Phoenix -- best place to live for young, single woman?

I love to go running and biking, and living near a wilderness area or park where I would feel safe enough to go running alone during the daytime would be a huge plus. I don't want to drive more than 20 minutes (even during rush hour) to downtown Phoenix, where I work. I am young and single, and would like to have shopping and restaurants within walking distance if possible. Any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. Athens Greece.
2. I would say scottsdale would be best for what you want. I dont live there.. I couldnt live in that oppressive heat.. but from what my female friends tell, they really like it there. Im a new yorker, and dont care for the west coast attitudes, but if you can handle the heat in scottsdale you should be ok!! Nightlife is ok from what I hear and great shopping too.
3. The Biltmore area is where you are looking for...approximately 30th Street and Camelback Road. There is plenty of shopping and restaurants in the area, hiking and outdoor activities at Camelback Mountain and other desert preserves in the area. You won't be far from the downtown area where you work and Scottsdale nightlife is within 10-15 minutes as well. Its a bit pricey in that area of town, but well worth it. Good luck.
4. Tempe
5. you will never be safe in PHX it is a hell hole no wilderness close by and every one there is rude PHX is a joke and lots of losers are there LOTS
6. My house
7. i live in chandler and it's a nice area but the best cities for what your are looking for are probably scottsdale and tempe. i'm 28 w/3 young kids now but when i was younger and single-i lived in tempe. i liked it then but now chandler better suits my family life. scottsdale -a little more upscale than other cities -LOTS of nightlife (especially in old town scottsdale). -close to camelback,and papago peak mountains for hiking -driving time about 30 mins to downtown tempe -great college town (home to Az State University) -lots of clubs and cool bars in downtown tempe (mill ave) -close to papago and south mountain for hiking -tempe town lake close for biking (lots of events held at this lake as well) -about 15-20 mins from downtown the only problem with living close to downtown is that it's not really that safe of an area (and i know this b/c i too work in downtown phx at one of the state's largest hospitals-in the trauma icu). to live in a safe area-you'll have to be at least 20 mins outside of downtown. but our public transit sytem out here isn't too bad and they are in the process of building a lightrail system to make it better. here are some links to help you out http://www.tempe.gov/ http://www.ci.scottsdale.az.us/ http://www.ci.paradise-valley.az.us/
8. I'd agree with another poster here - the Camelback Biltmore area is probably the best area for you. Sort of spendy, but you're near downtown, lots of neat shops and restaurants, near Cameback Mtn with all of its hiking and outdoorsy stuff, lots of nice apts and condos to live in - roughly the area near 24th St & Camelback Rd. and the area just to the north and east of there
9. pheonix has a high crime rate
10. I agree with the Biltmore suggestion. There are also a lot of newer and/or renovated high rise condos and apartments between Camelback and the "true" downtown area, some have restaurants and shopping inside the actual buildings. If I were a single chick without a bunch of debt, I'd live in one of those places!
11. North Phoenix is the safest area However not sure you'd make it to downtown in 20 minutes. Get up half an hour earlier than usual if you can rush hours=heavy traffic everywhere.