Tell us what you think of the No. 1 city on this year's Best Places to Live list.

What makes this city a great American town?

If you don't live in this city now, would you consider moving there? The best replies will be published here.

I planned to retire there in 2002 but when I returned, I was priced out of the market..Otherwise it is a beautiful spot for the wealthy. Moved to Florida...

A bunch of rich, snooty people with more money than God, BUT...it's beautiful, clean, has wonderful shopping, parks, events, and restaurants, and without all the traffic of a big city that offers the same. A bit pricey, but VERY nicey!

The fact that Scottsdale made the No. 7 spot made me really wonder about the rest of the list. Its nickname in the valley of the sun is Snobsdale. The people are unfriendly and the housing is overvalued. The weather is horrific; for four months out of the year the temperature is at least 100 F. If Scottsdale ranked in the top ten, what is the rest of the list like?

I grew up in Scottsdale and now own a home there...best purchase I've ever made. The city is very well planned and attractive. Glad to see it made this list!

We lived in Scottsdale for almost 8 years and loved it; the scenery, the weather from November to March. The shopping was great. Restaurants were amazing and our home was absolutely beautiful. The reason we left was that employment was horrific. Companies went out of business left and right. The payscale is very low also. And yes, the summer (April through October) was brutally hot - but having a pool helped. Now we live in the 49th ranked best place to live; Ramapo, NY, and I am not sure how it even made the list. The nice thing about living in this area is employment is much more secure and the properties are bigger than most surrounding areas. Cons are taxes, home prices, and Winter!!!

I am not surprised it made the list. Scottsdale has been my home for the last 26 years. It has been my pleasure to enjoy all of the wonderful amenities Scottsdale has to offer. It is so clean and there is so many things for people of all ages to enjoy. My neighbors are always ready to lend a helping hand and are very friendly. I hope the folks who have not had the opportunity to visit us yet...will in the near future.

I moved to Scottsdale three years ago from San Francisco, CA. While I never saw myself living anywhere other than California, moving to Scottsdale was one of the best decisions I've made. Real estate here is expensive compared to the rest of the valley, but neighborhoods are safe, shopping is convenient and pleantiful, schools and libraries are excellent and property taxes are low. Scottsdale has numerous restaurants that cater to every possible desire and an active Arts and Theater community with numerous galleries, productions and concerts. It's true the summers here are HOT, but I don't see much difference between the Arizona Summers and Midwest winters; either way, you won't be spending much time outside three to four months of the year. And the remaining 9 months are beautiful.

All anyone can say about Scottsdale is shopping and restaurants. If you go to a mall or restaurants anywhere in America you will find it the same so why is it such a big deal that this place has them? Jobs that pay enough to be able to live here are not plentiful. The people in general are unfriendly and arrogant. Housing is basically unaffordable unless you are wealthy. People pay a lot of money for these homes not knowing that they are poorly made. Flakeboard(wood pieces glued together) and questionable 2x4's make up a majority of these structures. A lot of High School kids do and sell many drugs. It is very hot 5 months out of the year....3 are unbearable.

Scottsdale is two towns: the 'west's most western town which I know from the 60's and 70's is still there. The north end has become a world class golf/shopping area. I have no problem with that. Snobs? I never met one. It's a civic minded town, with a lot to do that doesn't cost a dime. Love the place.

having grown up in Minneapolis, and moving to Scottsdale for employment, I wasnt impressed. Too hot, too dirty, too snobbish, and WAY too much driving. I lived in the Grayhawk area, so at least I avoided the tortures of the Fashion Mall Madness.

I used to live in Phoenix and worked in Scottsdale for only a month because I was laid off. Some of the people were more snobbish than in Phoenix but I hated Phoenix more: the traffic, the loud music of some of the residents, the shootings, helicopters patrolling the area, crime and more crime, drugs and more drugs.
I've moved to this tiny town and I love it. I live on a ranch - no noise, no crime, no traffic. Navajo is located 266 miles northeast of Phoenix. The weather is about 10 degrees lower than in Phoenix. I will never return to Phoenix or Scottsdale.

I'm a Scottsdale native and am happy to see it make the list of best places to live. I've lived in many places such as Detroit, Austin, TX, Seoul Korea, and Moscow. Ther are many things to like about Scottsdale such as that for the majority of the year the weahter is perfect supporting an active outdoor lifestyle enhanced further by the cities extensive park system. Like most cites there is a variety of dining options that cater to the most demanding pallette. Like any other large city there are pleaseant and unpleasant people. It is true that the school systems here are a joke and produce more small time drug dealers than rhode scholars.There also is an abundance of materialistic superficial people but thats more a reflection on society as a whole rather than this local specifically. Its all in your state of mind so if your looking for a city to enjoy Scottsdale certianly has the amenities that will enable you to enjoy a high quality of life if your open to it. High paying private sector job opportunities are scarce and government employees are paid a fraction of what other states offer. When they say public service in this state they really mean volunteers. It truly is unfortunate what they pay public safety officials and legislaters statewide.

lived in Mesa for two years...liked it. moved to Scottsdale...loved it. the problem is i didn't know how much i loved it until i moved to Washington DC for a new job. now i miss it. it really is a beautiful place to live. people on this board are complaining about snobby people...well, you'll find snobby people everywhere. whether they have money or not, they're out there. housing prices are high, property taxes are reasonable, the surroundings are gorgeous, yes, it gets hot. duh...it's in the desert. most places have a/c. problem solved. but i beg of you, please don't move there. the valley is already overcrowded. :)

Lots of pretensious people. Check out Keiland Commons (outdoor mall) in North Scottsdale. The people are so plastic.

The Jack Johnson song Gone comes to mind when I'm in Scottsdale.

"look at all those fancy clothes
but these could keep us warm just like those
and what about your soul, is it gold
is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold
and cars and phones and diamond rings, bling bling
those are only removeable things
and what about your mind, does it shine oh
are there things that concern you more than your time" ~ Jack Johnson

Someone said it's called "Snobsdale" but everyone else in the area... That couldn't be further from the truth. It's called "Snotsdale."

I am from Southern California, and it was a treat to visit Scottsdale. It is an excellent city with a top-notch quality of life. All you complainers can do is label it "snooby" and "expensive" and go home with regret that you don't make enough money to live there!! Grow up, get a pay check, and stop crying!

I lived in Scottsdale for several years and what was left out is that Scottsdale is one of the most debt-ridden communities in America, with people typically carrying three mortgages to pay for the Escalade and country club membership. There are really no rich people in Scottsdale (they live in P.V. and Arcadia), just phonies who are up to their eyeballs in debt trying to look rich. As for the nonsense that people bash Scottsdale out of jealousy because they can't afford it, well that's nonsense, I'm a #1 bestselling author and am moving to Newport Beach so you can't say I can't afford it. I just couldn't stand how phony the people all are and how you can't have a conversation with ANYONE without them bragging about how "rich" they are. Guess what, people who have it don't talk about it.

I moved here from Boston sveral years ago and consoder myself to be very forunate to live in Scottsdale !! The city is very progressive with regard to energy conservation and thet is plenty of opportunity for entrprenuers to stsrt a business. Yes, there are snobbish people here but those peop;e exist everywhere. Wnat beautiful weather 9 months out of the year, the opportunity to own a home w/every possible amenity this is the place to ;ive !! There are very few places that offer as much ! I got a kick out of the guy who is moving to Newport Bch to get away from the our phonies. Phony and plactic were invented in Newport Beach! What a joke !

Scottsdale has a well-deserved bad reputation locally. The "Rich People Behaving Badly" stereotype is spot on. I spend just about every living hour working and living in 85251 so I see it all.

Everytime I give my home phone number out to a Phoenix resident and start out with 480 - half the time it's instant attitude because they expect me to be yet another body-by-soloflex/brains-by-Mattel Scottsdale resident. The conversation always goes, "My phone number is 480-xxx-xxxx."

"Oh, you live in Mesa or Tempe?"

"No, Scottsdale."

(disdainful tone) "Oh."

Such is Scottsdale.

Scottsdale has a great public relations program - unfortunately, the reality is as harsh as the sun in July. After growing up in Orange County (CA) we moved to North Scottsdale ten years ago. Today it is a traffic-choked suburb in the north and a crime, drug, and gang-infested community in the south part of the city. Per capita spending on education is terrible - public school teachers are overworked and under-paid. Most schools are in desperate need of rehab. Traffic commutes on the 101 loop are worse than the San Diego Freeway at rush hour...

My wife and I have lived in north Scottsdale now for a combined 12 years. She from California me, I'm from Brooklyn NY. We also both happen to work in the Scottsdale airpark. What is being said here is very similar to the stuff people perceive New Yorkers to be. Very stereotypical and bogus. Scottsdale is a wonderful place to live regardless if your rich or poor. Yes you do need to have an income to live here but really, who's fault is that? North Scottsdale is a very quiet and uncongested part of Phoenix. Yes we have great shopping and restaurants. I don't have a problem with that. Gas is a bit pricier but that seems to be more the fault of retailers taking advantage. Communities are clean and well kept for the most part.. If you have a problem with all of this, It's my take that the comments that have been posted here about some folks being jealous are correct. Just about all the people I've come in contact with here have been very polite, helpful and kind. You don't get this in Brooklyn!

currently living in DC where things are expensive and people are snobby. you HAVE heard of arlington, va where neighbors only speak to each other's dogs, right?. i'm looking for a place to retire where it's clean and dry and low key. rather sun to frozen pipes in February. expensive is relative and a non-issue due to smart investing. hot isn't an issue due to the ability to travel back east in july/august when it's hot and there's always A/C. can someone tell me something that would make me HATE it? i.e. rampant racism, overwhelming sexism, city sponsored child murders??? hot and "expensive" aren't deal breakers...

We moved here from a Chicago suburb. Things have changed since we moved, but unless the population quits growing, there aren't many solutions! I love sitting on my patio in the morning and watching the hummingbirds, which I do year round. I couldn't be out every day of the year in Illinois without lots of protection against frostbite. For me, that says it all.
Yes, Kierland is upscale. We have shopping that isn't. Yes, there are snobs. Show me a nice place to live that doesn't, including many that have been renovated (Chicago has some that were slums, but now are upscale to live in, and yes, has a full measure of snobs - and very nice people). We made our reality. Our reality isn't hanging out in "to be seen" kinds of places. Scottsdale suits us because it suits the reality we made.

Scottsdale is a very depressing place to live. If you aren't filthy rich, don't have fake boobs, or most of your body redone and your teeth whitened, don't drive an Escalade, Lexus, Mercedes, or similar, don't live in a $1 million + house, you might as well not exist. I've lived in PA, TX, and CO, and this is by far the worst place I've ever lived. I'm moving and can't wait to get out of here. Most of the people are phony, the weather is as hot as hell for half the year, the traffic is horrendous, schools are terrible, and I'm tired of the endless shopping centers and cookie cutter houses. It's a very scary place to live; not to mention to try to raise a family here. I'm actually embarrased to tell people I live in Scottsdale!