Phoenix Homes

Glitzy Phoenix Life

Phoenix is an amazing place full of glorious attractions.

The early economy of Phoenix was chiefly agricultural, dependent mainly on cotton and citrus farming. In the last two decades, the economy has diversified as quickly as the population has grown. As the state capital of Arizona, several residents in the area are employed by the government. Arizona State University has also increased the area's population through education and its growing research capabilities. Many high-tech and telecommunications companies have also recently relocated to the area. Because of the warm climate in winter, Phoenix benefits greatly from seasonal tourism and recreation, and the golf industry.

Phoenix is currently home to seven Fortune 1000 companies: electronics corporation Avnet, Apollo Group, waste management company Allied Waste, mining company Freeport-McMoRan, retailer PetSmart, energy supplier Pinnacle West and retailer CSK Auto. Honeywell's Aerospace division is headquartered in Phoenix, and the valley is the venue of many of their avionics and mechanical facilities. Intel has one of their biggest sites here, employing about 10,000 employees and 3 chip manufacturing fabs, including the $3 billion state-of-the-art 300 mm and 45 nm Fab 32. Incidentally, American Express hosts their financial transactions, customer information, and their entire website in Phoenix. The city is also the venue of the headquarters of U-HAUL International, a rental company and moving supply store, as well Best Western, a hotel chain. Mesa Air Group, a regional airline group, is also headquartered in Phoenix.

The military has a big presence in Phoenix with Luke Air Force Base located in the western suburbs. In the 1940s, the Phoenix area had three military bases: Luke Field, Falcon Field, and Williams Air Force Base (now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport), with several auxiliary air fields located throughout the region.