Moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tempe, AZ

Moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tempe, AZ

If you are moving to Tempe, AZ from Pittsburgh, PA, you are in for some serious changes and acclimations. Pittsburgh is the 22nd largest city in the country; many consider Tempe just a college town (or suburb of Phoenix). The population of Pittsburgh is a little over 300,000 while Tempe holds only 164,000. Despite being a smaller to mid-size town, the residents of Tempe love their unique niche in the greater-Phoenix grid, and nearly 60,000 students of Arizona State University (ASU) called Tempe their home away from home.

Traveling to Tempe, AZ

Getting to Tempe from Pittsburgh is a little tricky by automobile. I-70 gets you to St. Louis. Then you hop on I-44 to get to Oklahoma City which connects to I-40. That will get you to Arizona, but the drive would only be comfortable if you stopped and spent the night a couple times during the trip. Total driving time is roughly 35 hours. There is no argument that moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tempe, AZ by moving truck would be a very difficult undertaking. That's why U-Pack makes moving easier-- we do the driving! Explore our coverage area here to find a service center near you. 

Welcome to the Sonoran Desert

Tempe is part of the very arid and hot climate known to inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert, which stretches into Mexico and the Baja California region. You might want to keep your umbrella just for the sun after moving to Tempe, AZ as it can get brutal. However, you will barely see a full day of rain happen once throughout the year. Unlike living in Pittsburgh, moving to Tempe, AZ means living under less active weather patterns that you will probably grow to appreciate more once you get acquainted with the area (locally called “the valley”).

Transportation in the Valley

Only 4% of the residents in the Tempe metro area use mass transit compared to 18% in Pittsburgh. Because land and cost of living is so low, most residents are not strapped by purchasing their own vehicle, and it is the transportation option of choice in most suburbs around Tempe. Inside Tempe, due to the vast student population, there are many more opportunities to enjoy a close-knit, pedestrian oriented community that is crawling with student bikers, in-line skaters, and skateboarders.

Other Transportation Options

Sky Harbor International Airport is very close to Tempe, and service to any major U.S. city can be found within the course of any normal day, as well as a number of direct international flights. Moving to Tempe, AZ does not mean you are disconnected from any friends or family in the country. The airport is the 9th busiest airport in the country. The city of Tempe also offers a fleet of eco-friendly cabs, and a train that takes residents into downtown Phoenix from the ASU campus.

Tempe, AZ Higher Education

If you are moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tempe, AZ, chances are you will have something to do with ASU at some point in your future, if that isn’t the reason you’re moving in the first place. ASU is the largest university in the United States, and offers over 250 majors in a seemingly unlimited number of topics. The main campus is in Tempe, while three other satellite campuses can be found throughout the valley.