Tempe is located in the southeast part of the Greater Phoenix area. It is one of the cities that are included an area often referred to as the East Valley. The city offices of Tempe are about 5 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Generally, Scottsdale is to the north, Chandler is to the south, Mesa is to the east, and the Ahwatukee Foothills section of Phoenix is to the west. Tempe is most commonly pronounced, temp-ee. A person who lives in Tempe is called a Tempean.  

History:
Tempe got its name in 1879. According to the City of Tempe, "'Lord' Darrell Duppa, an Englishman who helped establish Phoenix, is credited with suggesting the name. The sight of the butte and the wide river, and the nearby expanse of green fields, reminded him of the Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece." The Tempe Chamber of Commerce offers a detailed history of the area.

Tempe Population and Income Statistics:
Median household income (in 2005 inflation-adjusted dollars): $45,644
Percentage of people below poverty level: 13.5% 

Attractions, Special Events, and Malls:
Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe Town Lake/Tempe Beach Park, Mill Avenue District, ASU Gammage, ASU's Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Spring Training Home of the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, Kiwanis Park, Big Surf Water Park, Tempe Historical Museum, Tempe Festival of the Arts, ASU Sun Devil Football, Insight Bowl, Fiesta Bowl Block Party on New Year's Eve, P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and 1/2 Marathon, Tempe Marketplace, and Arizona Mills Mall. 

Tempe’s largest Employer’s:
Obviously, Arizona State University is a huge employer in Tempe; it is a State of Arizona (government) employer. As far as the private sector is concerned, the largest employers in Tempe are JP Morgan Chase Bank, US Airways (formerly America West Airlines), Motorola, Medtronics Microelectronics and State Farm Insurance. 

What's Special About Tempe, and More:
Certainly, Arizona State University gives Tempe a unique profile in the Greater Phoenix area. When people are looking for places to live in Tempe, it is wise to consider that areas close to ASU and nearby dorms not only tend to have a young and transient population, but also that crime is relatively high there. This is an urban living environment. Other parts of Tempe, to the south and east have more typical neighborhoods for this area in all price ranges. Tempe is unique in that its borders are all defined and have been since 1974; Tempe is landlocked. Growth is now occurring upward, with high rises being built to accommodate the growing population. Near the university in downtown Tempe, Mill Avenue is one of the nicest and most interesting walking neighborhoods in the Valley of the Sun, with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retail and entertainment. Some of the largest festivals in the area and in the Southwest are held here, and Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets may be closed to vehicular traffic during these events. Tempe Town Lake, also in downtown Tempe, takes up 220 acres, and was created as part of the Rio Salado Project. It was dedicated in 1999, along with an enlarged and remodeled Tempe Beach Park. Tempe Town Lake offers fishing and boating in the midst of an urban setting. Tempe Beach Park often hosts weekend festivals, many of which involve music/bands. Kiwanis Park covers 125 acres, and boasts one of the world's largest indoor/outdoor wave pools.
 

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