You have thought about retirement for years. Your thinking, is it time to retire? If the answer is yes, retiring in Arizona may just be the place for you.
Most retirees are looking for a place where they can live with a low cost of living, warm weather and lots to keep them active and busy. Arizona meets all of those wishes making it a perfect place for retirement.
The cost of living in Arizona
Arizona is well-known for main cities such as Phoenix, and the cost of living in Phoenix makes it a bargain among big cities. There are however many small suburban cities that may be attractive as well to retirees. These suburbs, however, vary dramatically in the cost of living. Places like Scottsdale are beautiful, with lots of amenities, if you’re willing to pay the higher cost of living. Tucson, about two hours from Phoenix, is by far less expensive.
Arizona offers all kinds of climates
Arizona is well-known for being warm, very warm. Although people think of Arizona as being one big, hot desert, it’s not. The state’s climate actually varies widely. Phoenix is a great place to be during the winter, with highs in the 60s and 70s. Though Arizona can get hot in the summer, the low humidity tends to make it feel not that bad. Flagstaff, on the other hand, is at a much higher elevation, which makes it about 25 degrees colder than Phoenix at any given time. Same for really any of the higher mountain areas.
Arizona is considered tax-friendly toward retirees
To be sure you can afford to live anywhere, the taxation rate for retires is important. Arizona is moderately tax-friendly according to SmartAsset. Social Security is not taxed and property taxes are quite a bit lower than the national average. Many seniors are able to take advantage of clauses that reduce housing costs. Also, groceries, one of the major living expenses for seniors, are exempt from Arizona sales tax.
Arizona yards are extremely low-maintenance
People tend to think of green lawns as being the epitome of a beautiful yard. Not so in Arizona. Arizona is full of beautiful, colorful flora that thrives in the dry climate. This makes Arizona a good place to live if you want a nice yard with very little effort. Their yards are filled with multicolored rocks rather than grass, and it makes for a uniformly pretty experience. Some cities such as Glendale even pay residents to ditch grass and switch to native plants to save water. Its an alternative to the lush green grass, but in our opinion, a welcomed one.
Related: Seniors earn extra money
