About Mesa Arizona | Mesa AZ Facts

Mesa Arizona Relocation Center

A big city with a warm and cozy feel !!! Mesa isn't a small town anymore, but the city has managed to retain a cozy feel while offering the excitement and culture of a big city.

Sitting in the shadow of Phoenix, Mesa has quietly built a reputation as a great place to raise children, start your small business and buy a home. Mesa offers probably the most affordable homes in the southeast Valley, and also a variety of neighborhoods to select from. The city has six historic neighborhoods and hosts Dobson Ranch, one of the state's largest master-planned communities. Las Sendas in northeastern Mesa offers upscale homes that are nearly as beautiful as the mountains that embrace them. An added bonus to keep your mortgage payment low: Mesa is the largest municipality in the nation without a city property tax.

Mesa's public-education system is definitely a point of pride. The city has the largest school district in the state, with about 70,000 students. Its six public high schools boast several specialized programs focusing on engineering, foreign language and international relations. Its sports teams don't fare too badly either, with numerous championships at the state's highest level of football, girls and boys basketball, and other sports.

Mesa also has a number of charter and private schools and a strong home-schooled community. Mesa Community College, with three campuses and more than 25,000 students, is the flagship of the nation's largest community-college system. ASU burgeoning polytechnic campus sits at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and Northern Arizona University has a growing presence, with classes downtown.

And it's downtown where you'll find the heart of Mesa, with historic buildings, nationally recognized museums and quaint shops along Main Street. The Arizona Museum of Natural History, the Arizona Museum for Youth and the Mesa Historical Museum host national exhibits that play to statewide audiences, while the Cubs flood the city with spring-training fans each March. The Mesa Arts Center is among the biggest and newest arts venues in the Southwest, with four theaters, art exhibit halls and art studios offering a range of classes. The city also has 25 public and private golf courses, dozens of parks, and nearly a dozen public pools, many with water-park amenities. National business groups have put Mesa on the map, saying the city is "packed with potential."

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in southeastern Mesa is creating a buzz internationally with growing passenger and cargo service, with nearby areas ripe for industrial, high-technical and office opportunities. In the northern part of the city, Falcon Field is a favorite for local aviators, and Boeing, the maker of the Apache helicopter, is the city's largest private employer. Mesa's two malls anchor the eastern and western ends of the city, and the recently opened Mesa Riverview retail complex, which includes Bass Pro Shops, is on track to become a national draw.

Useful Links

City site: www.cityofmesa.org
Convention/visitor bureau: www.mesacvb.com/
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport: www.phxmesagateway.org/
Downtown Mesa Association: www.downtownmesa.com/
Mesa Arts Center: www.mesaartscenter.com/
Historic neighborhoods: cityofmesa.org/historic/
Mesa Public Schools: www.mpsaz.org/
Golf: www.thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/AZ/Mesa.htm
Dining: www.azcentral.com/ent/dining
Special events: www.azcentral.com/ent/nightlife
History: mesalibrary.org/about_mesa/mesahistory/mesacity.aspx
Parks and pools: www.cityofmesa.org/parksrec/
Fiesta Mall: www.shopfiesta.com/
Superstition Springs Center: www.superstitionsprings.com/
Dana Park: www.danapark.com/
Mesa Riverview: www.mesariverview.com/
Arizona Museum for Youth: www.arizonamuseumforyouth.com/Home.aspx
Mesa Historical Museum: www.mesahistoricalmuseum.org/
Arizona Museum of Natural History: www.cityofmesa.org/swmuseum/