With its epic landscapes and sunny skies, Arizona looks and feels like the ultimate dream come true for Americans seeking an excellent place to settle down and spend their golden years. Whether you need a warm escape from the snowy winters elsewhere or charming four-season splendor, the Grand Canyon State has plenty of grand places to live your best life.
Here are some incredibly dreamy locations for retirees throughout Arizona. Some are among the state’s most famously exclusive communities, but others offer some stupendously surprising value.
1. Catalina Foothills
Tucked just above Tucson, Catalina Foothills places you in the heart of some of the state’s most spectacular Sonoran Desert scenery while keeping you close to Tucson’s most exciting urban amenities. While this means you may need to pay top dollar for your new dream home, long-time residents feel the premium is worth it once you consider its abundance of natural park areas, art galleries, fine restaurants, and elite country clubs.
2. Paradise Valley
Paradise Valley seems to have it all nestled right by Phoenix’s most iconic Camelback Mountain. While this wealthy enclave feels far removed from the troubles of the outside world, it’s still close to the best that Old Town Scottsdale and Downtown Phoenix offer.
In addition, Paradise Valley has several of the region’s finest golf clubs and luxury resorts (complete with amazing spas). It’s also close to some memorable hiking at the Phoenix Mountains Preserve.
3. Green Valley
Located about 20 miles south of Tucson and 40 miles north of the U.S.–Mexico border, Green Valley offers a fantastic “base camp” for a whole new world full of adventures. While Green Valley has ample affordable housing, it doesn’t skimp on amenities. The area has multiple golf courses and ample hiking and cycling opportunities in the nearby Santa Rita Mountains. You can also find local art at the Community Performance & Art Center.
4. Cottonwood
For an excellent wine-country escape without the massive wine-country housing costs typical of California’s most famous wine regions, head over to Cottonwood. Arizona has its own wine country, and the Verde Valley Wine Trail places you on the path to discover many of the state’s finest wines. Beyond the bottles, Cottonwood has a vibrant Old Town full of galleries and boutiques. It’s also close to many incredible parks and open spaces.
5. Litchfield Park
Situated in Maricopa County’s fast-growing West Valley area, Litchfield Park provides a calm, upscale environment without the hustle and bustle found to the east in Scottsdale. You’ll also find plenty of golf courses, including the famed Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa, which has three 18-hole championship courses. Though Litchfield Park tends to be relatively quiet, it’s still home to great restaurants and shopping.
6. Show Low
Near the state’s largest and most famous Native American tribal communities, Show Low also places you near many of Arizona’s greatest natural treasures, including Petrified Forest National Park and Canyon de Chelly National Monument. While its high elevation (over 6,300 feet above sea level) means you’ll get cooler winters, you’ll also get to live by the nation’s largest Ponderosa pine tree forest.
7. Sedona
Sedona looks and feels downright regal with its picture-perfect red rock formations essentially forming a “geological crown” around town. Though Sedona gets a bit chilly during winter, it rarely gets more than a dusting of snow. Summers, meanwhile, tend to be milder than the big desert cities to the south. Sedona has a wealth of outdoor activities, art galleries, New Age spiritual experiences, and tasty restaurants that will keep you on your toes.
8. Scottsdale
Can’t decide between a small town and a big city? Scottsdale offers a blend of small-town charm, big-city amenities, sophisticated upscale vibes, and beautiful Sonoran Desert scenery. For more peace, consider a North Scottsdale neighborhood for greater zen. For more lively action, consider moving closer to Old Town to stay close to the city’s best museums, galleries, restaurants, and bars.
9. Casa Grande
Do you prefer Phoenix or Tucson? If you’re having difficulty choosing between Arizona’s two major metro regions, then Casa Grande places you within (relatively) easy reach of both. Even better, you’ll have plenty to see and do right here: Casa Grande’s historic downtown has a myriad of hidden gems to discover. Meanwhile, the nearby Casa Grande Mountain Trails System and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument are great for outdoor activities.
10. Carefree
Situated on the northeastern edge of the Valley of the Sun, Carefree may live up to its name if you like to explore the great outdoors. Carefree places you right by some of Maricopa County’s prettiest public lands. If you want to party, Carefree also places you by Cave Creek, another suburban village with some of the valley’s most rockin’ and rollin’ country music bars.
11. Fountain Hills
Located east of Phoenix, Paradise Valley, and Scottsdale, Fountain Hills offers a quaint small-town environment without taking you too far away from the big city. And though Fountain Hills is mostly an upscale suburb, you’ll likely find better value here than in those more famously well-heeled Phoenix suburbs.
12. Oro Valley
Oro Valley is only six miles from Tucson, so you essentially get the best of both worlds: easy access to Tucson’s many cultural amenities and healthcare institutions and a quiet, relaxing environment at home. Oro Valley also has plenty of golf courses, so this is a fantastic place to settle down if you love to pick up your clubs and spend quality time doing tee time at the golf club.
13. Flagstaff
If you prefer verdant mountains over bone-dry deserts, try Flagstaff. Nestled at the foot of the mighty San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff offers plenty of year-round outdoor fun, from skiing and snowmobiling during winter to hiking and biking in summer. Thanks to the presence of Northern Arizona University (NAU), Flagstaff has a thriving arts and cultural scene that easily rivals that of larger cities.
14. Prescott
Prescott is another mountain town with stunning scenery, but its climate is milder than Flagstaff’s. Prescott usually gets a few snowy nights in winter, but it’s rarely heavy or long-lasting, and the town’s summers are milder than you’ll get farther south. Add to this the local art scene, the microbreweries, the restaurants and bars, and its convenient location between Phoenix and Northern Arizona, and it’s easy to see how Prescott seems to have it all.
15. Fortuna Foothills
Located just east of Yuma, Fortuna Foothills offers ample year-round warmth and sunshine: The area averages less than 3.5 inches of rain annually, and even winter nighttime temperatures rarely drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though this town is bordered by Arizona’s busiest border town, Fortuna Foothills tends to stay quiet.