Retire in Arizona an Overview
There are two overwhelming reasons to retire in Arizona are
1) climate and,
2) very affordable.
Homes are selling between 100K and 150K for an average size home, Condos are even less. Property taxes in Arizona are very low so that makes considering keeping a permanent home more attractive.
The weather is ideal, there is no humidity like on the east coast and there is sunshine nearly every day of the year. The average temperature in Phoenix is 25C/76F; unfortunately, the summers are brutally hot with the temps getting over 100F in July. If you have respiratory problems or allergies you need to consider to retire in Arizona, because it is so dry those health-related issues will be greatly diminished.
People in Arizona don’t fight for the closest parking spot to the door they fight for the parking spot with shade.
There are lots of out of doors activities including golf, fishing, and hiking.
The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona and I can tell you first hand, it is an unbelievable site worthy of its place on the list of the worlds 7 natural wonders.
Outdoor enthusiasts can hike trails in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, kayak or paddle board on Tempe Town Lake or enjoy desert wildlife at the Desert Botanical Garden.
There are many museums with themes like Native American history, musical instruments, toys, and fire trucks provide respite from the sun.
Cheering on Phoenix’s professional sports teams, including the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks, the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, the NBA’s Suns, WNBA’s Mercury and the NHL’s Coyotes, is another favorite pastime. And each January, more than half a million golf enthusiasts descend on the area to watch the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
If college sports are more your thing they’ve got you covered too.
Downtown Phoenix offers a collection of concert venues and nightclubs, as do the nearby cities of Scottsdale and Tempe.
Retire in Arizona Health Care
Health care is excellent in Arizona; this assumes, of course, you’ve got the insurance coverage whether you’re an expat or an American citizen.
For anyone looking to live in Arizona from out of the country or from the US, insurance cost could be prohibitive depending on your current health situation. Health insurance for longer periods of time can be more expensive.
Is it safe to Retire in Arizona?
While stats are somewhat outdated violent crimes were listed as 447/100,000 in 2008. Like most American states and cities you need to be aware of your surroundings. Arizona has many well-established retirement communities that have been around for over 50 years. As usual common sense reigns and you need to avoid certain neighborhoods.
Retire in Arizona – Overall Potential
Arizona at its face comes very highly recommended.
I’ve spoken to retirees from Canada who spend each winter in Arizona, the overall sentiment is that Arizona is preferred over the east coast of the US. The climate is more predictable, costs are less and there are lots activities to do for the retiree.
Right now is a good time to retire in Arizona. Due to the decline in housing in the US, Housing costs are at an all-time low. You can purchase a small bungalow for around 80k, three bedroom houses will run you in the upper 120’s. Renting will cost you approx $1000/month
The location of Arizona is close to the Pacific coast, Las Vegas and Mexico, so it does provide some interesting options for activities outside the state as well.
One a final note, they have what is called the Sonoran Hot Dog in Arizona. We all know how our beloved Nitro links are not so healthy, the Sonoran Hot Dog is wrapped in BACON! damn! It’s got to be amazing!
One final final note if its good enough for Alice Cooper to retire in Arizona(semi) It’s good enough for me.
If you like this blog please share, if you’d like to start your own blog I always recommend Alex and Lauren’s Create and Go courses. I’ve bought them all and they are by far the best resource out there you can buy. You learn from their mistakes (so you don’t have to make them as well) and as well their huge successes.
All my recommended resources can be found here, I wouldn’t recommend them if I didn’t use them myself.
If you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch at theteam@wickedretirement.com
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.