The City of Tempe was named the No. 3 most “fun, affordable” city by Bloomberg Businessweek in a study of over 3,600 ZIP codes on Aug. 9.
Utilizing real estate data provider Onboard Mechanics, Bloomberg Businessweek observed the average home price and the number of restaurants and bars to rate the top cities.
Bloomberg found the average home price in Tempe’s 85281 ZIP code to be $119,900 while it contained 265 nearby bars and restaurants for its 61,000 permanent residents.
“Downtown Tempe is in a strong place for businesses,” Downtown Tempe Community Executive Director Nancy Hormann said. “We have always had new businesses opening steadily.”
Downtown Tempe Community is a non-profit organization that works with city officials, business owners and property owners specifically in the Mill Avenue District to enhance the sense of community.
“There is an energy about the Mill Avenue District, it’s a very entrepreneurial energy that has been drawing lots of great businesses for a long time,” Hormann said.
Downtown Tempe offers amenities such as Tempe Town Lake and The Tempe Center for the Arts in addition to the many restaurants and bars.
“Tempe offers a high number and quality of programs for all levels of age and budget,” City of Tempe Community Services Spokeswoman Denise Rentschler said.
Ranging from organized community walks and carnivals to its association with the Ford Ironman Arizona and Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake, the city of Tempe has lots to offer, Rentschler said.
Recognizing Tempe as a college town first and foremost can help to understand why a relatively small town is home to so many restaurants and bars. Students become a nonpermanent client base, so they tend to spend more money on going out and being social, said Pete Goldey, chief information officer at Onboard Mechanics.
In addition to restaurants, bars, cultural destinations and outdoor facilities, music is a big draw for Tempe students and residents.
“One of the biggest things for me is concerts,” visual communications junior Charles Shockley said. “Tempe has lots of good music venues and great bands that come to them.”
Popular venues include The Marquee Theatre and the Clubhouse Music Venue that host acts ranging from hip-hop artists to experimental music
The social aspect of Tempe is one thing that is undeniable to most students.
“Socializing with people my age is what I spend most my time doing, since it’s a huge college town there is always a friends house I can visit or a party to go to,” Shockley said.
Reach the reporter at ealopez7@asu.edu
