Sitting less than a half-hour outside of Phoenix, Goodyear, Arizona gets 296 sunny days per year, features stunning desert landscapes and boasts a Microsoft campus, with a Nike manufacturing facility on the way. These are just a few of the reasons Goodyear was recently named one of the 50 best places to live in the United States by Money Magazine.
The city’s job growth was the key driver of its ranking, as Goodyear attracted hundreds of new jobs in 2019 and saw its median income of $79,480 outpace most of the region.
The Microsoft and Nike locations will employ more than 600 full-time workers, and companies such as Amazon and UPS, Inc. also have facilities in Goodyear.
The city is increasingly attractive for would-be homeowners, too, as the median home price is $285,070.
The local Goodyear Ballpark, which hosts as the spring training home for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians, also factored into the city’s ranking.
Money Magazine’s ranking includes only cities with at least 50,000 residents and is based on cost of living, diversity, education and safety.
Mayor Georgia Lord celebrated the ranking, telling the Arizona Republic in a statement that “Maintaining a high quality of life for our residents is important and it’s certainly an honor to receive this recognition.”
Goodyear could be primed for a repeat in 2020, too, as its breaking ground on its first-ever recreation center in October.
Keya Vakil Keya is a reporter at COURIER, where he covers everything from healthcare to climate change. Prior to joining Courier Newsroom, Keya worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.
