So, you’re curious about living in Arizona? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
The expert movers, travelers, and worldwide locals that make up the team at Relocalate.com are here to help.
We’ve compiled the ultimate guides to answer the most common questions people just like you have about living in the great state of Arizona.
Dive deep into the topics you’re interested in to make sure your new home in Arizona matches what you’re looking for.
We’ll explore whether Arizona is a good place for YOU to live, and we’ll highlight some of the best cities for you to visit, explore, and ultimately call home.
Pros and Cons of Living in Arizona
You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: no place is perfect. What matters is how good of a fit it is for you.
Relocalate.com is here to help you decide whether Arizona is the best place for YOU to live.
Here are some reasons to love living in Arizona:
- Close to other states like California and Nevada – making it the perfect home-base to explore the country from.
- Low cost of living means you’ll get more for your money here than in other areas.
- Decent job opportunities in the larger cities.
- Beautiful natural wonders.
And, on the flip side, here are some of the downsides of living in Arizona:
- Catalina Foothills
- Chandler
- Gilbert
- Glendale
- Mesa
- Paradise Valley
- Phoenix
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Tucson
Read More: Is Arizona a Good Place to Live?
Best Place to Live in Arizona
So, you’ve got your heart set on living in Arizona? Well, the decision making doesn’t end there. You’ve still got to decide where to live in Arizona!
In some other articles, we’ll dive deeper into some of the best places to live in Arizona.
Our experts have considered a whole bunch of different criteria to select the top locations, including:
- The best places to live for families, retirees, singles, young adults, outdoor lovers, foodies, and more.
- The safest places to live.
- The cheapest places to live.
- The best schools.
- The best job markets.
- The best housing markets.
- And so much more.
Just want a quick list? No worries, here are some of the best cities to live in Arizona:
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Mesa
Read More: Best Places to Live in Arizona
Checklist for Moving to Arizona
So now you’re preparing for your big move to Arizona. Maybe you’ve even started packing!
As you probably already know, there are a lot of things to take care of when you’re moving. Both in your current state and once you get to Arizona.
Here are some of the major things you’ll want to take care of when you move to Arizona:
- Updating your address with USPS.
- Getting your Arizona driver’s license.
- Transferring your vehicle titles and registrations to Arizona
- Getting Arizona car insurance.
- Signing up for health insurance in Arizona and finding new doctors, dentists, and local hospitals.
- Updating/changing other insurance policies you may need (homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, pet insurance, motorcycle insurance, etc.)
- Registering to vote in your district in Arizona.
- Updating your address with your banks, credit cards, subscription services, loans, investments, phone plans, and bill pay.
- Enrolling your kids in their new school district.
- Licensing your pets and finding a new vet.
- Setting up your utilities for your new home.
- Preparing to file state taxes for Arizona and your previous home state.
Visit your Arizona Moving Checklist for a detailed guide on all of the above.
Read More: Moving to Arizona Checklist
While we’re at it, let’s cover some high-level questions and fun facts about Arizona.
Things to Know About Living in Arizona
As you’re preparing for your move or getting settled into your new home in Arizona, here are some things to know about living there.
Cost of Living in Arizona
One thing to consider when moving to a new state is the relative cost of living.
Arizona ranks 32nd on the Cost of Living Index with an overall rating of 102.1, meaning it’s a relatively average costing place to live.
Here is how Arizona scores for the cost of living in each specific category:
- Groceries: 101.8
- Housing: 106.2
- Utilities: 105.2
- Transportation: 98.8
- Health: 96.6
- Miscellaneous: 99.7
The average cost of living in this index is scored at 100. The numbers above represent the percentage of the average. A number higher than 100 represents an above average cost of living, while a number lower than 100 represents a lower cost of living. A lower rank indicates a lower cost of living.
This data comes from the Cost of Living Index prepared by the Council for Economic Research (C2ER), which compiles data from cities across the country to rank and compare the differences in costs of living.
Sales Tax Rates in Arizona
Sales tax is a way that state and local governments collect tax revenue from its residents and visitors.
These taxes are applied when you purchase something. It’ll show up on your receipt or bill. If you’ve recently moved to Arizona from somewhere else, the new sales tax rates may surprise you.
On top of the state sales tax rates, local rates for certain counties and cities may apply and vary as well.
Arizona’s state sales tax rate is higher than the national average at 5.6%, with an average local rate of 2.8% (the highest local sales tax rate is 5.6%). Across the state, the average sales tax rate is about 8.4%.
Check with the Arizona tax office for the most current tax rates.
Real-Estate Property Tax Rates in Arizona
If you own or plan to own real estate in Arizona, you’ll want to think about the property tax rates when you move there.
Arizona ranks 13th (from low to high) for its state property tax rate of .66%.
There may be additional property taxes on top of the rate stated here depending on your county, city, and school districts.
Check with the Arizona tax office for the most current tax rates.
Arizona’s Job Market & Economy
Another thing to think about when moving to Arizona is the job market and economic indicators.
Overall, Arizona ranks 19th for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States.
The GDP measures the overall monetary value of all goods and services produced within a certain place over a period of time.
Its top 10 industries (ranked from largest to smallest by economic contribution to the state) are:
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Professional and business services
- Educational services, health care, and social assistance
- Manufacturing
- Finance and insurance
- Retail trade
- Wholesale trade
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services
- Construction
- Information
The top employer in Arizona is Walmart.
Notable Destinations and Landmarks in Arizona
Our Arizona moving guide wouldn’t be complete without a brief mention of some of the most iconic destinations in the state.
When you get settled in, a road trip may just be in order.
One of the most iconic landmarks in Arizona is the Grand Canyon.
National Parks that you can visit in Arizona include:
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Saguaro National Park
National Monuments that you can find in Arizona include:
- Agua Fria National Monument
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
- Chiricahua National Monument
- Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
- Hohokam Pima National Monument
- Ironwood Forest National Monument
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Navajo National Monument
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Pipe Spring National Monument
- Sonoran Desert National Monument
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
- Tonto National Monument
- Tuzigoot National Monument
- Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
These destinations are all great places to visit when you get a chance.
Facts about Arizona
Arizona is the 48th state of the United States that lies in the western region. To its north is Utah, to its south is Mexico], to its east is New Mexico, and to its west is California and Nevada.
What is the capital of Arizona?
The capital of Arizona is Phoenix.
Phoenix is located in Maricopa County with a population of 1,660,272.
What is the population of Arizona?
The population of Arizona based on 2020 US Census data is 7,151,502.
What is the largest city in Arizona?
The largest city in Arizona is Phoenix.
What is the size of Arizona?
Arizona is 113,990 square miles, making it the 6th largest state in the U.S.
What is the state motto of Arizona?
The state motto of Arizona is: Ditat Deus
What is the state bird of Arizona?
The state bird of Arizona is the Cactus wren.
What is the state flower of Arizona?
The state flower of Arizona is the Saguaro cactus blossom.
What is the state tree of Arizona?
The state tree of Arizona is the Blue Palo Verde.
What is the minimum wage in the state of Arizona?
The minimum wage in Arizona is $12.15 per hour.
What is the median income in Arizona?
The median annual household salary in Arizona is $59,246.