-town feel. When in Gilbert, it feels as if you escaped Phoenix’s hustle and bustle. All these are yours while getting the amenities a more prominent city can offer.
Today, I will discuss the pros and cons of living in Gilbert, AZ.
Is Gilbert the perfect city for you?
You be the judge.
List of Contents
Is Gilbert, AZ, a good place to live in? It Never Gets Boring Here!
Gilbert has a population of more than a quarter million people.
Living in Gilbert offers you a wide array of excellent schools, several outdoor activities, and many shopping and nightlife options. All of these are yours while enjoying a city with a small-town feel.
The answer is yes if you wonder whether Gilbert, AZ is an excellent place to live.
Here, I will tell you why.
The Good Side
Of course, we start with every reason why Gilbert, AZ, is perfect for you.
Here, we talk about the weather, great school options, low crime rates, and much more.
Dig in!
A City of Several Outdoor Possibilities
Gilbert is a city that comes with gorgeous landscapes and temperate weather. In Arizona, these two characteristics make Gilbert seem like an oasis, especially for those who love the outdoors.
One of Gilbert’s many places that offer outdoor activities is the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.
The place is excellent in many ways. This nature preserve comes with 4.5 miles of trails. It also has beautiful water features and is even perfect for equestrians.
The water features in this location are what I most enjoy. 100% of Gilbert’s effluent water gets reused here. These water features are perfect reasons for Mother Nature to be happy.
It means that all the ponds, tributaries, and streams within the location are full of treated wastewater. You will find different birds, fishes, insects, and amphibians here.
The preserve is also home to several thriving local faunas.
Another exciting location in Gilbert is the Gilbert Regional Park.
The park is situated southeast of the city to protect the desert’s natural beauty. Here, you’ll discover all the features of a city park.
Because of the complete amenities, residents can enjoy a beautiful and well-manicured park any day. The green space is also a great addition to the fun Gilbert can offer.
The park has 272 acres of outdoor space. It is full of basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts. It also has playgrounds for your kids.
And if sports are not your thing, the park also features an amphitheater.
You can also find several picnic areas and walking paths along the way.
Despite its massive size, the park is easy to navigate.
Finally, you can also check out Gilbert’s Farmers Market.
The Farmers Market is open every Saturday during peak months. It opens bimonthly in non-peak months.
You can find the Farmers Market in the Heritage District, also known as Downtown Gilbert.
Here, you can choose from a wide variety of locally-sourced produce and goods. These goods fill every crate and table at the market.
Aside from the produce, a few other vendors also sell beautiful, hand-crafted products.
The Farmers Market is a perfect location for the locals and tourists to support sustainable agriculture. It also promotes the growth and stability of small businesses.
Here, the local products are of the highest quality. The produce is also organic.
If you want homemade bath bombs, fruits, and beef jerky all at once, go to the Farmers Market.
Gilbert is full of fun activities.
You can go to the park, see some shows, or visit the Farmers Market.
Here, you will never run out of things to do.
The Heritage District
Gilbert has a bustling downtown area.
The Heritage District is also what most people call Downtown Gilbert.
Come over and see the historical Gilbert Water Tower.
The water tower came about in the 1920s and was used to serve as storage for water. Such amounts of water used to be for firefighting purposes. It later became the storage for the city’s water consumption.
During its decommission in the 1980s, much of the town rallied around the water tower. The city finally provided its protection to the water tower.
It was then that the tower saw restorations happen. Eventually, the city turned the area into a park.
Nowadays, you can see the water tower with its beautiful lights throughout the year. Also, you can bring your kids here to splash off that desert heat on the park’s splash pad.
The Heritage District is also where you can have dinner and watch a show.
For starters, you can swing by The Hale Theater.
The theater is a renovated historical building that brings the residents exceptional shows during the theatrical theater.
Outside the theatrical season, the theater still hosts several musicals, classical, and occasional workshop events.
The talents that perform here are incredible. The productions are of excellent quality.
Watching their shows, you can quickly feel like you are watching a show on Broadway.
And right after the show, you can choose from any of the several restaurants in Downtown Gilbert.
There are several dining options to choose from. You can bring your family or the whole gang to dine and have fun here.
Exceptional Schools
Gilbert enjoys a reputation of being a safer city than any other.
Because of this reputation, it attracted families to move here. And naturally, these families need schools.
The public schools in Gilbert enjoy an A overall niche grade.
The rating puts into different focus facets of education. Some of these are diversity, academics, and extracurricular activities.
None of the categories received a rating that was lower than a B+.
And this is an outstanding feature of the city.
The educational system of the city offers high-quality education. These schools bring about a different level of Safety for the kids where they can grow and learn.
A Lower Crime Rate
Before you move to a new city, you should always consider your Safety. Safety is always a priority whether you are moving here alone or with your family.
Of course, you will always choose a city with a low crime rate.
Gilbert is not the safest city in Arizona. However, it is one of the ten safest in the state.
There are petty crimes. There are also violent crimes.
No city can ever go on without crimes.
However, Gilbert has a lower number of these crimes than other major cities in the country.
Perfect Weather
Arizona is famous for the blistering hot summer months.
What could you expect from a city sitting beside a desert?
However, aside from summer, the state enjoys perfect weather all year round. There are nice, sunny days almost every day. It is common to wake up in the morning with a pleasant breeze.
The city of Gilbert gets about nine inches of rainfall every year. It also does not snow here.
Because of the weather, Gilbert is becoming the oasis for those who aim to move out of colder cities.
Away from Natural Disasters
Most of the more prominent American cities have a higher possibility of climate catastrophes.
Some cities sit in hurricane belts. Other towns quickly flood during the weakest of rains.
Fortunately, Gilbert is not prone to disasters.
Well, there are heatwaves and droughts once in a while. However, there are no risks of tornadoes, tsunamis, and the usual natural disasters you will find in other cities.
California and Utah are neighbors.
Despite neighbors, Gilbert and the rest of Arizona do not get as many earthquakes.
Close to Phoenix
Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona.
Gilbert is close to Phoenix. This giant metropolis is only half an hour away from Gilbert by car.
Because Phoenix is close, Gilbert residents can enjoy many conveniences.
Phoenix also comes with several other activities. The city is also great for shopping and some nightlife.
If, on certain weekends, you feel like Gilbert is not enough, you can visit Phoenix.
It will also be an advantage if you work in Phoenix.
The big city is only half an hour away, thanks to Highway 60.
You can live in Gilbert, enjoy the small-town vibe, and work in Phoenix.
It won’t be a hassle at all.
The Bad Side
Gilbert is nearly perfect.
The city has several advantages. There are a few issues, though, that you should be aware of.
Below is one primary concern.
The Poor Air Quality
When you live near the desert, you do not have a guarantee of excellent air quality.
This story is true about Gilbert’s air quality. While it may not be the worst, it is not the best.
The dust from the desert combines with the air of Gilbert, lowering its quality.
The air quality score of Gilbert is 62/100; poor by current standards.
What is the cost of living in Gilbert, AZ? An Affordable Healthcare Service
Gilbert has a cost of living that is higher than the national average. Compared to most cities in the US, the cost of living here is 16.3% higher.
The Good Side
If there is anything good in Gilbert, it is the cost of food and groceries.
It is not good. It is something that provides us hope when it comes to costs.
The cost of food and groceries is 0.8% cheaper than the national average.
0.8% should never be the determining factor why you should move. It may be lower than the national average. However, the cost of your food and groceries will largely depend on your consumption.
On the other hand, healthcare costs are 7.8% lower than the national average. The price may not be the cheapest in the country. However, this would do for now.
Compared to the rest of Arizona, Gilbert’s cost of healthcare is also lower.
The Bad Side
Topping the list is the cost of housing.
The cost of housing in Gilbert is higher than the national average by 43.9%. It is even higher than Arizona’s state average. Suffice to say; this commodity is pulling the overall cost of living in Gilbert.
The median home cost in Gilbert is US$476,700, an amount higher than the national average of US$291,700.
The cost of transportation is also higher here than in the rest of the country.
Gilbert has transportation costs that are 18.1% higher than the national average. It is also the same for the cost of utilities which is 0.4% higher than an average American city.
Overall, the cost of living here is higher than in most cities in the country. Housing is the culprit that is pulling everything up.
But while housing, utility, and transportation costs are higher, the prices of healthcare and food are also lower.
You can use these to your advantage.
Why work in Gilbert, AZ? The Perks of Paying a Lower Income Tax Rate
Gilbert has a low unemployment rate compared to the rest of the country. This fact alone will assure you that no matter what, it is easier to find jobs in Gilbert than anywhere else.
The Good Side
There are many benefits to working in Gilbert, AZ. The job market is healthier here. Plus, the average income is also higher than in other cities.
Let’s see what else is there for you when you start working in Gilbert.
The Job Market
The unemployment rate in Gilbert is lower than the national average.
It is 4.5%, a rating that is 1.5% lower than the national average.
It is because, in the previous year, the job market in Gilbert saw an increase of 3.3%. The job growth in the city is also forecasted to be at 33.1% in the next ten years.
Higher Pay
Another advantage to working in Gilbert is the higher pay.
The average salary of a resident is about US$31,546 per year. The national average is lower at US$28,555 per year.
Regarding the median household income, we also see the same trend.
The median household income in Gilbert is US$81,485 per year. This amount is higher than the national average of US%53,482 per year.
Lower Income Tax
Your income is higher in Gilbert.
Another advantage comes in the form of lower income taxes.
The average income tax in the US is 4.6%. The income tax in Gilbert is lower as it only sits at 3.4%.
The Bad Side
Of course, there are reasons why you should hesitate to work in Gilbert.
As you already know, the cost of living is one of them. Also, transportation options in the city may be a little bit low.
The Cost of Living
For many years, we have known Phoenix to be one of the best places to live. And because Gilbert is close to Phoenix, the city is experiencing the effects of this belief.
People would love to work in Phoenix. However, people would go to neighboring Gilbert when Phoenix gets too crowded.
Together with the growing population of Gilbert is the rising cost of living.
As discussed above, the cost of living in Gilbert is getting higher each year. Most commodities, especially housing, are way above the national average.
Finding a job in Gilbert is easy. However, make sure the salaries would be enough to allow you a comfortable lifestyle while in the city.
Traffic and Transportation
Let me get this straight.
Gilbert can be congested, especially during rush hours. Also, the public transportation system in the city is not the best in the country.
It is a reliable public transportation system. But it can only bring you to the city center. You might want to think again if you live on the city’s fringes.
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Gilbert is a fantastic city all around.
The vibe is more relaxed and laid back than in other cities. It has several outdoor activities for you and your family. The weather is also perfect.
However, you have to consider the cost of living.
Will your job be able to pay for a comfortable lifestyle while you are here? If the answer is yes, then Gilbert is perfect for you.
Are you moving to Gilbert, AZ?
Let me know.