9 Finest Locations to Retire in Arizona

Phoenix

Many retirees transfer to Phoenix to flee harsh winters, and it’s straightforward to see why.

“Larger Phoenix is a perfect place for retirees for a number of causes, together with the signature heat local weather that features over 300 days of sunshine per 12 months. This offers retirees an incredible alternative to get pleasure from outside actions akin to {golfing}, mountaineering, pickleball, and stargazing almost year-round,“ mentioned Doyle.

Phoenix can also be recognized for its golf programs — there are over 200 within the space. However that’s not the one factor the “Valley of the Solar” has to supply.

Papago Park is gorgeous, with large sandstone buttes scattered all through its panorama. It’s a favourite spot for vacationers and residents alike and presents mountaineering, mountain biking, fishing, archery, and golf. It’s additionally residence to a few of Phoenix’s hottest points of interest just like the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Backyard.

Common residence costs in Phoenix are round $622,730 (or $576,725 when together with the whole Phoenix metropolitan space), based on Brigitte Berry, realtor and luxurious property specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty, Phoenix/Paradise Valley.

Whereas that is increased than the nationwide common of $420,800 (for the primary quarter of 2024), it’s not stopping retirees from selecting Phoenix, though many are choosing condos within the metropolis in lieu of enormous suburban homes. “Downtown Phoenix presents attractive condominium choices and a vibrant metropolis life with arts, theatre, markets, and eating,“ mentioned Berry.

Paradise Valley

A fascinating suburb of Phoenix, Paradise Valley is one other location in Arizona that retirees love. “[It] is extremely picturesque with beautiful Sonoran Desert surroundings, mountain backdrops, and luxurious golf programs,” mentioned Doyle. This group presents residents a laid-back, rural environment with quick access to big-city facilities (Phoenix is simply 25 minutes away).

Tons for brand new building begin at $899,000, and houses begin at round $1.5 million, based on Zillow. Whereas property in Paradise Valley doesn’t come low-cost, residents love the quiet, relaxed life-style and pure fantastic thing about the realm.

Tempe

Tempe is a vibrant school city that embraces residents of all ages. It’s one among three Arizona cities which have joined AARP’s Community of Age-Pleasant States and Communities. “[The city has] taken the following step of creating and starting to implement an motion plan to handle challenges that impression older adults [to] turn out to be extra age-friendly,” mentioned Rodney Harrell, vp of household, residence, and group at AARP.

Tempe is an lively metropolis with a relaxed environment. Downtown Tempe boasts native eating places, outlets, and theaters, whereas Tempe City Lake offers ample water actions, together with kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing.

Sports activities lovers will get pleasure from Tempe’s proximity to a wide range of groups and stadiums, together with school soccer at Arizona State College’s Mountain America Stadium and the Los Angeles Angels baseball spring coaching at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns play in Phoenix, and the Arizona Cardinals play in Glendale, all of that are inside a 30-minute drive from Tempe.

Scottsdale

Scottsdale tops many lists of the most effective locations to retire in Arizona. It’s recognized for its vibrant artwork scene, upscale purchasing, and eating.

Scottsdale is a haven for foodies, with over 800 eating places to select from. For nightlife, Previous City Scottsdale is the place to be, providing a wide range of bars, lounges, nightclubs, and even a high-tech bowling alley.

Arts and tradition are entrance and middle in Scottsdale. Each Thursday night, there’s the Scottsdale ArtWalk. This free occasion invitations you to walk by way of the historic Artwork District, having fun with the realm’s galleries, outlets, eating places, public artwork, and stay performances.

Scottsdale’s outside recreation choices are plentiful and various. There’s mountaineering, biking, river rafting, horseback driving, and naturally, golf. There are over 200 golf programs within the Scottsdale and better Phoenix space, together with the Gold Course at The Wigwam, the most effective programs within the state, and TPC Scottsdale, residence of the WM Phoenix Open.

Town has additionally caught on to the pickleball craze. The most important pickleball facility within the state (and one of many greatest on the planet), Pure Pickleball, will open in Scottsdale within the fall of 2024.

Tucson

Tucson has a scorching and dry local weather — good for these coming from chilly climate locations.

There’s no higher place to stay for straightforward entry to Saguaro Nationwide Park and Saguaro Nationwide Park West, residence to over two million iconic saguaro cacti. One other outside gem, Coronado Nationwide Forest, is well accessible from Tucson. Positioned throughout the park are the Santa Catalina Mountains, which supply residents and guests an awesome spot for mountaineering, mountain biking, mountain climbing, birding, and tenting.

Tucson can also be a incredible vacation spot for having fun with the expansive evening sky. “There may be an out of doors lighting code to protect the evening sky’s visibility and help native astronomy, which is ideal for stargazing,” mentioned Cathy Wolfson, the 2024 president of the Tucson Affiliation of Realtors.

One other factor Tucson has going for it’s reasonably priced housing. “The median residence gross sales worth within the Tucson space was $380,000. That is under the nationwide common in Could [2024] of $419,300,” mentioned Kevin Kaplan, chief working officer of Lengthy Realty in Tucson.

The world additionally has a wide range of housing choices. “The Tucson space boasts quite a few 55+ age-restricted retirement communities,” Kaplan instructed Journey + Leisure.

“Tucson’s interesting local weather, reasonably priced price of residing, ample outside actions, accessible healthcare, wealthy cultural scene, and welcoming retirement communities make it a really perfect vacation spot for retirees on the lookout for a cushty and fulfilling life-style,” mentioned Kaplan.

Solar Metropolis

Solar Metropolis, Arizona, is a 55+ group for lively adults who’re on the lookout for a leisurely life-style.

A lot of these communities thrive within the state, Doyle defined. “At the moment, the Solar Metropolis group and its sister group Solar Metropolis West are host to roughly 60,000 retired residents.”

This group is shut to larger cities like Phoenix and Scottsdale, but it surely’s designed to incorporate important options and companies. Physician’s places of work, purchasing, eating, church buildings, and even accommodations for visiting family and friends are positioned inside Solar Metropolis, so residents don’t want to go away except they need to.

Solar Metropolis has lots going for it however nonetheless manages to maintain assessments low ($575 per property per 12 months as of Jan. 1, 2024). Recreation Facilities of Solar Metropolis, Inc. (RCSC) has “probably the most facilities for the bottom annual property evaluation of any retirement group within the U.S. right now,” per Doyle. Facilities like eight recreation facilities, eight golf programs, two bowling facilities, an out of doors amphitheater, and a 33-acre man-made lake make Solar Metropolis a preferred place for retirees.

Since Solar Metropolis is definitely an unincorporated part of Maricopa County, there isn’t any gross sales tax. No faculties imply there’s no faculty tax to pay both. There are property taxes, which assist fund issues like the fireplace division. Nonetheless, these taxes are low, averaging between $300 and $1,300 a 12 months.

Flagstaff

For retirees who would like 4 distinct seasons, there’s Flagstaff, Arizona. This mountain city, which sits 7,000 ft above sea degree, not solely sees a mean of 108 inches of snowfall in a 12 months but in addition averages 266 days of sunshine per 12 months.

With summer season temperatures within the low 80s, Flagstaff misses the brutal summer season climate that many different Arizona cities expertise. Due to this, outside actions are plentiful. Mountaineering and biking are particularly well-liked, and there is a wide range of trails within the space starting from straightforward, accessible paths to difficult routes to trails higher suited to horseback driving or electrical bikes.

Since Flagstaff ranks among the many snowiest cities within the nation, it’s no surprise snowboarding is a well-liked wintertime exercise. Arizona Snowbowl, positioned simply 12 miles outdoors of Flagstaff, is among the nation’s oldest frequently run ski areas. There are 55 runs and eight lifts, together with the Grand Canyon Specific, the state’s first high-speed carry that takes six passengers 1,500 ft up in lower than six minutes.

For skiers preferring to remain on degree floor, Arizona Nordic Village presents 25 miles of cross-country snowboarding trails and 10 miles of snowshoe trails.

Sedona

Sedona, Arizona, is a must-visit vacation spot for artists and artwork lovers alike. This small city boasts over 80 galleries that includes a wide range of mediums, together with sculpture, jewellery, images, ceramics, portray, and a lot extra. This various creative group is the spine of Sedona.

Residents and guests will get pleasure from First Friday within the Galleries, a free month-to-month occasion that brings the group collectively to eat, drink, get pleasure from native artwork, and mingle with the artists.

Whereas the artwork scene is outstanding, Sedona has extra to supply. There are over 400 miles of mountaineering and biking trails, 4 wilderness areas, and two state parks.

The colourful eating scene favors recent, native components and regionally owned eating places. Make sure you cease by a few of the wineries on the Verde Valley Wine Path to pattern a few of the native Arizona wines. There’s even a yearly occasion, the Sedona Winefest, that celebrates the realm’s wine, meals, and music.

Yuma

If you want to retire to a sunny vacation spot, look no additional than Yuma, Arizona. Usually cited because the sunniest place on Earth, Yuma sees over 4,000 hours of solar per 12 months (or about 11 hours per day).

This small metropolis is positioned close to the California and Mexico borders in Arizona’s southwest nook. Its location alongside the Colorado River makes it a singular spot for water actions — there’s all the pieces from boating, fishing, and waterskiing to jet snowboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, and tubing.

The Yuma space can also be distinctive for one more purpose: It has three wildlife refuge areas (Cibola, Imperial, and Kofa) protecting over 1,000 sq. miles of space. This is among the largest contiguous protected areas for wildlife within the nation.