Community Information: CTCA near Phoenix
Community
The warm year-round climate of Phoenix and the inviting atmosphere of our newest hospital should put us at the top of your list of potential employers.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Western Regional Medical Center is located in the small, but growing community of Goodyear, about 20 miles west of Phoenix.
With a population of more than 1.5 million, Phoenix is Arizona's largest city, not to mention one of the biggest in the country. In fact, it’s often a neck-and-neck race between Philadelphia and Phoenix for the no. 5 spot on the U.S. Census Bureau’s list. More than half of Phoenix’s population is between the ages of 18 and 54. This is considerably younger than the populations in most major U.S. cities.
Here are some more noteworthy numbers on Phoenix to consider:
- The average temperature is 73 degrees.
- There are 300+ days of sunshine a year.
- With more than 100 miles of hiking trails, 1,130 tennis courts and 184 golf courses, there’s infinite opportunity for outdoor recreation.
More so, Phoenix is a very affordable place to live. The cost of living in the area is below the U.S. average (according to the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association), making it particularly appealing to young families.
Commuting
Getting to CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center from Phoenix is simple: Just take Interstate 10 west to Litchfield Road and head south. It’s about a half-hour drive from downtown Phoenix. I-10 offers easy access to much of the Phoenix area, as it loops around the city and spans both west and south.
Housing
You’ll find a variety of new and old homes at reasonable prices throughout Greater Phoenix. The average cost of a home in the metropolitan area in 2004 was approximately $218,000 (Source: Arizona Real Estate Center).
Most single family homes in the region are built in subdivisions that offer amenities, such as golf courses, pools, bike trails, and lakes.
New development hot spots include a number of northwest suburbs, including Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Known for its historic downtown and antique shops, Glendale (pop. 250,000) is a favorite locale.
Some of the most desirable places to live in are on Phoenix’s east side. They include the gorgeous properties in Arcadia (at the base of Camelback Mountain) and the Camelback Corridor's condos.
To the northeast is Scottsdale (pop. 226,000), which ranked at no. 7 on Money magazine’s annual list of “Best Places to Live” in 2006. Mesa (pop. 442,800), a city to the east of Phoenix, also topped Money’s 2006 list as one of the “10 Best Big Cities.” Another Phoenix suburb to the southeast, Gilbert (pop. 178,100), ranked at no. 16 on the magazine’s list for the same year.
Schools
Phoenix has 325 public schools, in addition to more than 200 charter and private schools. A number of the city’s high schools were included on U.S. News & World Report's 2008 list of “America's Best High Schools,” including Moon Valley, Desert Vista, Cortez, Thunderbird, and Sunnyslope. High schools in nearby Mesa and Glendale also made the list, including Dobson, Mesa, Mountain View, and Glendale.
Colleges and universities in the area include:
- Arizona State University
- A.T. Still University
- Midwestern University – Glendale
- Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
Area Entertainment/Culture/Shopping/Sports
If you want to spend your weekends exploring the outdoors, this is the location for you. Better yet, if you’re looking for a thriving arts community to keep you well-rounded, Phoenix is all the more for you. The Greater Phoenix area is home to more than 20 museums (e.g., Arizona Science Center, the Heard Museum of Anthropology and Primitive Arts) and several performing arts companies, including Ballet Arizona, the Phoenix Symphony and the Arizona Opera.
Listed below are some suggestions for fun in Phoenix:
- Hike the breathtaking, red cliffs of Camelback Mountain; mountain bike or ride horseback in the world’s largest municipal park, South Mountain Park; tube down the Salt River; and water ski on the picturesque Lake Pleasant.
- Explore more than 1,500 petroglyphs at the Deer Valley Rock Art Center or the vast collection of desert plants at the Desert Botanical Garden.
- Take the kids to the kitschy Rawhide for some Wild West fun.
- Shop the eclectic boutiques, Southwestern art galleries and Native American gift shops of Downtown Scottsdale (including the popular “Old Town”).
- Head to Downtown Scottsdale, where the area’s nightlife comes alive at a variety of lounges, clubs and bars (check out Axis/Radius, Devil's Martini, ZuZu Lounge, or Myst).
- Take a break from your outdoor adventures and leave the sporting up to the pros (cheer on the Arizona Cardinals or Diamondbacks, or the Phoenix Suns or Coyotes).
- Catch 12 major league baseball teams in spring training action, including the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners.