Why We Retired to Tucson

I tend to agree with the article,somewhat. Some 20 years ago we wintered in Apache Junction,which is East of Phoenix a ways,and being from the Northern states,Wyoming,we were looking for a better climate.However,the smog around Phoenix,and the constant sirens all night long,made us decide the area was not for us.Now that we are both retired we are looking at a possible relocate to Southern AZ again,and articles like this helps a lot.However,I have an old Army buddy who lives in Sierra Vista and on occasion has to travel to the Tucson VA,he tells me he cannot wait to get out of Tucson.Makes one wonder.

Thanks Harv. We also relocated from Wisconsin to Tucson (actually NW in Marana) in 1997. We never looked back and love it here. I could not take high humidity with breathing issues and the "dry heat" is survivable...we are here year round. We really love the geographic diversity in Arizona and the Sonoran Desert is not what some people imagine a desert to be. We take short couple day trips to the ocean in San Diego, mountains in Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon easy trips to Santa Fe,...these help break up the hot summer. We also love the University of AZ here, go to sports events, Jan 31 the Gem Show comes to town for 2 weeks and we love that - it is the biggest Gem Show in the WORLD. We live in the Tucson Mountain foothills at Dove Mountain with 32 miles of hiking trails which is a bonus for us. Phoenix is a bit busy so we rarely go there, sometimes shuttle up to fly out of Sky Harbor. We love it here!!!

Couple of questions to Harv. What is water situation out there? Have heard a lot about drought and AZ is running out of water. Had thought about Oro Valley area or Marana.
Question for LJ, where around Dove Mountain are you? Are shopping and restaurants far? Looking for active age restricted communities.
Thanks

We are at The HIghlands at Dove Mountain a 55+ age restricted community which is gated, 1200+ homes and has full amenities including golf. Groceries (huge FRYS) are like 5 miles, Walgreens/Gas/Bank at Dove Mountain entrance, we have a restaurant on site but there are 5 others at DM (but 3 are at The Ritz-Carlton DM). They are building a pretty big shopping area right off the interstate about 5 miles from us too. When I moved here there was NOTHING!

Sorry guys. I can't get excited about a state where you can't walk a dog May-Sep nor can you enjoy the "great outdoors" unless you rise at "zero dark 30" or wait until past sundown. I've heard that cheap shoes melt on the asphalt. Hiding from the heat or risk sunstroke is not the way I want to spend my active years. I know there are higher and cooler elevations but those areas seem to also be pricier. Great homes and wonderful prices can be found on the outskirts of Phoenix and Tucson but, spending 6 months sitting in the local mall, my home, or local recreation center waiting for the sun to set is not my cup of tea.

V

Been living in AZ since 1972, I will agree it gets hot here but it's not the center of the earth or the Sun. OMG! ....That's the craziest thing I ever heard, most of us adapt to our environment. I suppose you could say the same thing about walking your dog in the snow. Your statement is quite ridiculous and extreme.

V
How many states right now are people indoors due to extreme cold and snow. I enjoy the outdoors 365 days a year in Arizona. Granted there are a few months where I don't hike or golf 1pm-5pm, but I still do in the am or late afternoon. Rather than think we are indoors for 6 months, I think there might be 7-9 days a summer that are just outrageously hot like 112 at peak of day...I'm still out and about or that is when we drive up to Flagstaff for a getaway. My dog gets walked everyday around 7am in the summer - we don't mind. We are at 3200 elevation so really not Death Valley here. I never have to worry about slipping on ice or being stuck in snow or below zero temps which I think is more dangerous for the aging people. Also, I can't breath at 85+ humidity so I can enjoy more outdoor days than I ever could in midwest. After 17 years, still love Arizona...supposed to be 78 today in Tucson!

V
What you said is ridiculous! We have 7 lovely months of great weather, beautiful sunshine, glorious sunsets, and beautiful scenery. Soooo much to do here. Look at all the horrible weather back East now! Yes we have a few months of heat, but we get breaks when days aren't bad, and people walk their dogs all year round here!! I LOVE ARIZONA!!!!

Can someone shed light on effect of dry weather on Psoriasis (skin disorder)? I would like to retire in Arizona, but I am concerned about this skin condition-whether it will get worse with dry weather. I live in California, but would like get away from all the hustle and bustle environment. I will appreciate any response from someone who may have this condition and lives in AZ.

Phoenix has a population of 1.6 million people, and the metro area has around 4.3 million people. Phoenix is also the 5th most populous city in the United States. Phoenix would not have this spectacular growth if people were melting away on the sidewalks. Right now in the United States, Phoenix is one of the greatest population draws for all age groups: the very young to the very elderly. As humans we do adapt. Fly into Sky Harbor in August. Yes, it is very hot, but by all means not unbearable.

Anyone living in general Tucson or Marana area. What is long term water situation. Our concern is reports that area will not have an adequate supply of potable water in the future.

I see that you're living in an RV community. Can you recommend an affordable 55+ community near Tuscon? Other than Mayo, have you found good health care nearby?

Lee
http://www.tucsonaz.gov/water/waterplan
http://www.marana.com/1244/The-Future-of-Our-Water
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/08/11/arizona-water-supply-drought/13883605/

Peg....55+ communities - affordable - what price range ? You are looking for houses or RV parks? Golf or No?

Last May we vacationed near Cottonwood, AZ, about an hour or so north of Phoenix. This was a check on whether AZ might be a permanent destination for us -- we decided no. The near constant wind, dust and dryness were the big issues (we are from central NC). Potential water issues are also a big concern.

I'm not seeing answers here to most of the questions asked -- especially the water issue (there may be no answer for that). But I'll add my questions: What about wind and dust? Seeing the news videos of the dust storms this year in Phoenix have forever dispelled that city as an option. The dryness remains an issue -- both my wife and I had sinus and skin issues even in the few weeks in Verde Valley. Is that typical and do you acclimate to it? In NC, we live in a politically blue area of a predominantly red state. We very much oppose the AZ governor and the state policies in many areas. A question only we (and my wife is a Democratic activist) can answer is whether we could deal with that living in a blue city in a red state.

We loved our visit to AZ this year and in the past. Frankly, it's difficult to completely dismiss the state as an option despite our experience. The dryness is a concern (humidity we can live with). I've visited Tuscon briefly a couple of times in the past 20 years and can only say good things about my visits. It tops my list other than where we are in NC and, more recently, FL. I hope some of you will help with my questions.

Thanks, Rich

We vacationed (before and after starting a family) in Phoenix and always loved it. Always went in warmer months and we DID survive. It felt hot though, even though it is certainly dry. Our most recent trip was September 2014. Didn't see any posts yet on the summer monsoon rains, which can be intense and will cause highway flooding, but the flooded spots are usually gone within a day. Also didn't see any posts on the crime rate, which I have been led to believe is a serious consideration due to proximity with the border. While I am attracted to AZ, and will likely vacation there again, the crime rate for me is the deal breaker. The scenery and climate advantage over NJ is significant! Had the BEST BBQ in Phoenix, too.

We live about 25 miles north of Tucson along the Santa Catalina mountains at an elevation of 3200 feet in a retirement community called Saddlebrooke. Our summer temps are about 5 degrees cooler than Tucson (city) and about 10 degrees cooler than Phoenix. Our community has over 5000 homes, 81 holes of golf, lots of tennis and pickleball courts, 6 swimming pools (1 indoor), 4 clubhouses, 4 restaurants and over 100 clubs and organizations of every kind. We tried living in Florida for about 5 years, but the bugs, humidity, hurricanes and tornadoes were too much for us. Saddlebrooke has it ALL and I consistently rated in the TOP retirement communities in the USA. Saddlebrooke Ranch is just a few miles further north and much higher in elevation (near Oracle), so if you want cooler temps, there is another option that gives you full access to all the Saddlebrooke amenities.

I've lived in the east valley suburbs of Phoenix (Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert) for 19 years, and I still love it. I'll be the first to admit that "dry heat" isn't for everybody, but living conditions here aren't anywhere near as bad as some of the hype you hear. I've never heard of anyone's soles melting on asphalt, for example.

We really do acclimate to the warmer temperatures and drier air. I moved here from the DC area, and I suffered terribly from allergies every spring. That's no longer a problem here. I don't have skin issues, so I can't really speak for whether someone with skin issues would adjust to living here or be miserable. I put moisturizer on my face every day, and that's it.

Haboobs (dust storms) only happen about 3-4 times a year. Most of them aren't anything to worry about. They last about an hour and when they're over, you sweep off your patio, backwash your pool, and maybe pick up a couple fallen tree branches. That big one that happened in July, 2011 that made the news everywhere was a freak, and even it wasn't very destructive.

Haboobs are the worst thing we have to deal with. No tornadoes, no hurricanes, no earthquakes, and certainly no blizzards. Yes, we had a flood last October, but that's the only one I've experienced in my 19 years here. In terms of natural disasters, this is a pretty safe place.

Regarding the water, Phoenix still has an adequate supply. We're sitting on a large underground aquafer, the Salt River is dammed up in four places upstream to the east which feeds our canal system, and we get water from the Colorado River. That said, as the area continues to grow we will need to start conserving more. People water lawns and shrubs a lot, and we should transition to more desert landscaping. But I don't foresee a day when we will turn on the spigot and nothing comes out.

Tuscon doesn't have as much water as Phoenix, but that city is much better about using desert landscaping and therefore it's not using water on grass and plants. Again, I don't see a water crisis looming on the horizon.

Again, Arizona isn't for everyone. And that's a good thing - if everybody moved here, that would create a lot of problems to deal with. But it's not as extreme as some people make it out to be, and many of us think it's quite nice. When it's 115 degrees and I'm sitting out in my pool sipping a cocktail, I think about the people in the northeast digging out from 2-3 feet of snow, and that sunshine feels just fine.

Dave Hughes
RetireFabulously.com

Great information for a couple like us who can't quite decide which warm weather state will be "The One." From where I'm sitting (Boston) they all look good right now!

I'm now living in Georgia, however, I lived in Arizona for 18 years. I spent several years in the Phoenix area, some in the Cottonwood area, and the remainder in Tucson. Of the 3, the Phoenix area is the hottest (due in part to all of the heat-retaining concrete). It doesn't cool down much at night and is the most affected by dust and wind. Cottonwood provides nothing in culture, though it's a great place for hiking and camping and has a real 4 season climate. Nearby Sedona is very expensive, but lovely to visit. Oak Creek Canyon (on the road from Sedona to Flagstaff) is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the states. Tucson, my favorite, has culture (much provided by Arizona Sate University) and the wonderful Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The city can feel a little overcrowded when the university is in session, but it almost has a small town atmosphere when it isn't. It's a wonderful place to walk or ride a bike. I never felt afraid in the neighborhood where I lived, but I was aware of the high crime in the city and there were areas that I avoided. I loved living in Arizona and I do recommend it, however, it is very brown and I really missed the green of the east.

For me Tucson is:
Dirty, unless you are rich and can live in the nicer places.

Medically poor despite the ads the hospitals and doctors always run. Thank God Mayo is close.

Traffic is bad, the roads are terrible, crime is high, and the airport is a regional, meaning you have to go to Phoenix to get most anywhere.

UA basketball is great!

It's great hearing all about AZ. We used to live there, but husbands job brought us to OH, but it will be short term, 2 more years to go. My husband will be retiring in 2 more years. One of the things that we are missing is the Astro Photography, He gets very little time in doing this here in OH. Weather just isn't good for it. As one can imagined being from Midwest. Always cloudy it seems.

But the skies in AZ, are just too perfect! So please keep sending the info. Let me ask you this, if you had too choose between Tucson and Gold Canyon, AZ...which would you prefer?

Thank You for any information you can send us. We moved to OH from Gilbert.

Sandra

Answering a few more questions....
There are some very nasty windy areas between Phoenix and Tucson around Casa Grande where you have "flat lands" but that is a few times a year. Another bad wind area is down near Wilcox I-10 East. We have a few windy days in Tucson but nothing extreme, we don't get Haboobs in Tucson.
Some people require a humidifier in the home either always or at night, I don't. In the driest winter months the humidity can be as low as 8% so you need to be conscious of fluid intake,when no sweating occurs. Yup, lots of moisturizer.... in the summer, especially monsoon you can get rapidly developing storms that last a short time and it really rains but again that is not every day and not for a long time period...a juicy monsoon can produce flash flooding and stupid people often try to drive thru flooded roads! Humidity in the summer can be in the 30-50% range around monsoon time (mid June - mid Sept). When I compare midwest tornadoes, thunder storms, blizzards and coastal hurricanes I think our whether is pretty boring - sunny and maybe sunny & hot. If you don't like blue skies, stay away. I agree...it's not for everyone and we don't want everyone:)
Tucson is closer to the border but generally all of the crime stuff is over stated. Crime rate in South Tucson not like in the N & NW communities. Have lived here almost 18 years and I wouldn't even give it a 2nd thought. Downtown renovations and new streetcar and new trendy dining options is making Tucson downtown come alive which was really needed. Streetcar connects UofA to downtown. We love our college sports here and do not miss major league anything.
The politics in AZ are definitely whacky Rich....Tucson is a progressive blue city in a red state. I'm not certain I would have put AZ high on my list if I really understood the political situation here but there is some solace in Tucson being a university town with more moderate thinking.
If you have not been exposed to the Sonoran Desert you need to understand that it is a very vegetated environment...it is not flat, barren desert. Loads of wildlife, even deer.

I would be interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison of taxes and utility costs. Anybody have any?

I just can't believe some of the ridiculous comments about Tucson.

1. Who is propagating all this nonsense about it being unsafe? I've just lived here a year, but I have yet to see one news story about people being attacked by wild border crossing immigrants. I regularly visit south Tucson...a very Mexican area...no problems. I leave the door to my house unlocked at all times because when I had my stroke I was so happy the emergency people could get in to help me. No problems. Nothing stolen. As far as I can tell, it is very safe here, certainly much safer than upstate N.Y wher I lived previously.
2. Shoes melt? Can't walk dogs? Are you people nuts? In summer I walked my dog early, like before 9am, and late, like 8 pm, to avoid burned foot pads. She did just fine and we're both comfy walking at those times. Yes, for 4 months (not 5 or 6 for Christ sake) from mid-May to mid- to late September it was hot. The rest of the year is gorgeous. In the hot months I spent most of my time: in my air conditioned house or car, in the pool, or the air conditioned gym. It wasn't difficult at all. I sat out in my carport at night all summer...at night the air is fabulous. And, as mentioned, it is a good time for short trips....San Diego, Santa Fe, Prescott..all just a few hours away.
3. Tucson is blue. Very hip area around the University with small shops, restaurants, etc. lots of good live music venues. Lots of things to see and do. Lots of writers and artists in area. Politically you get everything here.
4. Tucson is affordable...much more than Phoenix. I looked at Voyager, where the writer of this article lives. But I prefer the north side of Tucson, so I live in Marana. If I pay by the year my mobile home park lot lease is $3600. That's cheap!
5. For those who have followed my exploits I have been beset with illness since I got here. I spent more than 13 weeks in hospital. As far as I can tell I have gotten very good care here. There are a number of good hospitals here that cover every specialty. And, if there is something not available here, it is available in Phoenix, less than 2 hours away.
6. Traffic. I lived in SF Bay Area for many years, Seattle for 3 years and New York for 7 years. Traffic in Tucson is NOTHING like any of those places. I don't think I've ever even had traffic slow to a stop, even during rush hour. In my opinion the traffic here is very mild and, as mentioned in the article, the excellent weather produces excellent driving conditions which I think makes it much safer.
7. Allergies, sinus, skin...all my stuff is better. I breathe better. Less allergies, by far. No sinus issues like I have in damp, mildewy places. Yes, lots of sun screen and lotion, but my skin was already old before I got here.

So...I am very happy with my choice. I think some of you just like to make stuff up as an excuse to stay put. Great! Stay where you are with humidity, snow, tornadoes, traffic...we are just fine with that! We'll just be enjoying another sunny, blue sky day down here.

My wife and I are in the process of moving to the Tucson area; the small town of Vail, AZ about 20 minutes southeast of Tucson. We just purchased a home in Rancho Del Lago, a Del Webb 55+ community. We are moving from cold, snowy, and heavily-populated northeast Ohio. To repeat an earlier comment, I never want to mow grass or shovel snow again!

We looked extensively in New Mexico (a lovely state). But we found what we wanted in a very nice and affordable home near Tucson, close enough to medical and cultural resources. We have a community of friendly people, with plenty of activities to keep us young. We simply cannot wait to complete our transition to the southwest.

We've lived in Tempe, a southeast suburb of Phoenix, for eight years now. I wouldn't live anywhere else in the Phoenix area, for a variety of reasons. But when I retire in another year (assuming all stays okay with health, etc.), we're moving to Florida. The principal reason is that if I am going to retire and actually enjoy it, I will retire somewhere near the ocean. Here in Arizona, we have two choices: We could drive to Mexico, but I don't want to go to a place where you have to travel in a convoy to feel safe. We have friends who vacation there, but the safety issues are more than we can deal with, and the thought of coping with the crime as residents is impossible. Or we could go to California, which I've calculated costs at least twice as much as Florida for equivalent housing. Sorry, but we just cannot afford it.

So we're moving back east. We're New Englanders, so the concept of a Florida retirement is familiar. I don't like humidity, but you have to put up with something no matter where you live, so I'll deal with it.

By the way, we are fans of Tucson. In addition to having much more moderate politics, it's kind of a funky town with really interesting areas surrounding it, Lots to do and an interesting social scene near the University of Arizona.,

Two things to watch, though -- and these apply to Phoenix, not nessarily Tucson. Allergies are alive and well. As the area grew, people brought their favorite plants, and if they survived (and a lot of them did), they caused allergies. Phoenix has gone from a place where people went to cure allergies to a place where allergies can be really bad. I'm just sayin'. And as for bugs, we have mosquitos that are as bad as anywhere we have lived. Another thing to watch for is termites. There is a common saying here that we all have termites, it's just that some of us have noticed them. Termites are everywhere here. It's just a question of whether they can figure out a way through or around your foundation slab get into the house. At least treating them is pretty commonplace here, and people don't panic over them anywhere near as much as they do back where we are from.

I just finished reading all the comments about Tucson, both positive and negative. I live in Prescott, about 4 hours north of Tucson and up here we do get a slight bit of snow and cold. Otherwise the climate is very good. I run two humidifiers because Arizona's climate is very dry. I have only been in Tucson a few times and I've been in the Voyager RV Park and in Saddlebrooke. Both places are way too expensive for my blood, so to say, although they are very nice and have lots of amenities. I have heard that Dell Webb also has built a community between Tucson and Benson and if I were to live in the area, I would like that area better because to me the scenery is nicer and it's not so crowded. As one or more of the commenters wrote, Tucson is nice if you are rich and can live in the rich areas, and I would agree with that. Up around Mt. Lemon is very nice. Marana, just north of Tucson, did not have much there the last time I saw it, but apparently it has grown quite a lot. I have heard that Tucson is dangerous, probably because it is closer to the border. Many of their signs are printed first in Spanish and then in English, which I do not agree with. I am sure the reason I feel so strongly about that is because I immigrated from Germany many years ago and nobody printed anything in German for me, or hired a translator before I learned English well enough to communicate. Back to the Tucson area .... I had a home in the Casa Grande area, north of Tucson, which I heard has been built up a lot since I lived there, with shopping centers, movie houses, restaurants, etc. We used to have those Haboobs, the horrible sandstorms where it looks as though a wall of sand is coming toward you and my house often had layers of sand on the inside window sills. I got caught in one of those one time and tried to outrun it with my car, which did not work. You could not see anything around you and even some palm trees were ripped out of the ground. There are some very bad accidents with multiple cars and 18-wheeler trucks on the highways around that flat area, especially on the I-10. Monsoon season, which is rather short, can also become frightening because many homes can get flooded and streams of rushing water run across some streets. Some people are dumb enough to try to drive across those rushing streams and then they get stranded, often on top of their car roofs, and have to be rescued by helicopters, etc. I once watched the water come within a couple of inches of my front door, although my home was situated on a small hill. There was a small mountain near me and water came rushing down it like a river. All in all, Tucson no doubt would be better than living in a state that has bad snow and ice in winter and is extremely humid (with bugs) in the summer, but I, personally would not choose Tucson. I love Sedona, but it is extremely expensive. I miss "green" and water and when I am able to do so, I may try to move to Oregon or Idaho. I've lived in Montana twice and loved it, til thousands of Californians moved there and pretty much ruined that state, such as what is now happening here in Prescott. Any "normal" person can no longer buy a home here; greedy developers are building subdivisions on every open piece of land, running the beautiful pronghorns off, and prices start around $300,000, which is a bargain to the many Californians moving here, but not for the rest of us. They keep trying to relocate the pronghorns to Southern AZ by trying to force them, with helicopters, into enclosures and in the process many of them get killed, which is so sad. They are lovely animals that are used to Northern AZ vegetation and if they do manage to be relocated to So. AZ, they often die there because they cannot find the food they are used to.

Property taxes are way less than I paid in Wisconsin/Milwaukee - like 40% The community I live in has home values between $175,000 and $480,000 - I would say the property taxes range from $2500-$3900 (this is a gated, foothills, golf course, pool, tennis, pickleball, fitness center, restaurant type community). HOA is $180/mo. Vehicle registration is high in AZ if you have a new car as it is calculated based on car value. So when we bought a brand new vehicle our annual registration was around $525 which was pretty shocking but goes does down each year. I drive an 8 year old VW and I'm down to $120 this year. Running AC pretty solid from May-Sept does run up a good electric bill, our home is 2500 sq ft and we run between $200-$320 a month in summer (no pool)....but there are several months a year when we run "free", no AC and no heat! Everything needs to be bottom line analyzed...some things are higher and some things are lower. Our water/sewer bill is around $55/mo. Sales tax in Marana is 8.1%, that too is pretty high.

Dick and I rented out our home in Hilton Head and moved to a furnished rental in Saddlebrooke, northeast of Tucson, for a year to check it out. We are loving it! There is so much to do and the scenery is gorgeous. I haven't had a bug in the house since I moved. The weather is great, and yes I've been here in the summertime. The days are going to be hot, but the nights do cool down some. As other readers noted, Tucson is cooler than Phoenix, and Saddlebrooke's 3200 elevation cools down further. We figure we can also picnic on MT. Lemmon at 10,000 ft., a hour away, when things get really bad. There is snow up there today, and I'll be wearing shorts later. I am amazed at how much cheaper things are here. We can buy a nice house for half the cost. Food is cheaper too, by far.
I also like the purple politics here, as opposed to the need to be bright red. In SC, it was difficult to say what I thought all the time.
I lived in FLORIDA twice, once in Palm Beach County and once in Tampa. We decided not to return. I guess I'm tired of hurricane insurance, both wind and hail and flood on top of my regular insurance. If I can't live really close to the ocean, 10 minutes or less, I don't want to be there.
It's all a matter of what works for you.

I love the idea of putting retirement in dry climates. My major concern is that much of the desert to California have been in drought for an unbelievable time. Forests are easily burned, and once that happens, soils erode and cannot soak up what little precipitation that occurs.

I, for one, don't want to go into an area where a critical resource is already in a critical position. Just one person's opinion, I'd rather go somewhere where water is plentiful and good quality.

Thanks for all the comments in response to my blog. I’m sorry about my slowness in replying to member questions.

** MEDICAL CARE: Peg, you asked if we found good health care nearby. Yes, we feel fortunate that the University of Arizona Medical School is right here in Tucson. My wife had serious respiratory issues (pulmonary fibrosis) that predated our move to Tucson, so transitioning to Tucson was a big step for us because she has been on oxygen 24/7 since 2010. We’ve been very happy with our care at UAMC (Univ. of Arizona Medical Center). Prior to moving, we used the Mayo Clinic system in Wisconsin. We did try Mayo Clinic’s satellite campus in Scottsdale (a 2 hour drive from Tucson), but we feel we get better care at UAMC.

In terms of dental care, many Voyager residents get their dental care done in Nogales, Mexico, only 60 miles from Tucson. I’m sure there are exceptions, but everyone I’ve talked to tells me they’ve had excellent care and at enormous savings. I’m planning to go there myself because I need some major dental work done, and it will cost a mint if I do it in the U.S.

** WATER AVAILABILITY: Lee S, you asked about water. I agree with Dave Hughes who responded to your inquiry. In spite of all the frequently-heard forecasts of imminent doom because of water availability, the fact is that both Phoenix and Tucson are in fairly good shape. Both have been saving water and pumping it into the aquifer to be available in future years. The Arizona Daily Star reported last June that when the Director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association was asked if Phoenix could run out of water if the Central Arizona Project has a few dry years, her answer was “Emphatically not!” And as Tucson News Now reported last June, “Tucson Water has set itself up so that it's banking water for a potential future shortage. It's likely Tucson will still be chugging along 50 years out.”
Many people hear a horror story about the “water situation” in the Southwest or Southern Arizona and wouldn’t consider moving here. And those people shouldn’t move here, because those fears and worries would preclude their enjoying the Arizona experience. For me and others who trust the expert estimates of water reserves, we don’t live with that fear and so we can enjoy living here.
Many retirees and others clearly aren’t being scared off by this one dimension. As evidence, the National Restaurant Association industry forecast projects that Arizona in 2015 will experience greater restaurant growth than any other state, and it also projects that Arizona will lead the nation in restaurant growth every year for the next 10 years! In my judgment, that wouldn’t be the case if lack of water were about to ruin our lives.

** EFFECT OF DRYNESS ON SKIN AND SINUSES: To Rich, you asked if one gets acclimated and I think so. The only skin issue I have had is with cracking heels. I need to periodically put cream (not lotion, but cream!) around the edges of the bottoms of my feet to keep them supple and not crack. My wife has had no skin issues, but most people seem to need to lubricate their skin.
We don’t have a humidifier and haven’t found that our nasal passages dry out. In Wisconsin, we needed a humidifier in heating season due to the low humidity … but we don’t need a humidifier here even with much lower humidity. Strange but true!
We both use BiPAPs with oxygen and do put water in our BiPAP humidifiers at night.

** AIR QUALITY: JB, you mentioned the smog you experienced around Phoenix. The American Lung Association in its annual “State of the Air” report consistently ranks Maricopa County (Phoenix metro) as being among the worst in the nation for air quality. In contrast, Pima County (Tucson metro) ranks among the best in the nation. For example, in the most recent report (2014), Maricopa County received a grade of “F” for both particulate matter (soot, dust, etc.) and ozone (smog), while Tucson got an “A” for particulates and a “C” for ozone. For particulates, Maricopa had 10 orange days and 6 red days while Tucson had none. For ozone, Maricopa and Pima respectively had 56 and 3 “orange days”. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said that wind patterns and speeds account for some of the difference between Tucson and Phoenix air. “In Phoenix, wind blows regularly from west to east in the afternoon, sending pollution that has built up in the morning into the east and northeast valleys … In Tucson, winds blow harder and in a wide variety of directions, which makes it easier for pollution to blow out.”

** PSORIASIS: To Raman, I don’t know from personal experience but in reading several items from a Google search, it appears that there is a multitude of opinions and experiences. Have you joined the Inspire group on Psoriasis? I found some great discussion there among people with psoriasis about effects from weather. ( http://www.inspire.com/groups/talk-psoriasis/topics/psoriasis/ )

** LIFESTYLE: Several comments addressed the laid-back lifestyle. AARP in a 2009 article titled “Live the Simple Life - Where to find low costs, minimal stress and lots of fun” analyzed 300 American cities for “characteristics including stable home values, low unemployment and cost of living, minimal traffic congestion, availability of cultural activities, outdoor recreation opportunities, and more—17 traits in all that contribute to a no-hassle, low-key lifestyle.” AARP determined that Tucson was the #1 city in America for living “the simple life”. I can’t argue with that!
The Wall Street Journal referred to Tucson as a “mini-Mecca for the arts.” No doubt! The arts and entertainment opportunities are impressive.

** DRIVING/TRAFFIC/ROADS: I found it to be very easy to learn my way around Tucson. Streets are laid out on a grid with major north-south streets every mile apart, and major east-west streets every mile apart. Once you’ve learned those major streets and their order, it’s almost impossible to get lost. In contrast to my experience, I have a friend who thinks it’s very confusing to drive around Tucson. I can’t understand why, but he has an entirely different view.

There’s only one freeway, I-10, which runs diagonally from southeast to northwest. Many complain that the lack of freeways makes it slow to traverse the city. In fact, we like that our location right off I-10 because it facilitates getting to many places.

If you were to ask me what I most hate about Tucson, I’d say street conditions. Many streets are in very bad condition. A bond referendum for street improvement passed a couple of years ago and that has helped … but too many streets still need improvement. I can live with the potholes … a minor annoyance that’s trivial in comparison with all the pluses.

JB, you commented that your friend from Sierra Vista goes to the Tucson VA (presumably to the Southern Arizona VA Health Center) and “cannot wait to get out of Tucson”. I can sympathize with your being frustrated by conflicting opinions! The typical route from Sierra Vista to the Tucson VA would be to take AZ-90 north 21 miles from Sierra Vista to the interstate (I-10), then 41 miles west on I-10 to Exit 261, then less than a mile off I-10 on South 6th Avenue to the VA. Your friend doesn’t hit much Tucson traffic on I-10 until about Exit 270, so his driving in Tucson consists of about 10 miles of really great interstate driving (with mild interstate traffic compared to within most cities) and then less than a mile of city streets. Not bad, in my view. The fact that your friend “cannot wait to get out of Tucson” demonstrates that we should all be cautious and never assume that someone else’s experience will be how we experience it.

Before we moved to Tucson, we lived in a town about 20 interstate miles from Eau Claire, Wisconsin which has only 67,000 people. Many people in our town of 1700 people, when driving to Eau Claire, said they “cannot wait to get out of Eau Claire”. So it’s all dependent on the person and perceptions, which is why it’s so hard to evaluate where to retire … because you can’t rely on what you’re told by any one person (including even by me!). (~ smile ~) That’s what makes topretirements.com and similar websites so important that we can read about the wide array of experiences and opinions people have.

** SCHOOL DISTRICTS: Arizona is 49th in the nation for money spent per student. While it doesn’t directly affect retirees without children of school age, it eventually affects all citizens if we fail to prepare our children for the future. Arizona’s current state government seems very anti-public education. The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is very bad, but there are some great school districts as well (e.g., Vail Unified Schools, Catalina Foothills School District, Tanque Verde Unified School District). Property value appreciation can be affected by one’s school district, and the Vail School District where the Voyager’s located was rated the top multi-school district in the entire state.

** COSTS, TAXES, ETC: Several members asked questions about specifics of “the housing situation”. We bought our house totally furnished (1332 sq. ft, 3 BR, 2 BA) for $166,000 in November 2012. Real estate taxes last year were $1,851. HOA fees are $103/month. We’re in The Cove which is a gated 55+ community with 289 houses in southeast Tucson (actually in Pima County just outside the city limits, but surrounded on 3 sides by Tucson). We are a half mile south of I-10 at Exit 270 (Kolb Road) and associated with the Voyager RV Resort but not officially part of the Voyager (i.e., we own our own lot rather than leasing from the Voyager, but have full access to all the amenities and activities at the Voyager). We in The Cove have our own pool and spa (200’ from our house) but also can use the three pools and 2 spas at the Voyager. About 40% of residents live here year round, the others being snowbirds.

Houses in The Cove were about $250,000 prior to the 2007 Great Recession housing collapse. Prices fell to about $150,000 by the end of 2012. There were 10 houses for sale at that time when we bought, after peaking at 17. The market heated up dramatically after we bought. It seems that during this past year, whenever a “for sale” sign goes up, it already has a “sale pending” or “under contract” sign attached! What a turn-around!

Before buying in The Cove, we lived in a park model in the Voyager which we bought in 2006 with 520 square feet (400 sq ft + 10x12 room). Most people think of the Voyager RV Resort as consisting of three parts:
(1) “The Voyager” itself which has 1576 lots, 600 of which are for open to RVing, with the other 976 spaces occupied by park models such as ours. Prices on the 40 park models currently for sale are $11,000-$50,000. The annual lease cost is about $4900 which includes water, sewer, and basic local TV stations. Personal property tax (i.e., which replaces real estate tax) on our 1998 Cavco park model was $276 last year. That tax decreases each year as a unit ages. As Ginger mentioned, the annual lease cost at her park in Marana is $3600, so the Voyager space rent is about $1300 more per year.
(2) “The Bay” which has manufactured housing (i.e., double-wides) with 996-1700 sq ft. Prices of the 7 units currently for sale are $75,000-$134,000. Monthly space lease cost is $514-565.
(3) “The Cove” which is stick-built homes as described previously and not actually Voyager property but usually thought of as “part of the Voyager” unofficially since we can use all the amenities at the Voyager.

If you want to see photos & descriptions of units for sale in the Voyager and the Bay, to get some sense of costs and value, the website voyagerrv.com will be of interest. Also, the website provides a description of the amazing array of activities and amenities. If you click on the “February 2015 Compass” link on the right side of the home page, you can see the activities calendar on pages 26-31. That is a big part of why retirees are attracted to the Voyager RV Resort. I should mention that you don’t need to be an RVer to enjoy this resort, but one can get that false impression.

** CRIME: Several comments discussed crime. In Sperling's Best Places presents “Crime Rates for All 331 Metro Areas”, the entry titled “Worst Large Cities for Crime (>500,000 pop.)” says: “Although Arizona has two of the most crime-ridden cities in the nation, their violent crime rates are relatively low. … # 1. Tucson, AZ Tucson has one of the highest property crime rates in the country, especially larceny. On the bright side, Tucson has a low murder rate. ... # 4. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ Phoenix-Mesa has one of the highest rates of auto theft in the nation.”

While I recognize the stats, I don’t feel at risk like I often have in other large cities. We go to central downtown at night to the Fox Theater perhaps twice per month, and don’t feel it’s unusually risky. I often go to the grocery store and pharmacy at night, at 8 or 9 or 10, and don’t feel unsafe. As is true of any sizeable city, one avoids certain areas at night, but you cannot live your life in fear or you’ll miss out on too much. We live at the Voyager in a gated 55+ resort just outside the Tucson city limits, and I feel safer here than I have anywhere we’ve lived … ever! I think that would be true in any gated 55+ community, so it’s not unique to the Voyager. I notice there are many widows living here because they feel safer here than they would if they moved back to their preretirement communities. So, is there a lot of crime in Tucson? Absolutely, but it hasn’t diminished our quality of life … at least not yet! (~ smile ~)

Dan, you wrote that “I have been led to believe [crime] is a serious consideration due to proximity with the border.” I think the importance of “proximity with the border” is often exaggerated and used in an attempt to demonize the Latino portion of our community. While a portion of crime is due to proximity to the border, that portion rarely affects us who live here, especially us who live in 55+ communities, especially in gated 55+ communities. Poverty is high in Tucson, and that’s a key driver of the crime here … theft of property by poor people for survival.

** WHERE TO LOCATE IN THE TUCSON AREA: Lee S, you mentioned you’re interested in Oro Valley. Many retirees live there, especially in Rancho Vistoso (Del Webb), Saddlebrooke and Saddlebrooke Ranch. They are awesome, but I can’t afford either of the Saddlebrooke resorts. The traffic on Oracle Drive also would frustrate me, I believe. And the time to get to UAMC would be a concern since Carol and I have health issues. David said he’s moving to Rancho Del Lago, a Del Webb 55+ community, near Vail, southeast of Tucson. Very nice … and in the Vail School District! And don’t forget all the retirement areas in Green Valley, just south of Tucson!

** AFFORDABLE 55+ COMMUNITIES: Peg, you asked “I see that you’re living in an RV community. Can you recommend an affordable 55+ community near Tucson?” I recommend that you first look at manufactured housing. There are oodles of 55+ communities with manufactured housing throughout the Tucson area where the costs are much more reasonable. I’ll write a separate detailed response later about this since I believe it will be helpful to you and others who want to consider Tucson area and keep housing costs down.

Harv

I know only a few will see this, but I still want to say "thanks" to Harv, LJ and all the others who directly and indirectly answered my questions and tried to deal with all the questions asked by so many. It is clear that there is a lot of interest in AZ and that the state and the Tucson area have a lot to offer.

Several mentioned that despite the beauty of the area, they just needed to get back to the "green". Good point! Since 2003, we have made three major road trips of 5 weeks to the 4-Corners states, 5 weeks all over the West in a great figure-8, and of two months to AZ, UT, and CO. After each trip, by the time we headed home to NC, we were both feeling almost desperate for green. The lush green of the eastern forests, farms, meadows and swamplands. We're OK with the southern humidity (frankly, I love it!), so in the end we'll probably stay right where we are. But I have seen why so many are attracted to AZ and Tucson, and I expect we'll go back to Tucson for an extended vacation.

Good luck to you all!

Rich

Harv, you have a wealth of data! I just wanted to comment on Oro Valley and Marana...north Tucson. Oro valley has its own impressive hospital...Oro Valley Hospital, and in Marana we have Northwest Hospital. Both are excellent hospitals with a wide range of specialties. I did drive down to UAMC for awhile but I cannot say my experience was as good as Harvs. In September I switched to Northwest Hospital and have been very pleased that I did.

Oro Valley and north Tucson in general has 'greener' desert, filled with flowering shrubs and saguaro cacti. In my opinion, this is the really lovely part of the area.

I also wanted to say that my land lease costs in Marana are low, but do not include electricity or basic cable, so it all averages out. Still, when I was looking for a park model in Florida, the cheapest space rental I could find was 550 a month, so AZ seems to be much cheaper in that regard.

And one more time...about crime...remember that Tucson has several barrio areas where very poor people live. Much like any big city, there are areas that are more crime-ridden than others. You are not likely to be living in those areas. Where I live, and for miles around, there is virtually no crime. I also go grocery shopping at night, out to movies, etc. never lock my car. No issues. Never lock my house...no issues. I am in a community also, so that helps. Due to my illness since I moved here, I don't get downtown much, but when I do, I feel perfectly safe. Love the University area and 4th Street area. I have so much to see when I get healthier and stronger!

Nice article. I have two questions though.
How much does energy to for a typical home? Is it extremely high like parts of Florida?

The second is actually more important to me. What is the water situation like?

NW....if you read the comments you would have your answers. See Harvs comment just above.

I don't know how long Harv has been residing in Tucson, I lived there almost 20 years, but the streets are not laid out in a grid and many of them start and stop multiple times with no warning. There are also numerous streets around Tucson and the local area that have the same names but don't connect to anything other than more sand in the desert.
When we moved from Tucson 4+ years ago the downtown homeless population was rampant, crime was on the increase, and degenerates were basically the norm on the streets after dark, and they weren't bashful about aggressively panhandling.
Another bone of contention was the manner in which bond money for street repairs was squandered on absurdities such as the bridge to nowhere. The bottom line was the streets were becoming a perpetual array of potholes and large stress cracks.
Several comments regarding crime were concerning--not locking car and home doors is an invitation for criminals. The fact that these people have been lucky to date is no excuse for continuing such a practice. The fact is the closer one lives to the border the more crime is prevalent, especially property break-ins, vandalism and auto thefts. It's not uncommon for vehicles to be stolen out of driveways in Green Valley and farther south.
homeowner associations are also rampant in and around Tucson, and many of them are overbearing and very costly. I know, I lived in SaddleBrooke for the entire time I was in Tucson and watched the HOA become an operation for people who needed to be important rather than merely interested in serving the community for a period of time. When the HOA sends you a photo a tiny clump of weeds on the farthest corner of your yard and a letter advising that it's 1/2" too tall and must be removed within 30 days or it will result in a $100 dollar fine, that's way too much intrusion. This form of absurd intrusion became commonplace.
Regarding water, it's a crap-shoot depending upon who you talk with about the issue. I went to the presumed experts at the city, county, state and University of Arizona to gather information. They were very forthright and openly admitted that the Aquifers were not, in fact, teeming over with an abundance of water, but rather just the opposite. And water is not cheap in Tucson and the surrounding areas. When we moved our base rate was $85, and that did not include sewer or trash pickup, those were extra, individual monthly charges,
Something that was quickly swept under the rug was the Page Trowbridge landfill, a toxic site that was opened in the 1960s and not monitored until several decades later after tons a potentially lethal substances had accumulated thanks to the U of A failing to establish and maintain oversight on it. It was an issue back in the late 1990s and the developer quickly hooked up with the U of A and fabricated a makeshift fix--lining the top of the site with rolls of plastic to "avoid ground water contamination." That was a joke as confirmed by several state inspectors, but it mysteriously became a non-issue once the developer broke ground on SaddleBrooke Ranch and the tax dollars began rolling in to the various agencies from local to state.
South Tucson has been a gang haven for decades, and today Catalina to the north has also become a haven.
Overall, Tucson is rather typical for a city with over a million population. There are areas where crime is minimal and neighborhoods that should be avoided, and the same goes for various parts of town when the sun goes down. Look at the local crime statistics for all neighborhoods in and around Tucson before deciding on where to settle. And by all means, take a close look at the property tax rates. If you have your eye on Oro Valley you'd better plan on hitting the Lottery because they're outrageous and on the way up again this year.
I chose Tucson as my initial retirement destination and had planned on living there for the duration, but nothing and no place stays the same, and often for many of the wrong reasons. If you're planning on moving to Tucson do your homework, research everything with a little personal bias as possible in order to have a clear view of what you're getting into. Good luck!

Desert Dude...if you lived the whole time in SaddleBrooke, the most expensive and exclusive neighborhood in Tucson, I know you were not personally a crime victim and are talking about crime based on things you 'heard'. There are many many neighborhoods in Tucson that are perfectly safe, as mine is.

You clearly were not happy here, so it's a good thing you left. I hope you are happier wherever you are now.

Let's hear some pros and cons, positive and negative on the State of New Mexico and it's cities both large and small.

Ginger, I totally agree with you!

To Harv and the others who have posted all this great info on Tuscon, thank you! Ginger, I always enjoy reading your posts and getting your perspective. I'm leaning towards Florida to be nearer to family and friends but were it not for that Tucson would be at the top of my list. I'll still probably make a visit or two there.
When it comes to crime, if you look at any city you'll find crime. We all just learn the areas to avoid. I imagine Tucson is like any other city in that regard.

New Mexico has some of the most natural beauty and clearest blue skies in the country. I have done some hardcore hiking in the Sandia Mountains just east of Albuquerque at the 10,000 foot level. Absolutely beautiful country. If you like the outdoors lifestyle then Albuquerque has a lot to offer.

New Mexico is a very poor state. Because of this there are many lingering social problems. As you travel the state, the high poverty level is very apparent. Also very unfortunately, in many of the small towns the alcoholism and drug abuse problems are right there in the open: staring you right in the face. Because of the hard social issues; the education level in many areas is quite low. There are a lot of people in New Mexico in a difficult situation.

Albuquerque is a sprawling and very nice city. The city offers good health care and good colleges. For people that really enjoy outdoor activities; Albuquerque is great. New Mexico does not receive a lot of retirement attention. I love traveling to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Albuquerque is a quick two hour flight from Los Angeles.

Bubbajog - I agree with you about New Mexico. It's beautiful but it's not a place I think I could live/retire in. We went there on vacation. Nearly every city we traveled through had vast sections that looked depressed and run-down. There were nice areas but overall it was not for me.

What a great and down-to-earth write up and this is greatly influencing our decision that Tucson will be where we 'retire' (whatever that is!! At age 60 my wife and I each ride our own motorcycles and love to bicycle, so I tend to shun the word 'retire'!).

We're in the Atlanta area. As I type this it is 18 degrees outside. I haven't been able to ride either my bike or motorcycle in weeks. That just sucks. Not how I want to live the rest of my life. Not to mention the humidity during the summers.

I have spent a great deal of time riding horses across the northeastern Arizona desert, up near the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest region - in the middle of summer - and it wasn't bad at all.

The moment I can put a "For Sale" sign in my yard here, I'm on my way, Tucson! Thanks for the terrific write-up, Harv!!

(Oh, and the rest of you who say it's too hot there, yadda yadda.... please stay in your frigid tundra. We don't want heaven-on-earth getting TOO crowded or popular! :-)

Kudos to you Scott...I am in Phoenix and it has been in the 70's, sunny. and picture perfect! Can't beat that when a lot of the country is slipping and sliding on freezing roads and frigid temps!!!

Thank you Ginger and Loralee and Scott: I love Tucson but I will be visiting my son in Phoenix in the beginning of March to look at places to move to. Any help or ideas would be helpful. I am in Houston and it is expected to get colder in the next few days. Right now it is gloomy and spitting a bit. I need my sun!!

I am a native Of Tucson Arizona but have lived in both Tucson and Phoenix. It is cooler inTucson and the nights cool off which they do not in Phoenix. Tucson receives more monsoon weather than Tucson. East valley of Phoenix receives more rain but they also get the dust storms. I lived 27 yrs inPhx area and 34 inTucson. Big differences Phx area are mega water users and Tucson is very conservative. I have Avery big problem with the water waste in Phx especially by the retirees. We currently live in Trilogy at Vistancia in Peoria, Az. My allergies are very bad because of all the non native plants that require a lot of water. People come here and they want all the plants and flowers that they did back home. This is a major problem for a desert community. If you look at lake Powell and lake mead you would realize the waste in water is criminal. If the water use continues our state will be out of water. Desert cactus tell you by swelling during part of the year and become very thin and dry other times that our desert is ruled by rainy and dry seasons. They conserve their water for times when there is no rain so they can survive. We love retirees but please plant desert and don't water it. Cactus bloom and provide color during the spring, silver during dry times and green during the winter months. If you move to Arizona respect our desert by not planting as if you live back east. Then there will be enough water to survive. A side note I am Democrat and the Retirees in this State are destroying our schools. Bonds are very difficult to get through because they don't want to pay the addition taxes. My grandchildren deserve an education just like your grandchildren do so when you vote keep that in mind. Republicans sure don't care about the children of our state nor do they care about water instead they dig there head in the sand until our state will be in a crisis. Why is this? Because they don't want anyone to tell them what to do. Hence a Republican representative inAvondale wanted no control over builders allowing them to plow down the desert and not having to move and then replacing the native plants. How would this hurt? We end up with non native water using plants. Which will hurt all In Arizona. Of course this representative was financed by national builders. Even though we love being by are kids/grandkids we are probably going to move away from Phx and back to Tucson

We started researching where we wanted to REALLY retire (as we were already retired from working fulltime) about 7 years ago. We were living in North Central Texas. We visited and researched Southern Texas (quickly crossed off the list due to high humidity and cost of living), New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona. The next 4 years were spent traveling to Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona. We loved Nevada but found the traffic and costs to be too excessive. We liked New Mexico but it just didn't feel right and we had no idea why. About 3 years ago, I saw a lot about Green Valley AZ on TopRetirements.com and started to zero in on Green Valley. I ordered the online newspaper. We first visited Green Valley 2 years ago and liked it so much, decided this was the place we wanted to be. We made several trips and each time felt comfortable. We set our timeline... we would make the move in 2015 after taking a couple of cruises out of Galveston that were already paid for (why fly in when we could still drive). We put the house up for sale in June which sold at a great price (thanks to the hot DFW real estate market) in one day, flew out and bought a townhome in Green Valley - again lucking out as the real estate market was still depressed after the market plunge as we would never have been able to afford this home had it not been in a depressed market. We moved here in July and still cannot believe after all of our research and planning, we are really here. Our property taxes and property insurance are 1/4 of what they were in Texas for the same size home. Our car insurance is 40% less. Yes, the car registration is a shock but paying $200 more per car per year is nothing compared to what we are saving on taxes and insurances. Other services are also less. My kids are scattered around the country so where we live doesn't matter. We love the desert Southwest, love the mountains, and love being here in Green Valley, Arizona. I am so glad I learned about GV on TopRetirements.com.

Thank you Joanne for the report on Green Valley, AZ! I found your story to be quite interesting and informative! Good luck to you. Can you comment on your experiences in grocery stores, Costco and other shopping experiences. Also, can you comment on weather and the heat. What do you expect winter will bring? Was the heat no concern to you considering you lived in TX? I live in New England and weather is always a topic of conversation. Horrific winter storms and at times tons of snow and ice. Summers are hellish hot and many humid days. Spring is practically non existent some years due to rain and cold temps. Fall is my favorite. Typically very cool nights, warm days blue skies and beautiful trees with the leaves changing colors. Winter is ugly with no leaves on the trees, dangerous walking conditions with ice and snow. I have lived here for 52 years and am used to the seasons but the cost of living in CT is outrageous so we need to find a place to move to stretch out our retirement dollars!

Can I ask the costs in GV of: utilities, home insurance, car license, internet, satellite or cable TV? I have also narrowed it down to Sun City, AZ or Green Valley. I really like the much lower real estate taxes in Sun City, as they seem to be the only place with no school taxes

I would appreciate some estimates/guesses on electric and gas bills (in a 1680 sq ft home, conservative use) , and cable/internet services in Tucson. And, what do you anticipate property taxes would be on a house this size (small lot) in southeast Tucson? Just looking for some idea. Will research further..... Thank you.

Do you stay in Tucson during monsoon season? Curious about your compairson re: the increase in humidity and bugs.

LIke many of you, I am a transplant from several places in the US, and now I am settled in the community of SADDLEBROOKE, about 20 miles north of Tucson. It is a 55+ community, has about 5000 homes, 4 Clubhouses
3 Fine Restaurants, 2 Grills, a 480-Seat Theater with lots of performances, 2 Arts & Crafts Facilities , 4 Fitness Centers, 3 Libraries all linked with a lending computer program, a Billiards Hall, 3 18-Hole Golf Courses, a 27-Hole Golf Course, 21 Tennis Courts, 8 Swimming Pools, A Softball Field, about 8 Pickleball Courts, Bocce Ball Courts, Horseshoe pitches, half court basketball courts, and a Dog Park. And all of that is included in our annual HOA dues. We are about 7 degrees cooler than Tucson and about 15 degrees cooler than Phoenix. From my back door, I look straight up at Mount Lemmon where I can enjoy the view of the snow in winter while playing outside in my shirtsleeves. We have lots of wildlife and beautiful monsoons which for a photographer like me is pure heaven! We have solar panels on our house and haven't paid for electricity in 6 years. The HOA dues are very low considering all that we get for them. And the taxes look ridiculously cheap after living in New Jersey. There are so many options for activity that if you did a new one every day, you still wouldn't get around to all of them in a full year! One that I love most is the Institute for Learning in Retirement which offers academic seminars from October to April including an incredible range of courses from Science, to Literature, to the arts, and everything between. I personally have taken 31 courses since we moved here, each for $15 a piece, and they are mostly taught be residents that were professors or specialized in the area. Of course the best part is that the community is made up of retirees from all over the country, all actively seeking new friends and following new interests so making friends is very easy. We looked at about 15 communities before settling here. A decision between Florida and Arizona? No question Arizona.... A decision between Phoenix and Tucson (SaddleBrooke)? Also a very easy decision...SADDLEBROOKE!

PAYSON Arizona
Was in tucson and agree it has many many advantages for retirees.
For those who want the ideal climate , trees and abdundant water supply along with fantastic year round golf--- check out Payson Arizona. The Rim Golf and Chaparral Pines golf communities.
Payson
Short drive to mayo clinic and banner has hospital in Payson. The weather is perfect. Sits just at tree line above desert in the rim of the mountains outside Scottsdale. New university being built and has water supply. About only community that has water rights and conservation in place.

Sara m

Green Valley just 20 miles south of Tucson and at an elevation of 3000' it is cooler and less congested than Tucson. Life is at a slower pace, but within 25 minutes we can drive to Tucson if there is something there we think we need or want. Green Valley is green. Between the pecan groves, golf courses (7), and Madera Canyon, it was our choice 8 years ago when we moved from the Seattle area. It has been a great choice in our retirement. Real estate prices are affordable, real estate taxes are less than half of what they were in Washington, golf is affordable, medical services are available, and we have a new hospital in Green Valley. Life is good.

We moved here 13 years ago from Mn, because of winter, humidity, and mosquitoes! Alas..we have none! Are we happy? So-so. Weather Sept- April? Almost perfect? Things to do? Unlimited.Costs? Totally affordable (for us).
However, the politics are crazy (some comments edited). We also have homeless people begging at almost every stoplight around the Davis-Monthan military base. Also the summers have started to really wear us down, to the point we HAVE to leave in June & July, unless of course you just want to hibernate inside an air-conditioned cave for 2-3 months.
In sum, if you can close your eyes to stuff around you, and get away for a few months, it be your slice of heaven.

I just came back from a five day stay in Saddlebrook. I really did like it there but my eyes, and those of one of my cousins, were not happy there with 7% humidity. I'm a transplant from California to the Boise, Idaho area and even here I've had a problem with dry eyes but nothing like in the Saddlebrook/Tucson area. My allergies were bad there too. I know I could not live there due to the dry eyes and allergies. I'll stay put in beautiful Idaho.

The Boise area isn't humid at all and not as hot as where we lived in California (Redding). We love it here!

I've been to Tucson. My sister and her husband used to be stationed there. Loved it. But I hear they have gang problems, now. Probably depends upon where you live. My brother-in-law was allergic to all of the dust, but my allergies cleared up there, so it all depends upon what you're allergic to. Tucson used to be better before people started bringing in plants and shrubs that aren't indigenous. If you want pretty plants, find another state to live in and quit bringing them into AZ, people! LOL. Leave it the pretty desert that it is (especially in May).

I'm interested in AZ because of the weather, also. I love the heat and hate the cold. I have arthritis...

I do not see anyone has much interest in California. Granted, Southern CA is crowded and too expensive, but I have heard some people have moved to Northern CA, such as Redding, Millville. Anyone has any experience in this part of the state?

Saddlebrooke 40 plus age
Very active with full range of ages from 40 up.
Could not have found a better place. Full variety of homes, prices, and neighbors.
The amenties and price for those amenties at the main saddlebrooke community is the best.
Golf ( over three full courses) performing arts center, athletic facilties, multiple clubhouses, and mountain views.
Close to shopping medical at Oro Valley.
And its even a few degrees cooler than Tucson due to elevation gain. No flat desert, rolling topo with Catalina sunsets on the mountains.

Any recommendations on where to look for retirement homes in tucsan area if you have dogs?

Sara~ re SaddleBrook... how far to everyday conveniences like a major grocer?? Their "Area Map" shows the closest grocer at 9 miles away so wondering/hoping the map might be out of date & there's a major grocer close by??? We are heading there in Oct to check it out.

What a wonderful,helpful article. Thank you!

I have a huge question. I’m from the southeast and have lived in Atlanta for 9 years. I’ve had horrible allergies. I’m allergic to every tree, grass, weed & mold. I get terrible headaches easpecially in the spring and fall. Sinus infections a few times a year but it just makes me feel crappy and tired.

I’m drawn to the dry weather and place that isn’t effected with a lot of barometric pressure changes. But I’m wondering if anyone has moved from the south or southeast (GA/NC/SC/TN) who has had similar allergies still or has felt a weight lifted.

We’re entertaining Tucson but more likely North Scottsdale area bc my husband has a lot of flights so flying out of PhX would be better for him. I’m wondering if being in that far north area would be better on allergies then smack dab in the center of Phoenix bc it’s closer to the mountains.

Also hides anyone think suburbs in Las Vegas are better for allergies opposed to Scottsdale/Phoenix or Tucson?
AZ seems like it would be better in terms of raising my Kids then in Vegas, no?! My children are 9 & 12. Honest opinions are totally welcome. This is a big decision!

Thanks SO much in advance for your comments and help!!!

Christen. I'm 20 miles outside of Tucson in Dove Mountain master plan, 55+ The Highlands at Dove Mountain. One of my best friends who was prone to allergies like you describe (trees/grasses) was not any better in Tucson area...she actually was worse and has since moved to Austin/TX area Georgetown. She still has allergies and very bad at times, but more seasonal and in Tucson the seasonal was too long to tolerate. I have loads of people I know here who suffer thru the spring allergy season, every year is different based on rain levels....many friends say allergies are getting worse. Some have a second round in Aug/Sep after monsoon makes everything sprout again. I do LOVE it here and thankfully do not suffer from allergies. Research...you might want to check out www.weather.com they do geographic allergy tracking for things like grass, trees, ragweed. You can pull up historical data for those areas and see how significant it is. Under Health then Allergy Tracker. I'm sure there are other sites that do this type of tracking. Good Luck.

I lived in the South for many years...Alabama..Ga..Va. I live in Phoenix now. My allergies are better here, but some other people say theirs are the same as back East or worse. It really depend on the individual and what you are sensitive too. I personally love the weather here and dryer air...hated the bugs and humid weather of the South. So I think it would be hard to say either way.

Christen, you have a couple very appropriate responses already, but let me add another caution. We are from NC and my wife and I both have some allergy difficulties. That is one reason we also considered AZ and vicinity. But having vacationed quite a bit in the Southwest (including a month in AZ's Verde Valley south of Sedona) we found that within a short time we both had problems with the dryness. For my wife it even led to nose bleed (dryness and elevation combined may be the issue). Great country if you can deal with the dryness and dust. I would strongly suggest (even more than the norm) that you actually spend significant time living (vacation, rent) in any area you want to consider for retiring. Best to plan for at least two weeks or more to truly get a "feel" for these concerns (as well as just the living environment).

I'll add that being from the east, some can easily become disenchanted with the loss of "green".

I have been in Green Valley, AZ, (20 miles south of Tucson) since March of this year and I love it. I had terrible allergies my whole life in Kansas City, MO. Here I had none in the spring and only about a total of a week that bothered me in August/September, just on very windy days. There is also no mold issue here, which was also troublesome in KC. Traffic in Tucson is almost non-existent compared to anywhere else I have driven. Costs are considerably less for taxes and insurance, with food being a bit cheaper too. My only complaint is I miss KC BBQ! Oh, and sometimes it is difficult to find the KC Chiefs on TV.

One more savings is utilities. Even in June, the hottest month, my electric bill was only a bit over $100 for 1150 square feet. Water is also less, as is trash.

No loss of green if you retire to OR....electric bills are half in Oregon too.

Can any one compare Tuscon, AZ with Las Vegas, NV in terms of active 55+ retirement communities as well as over all living?
Thanks
selva

I would also like to hear from anyone about comparisons between Tucson AZ, and Las Vegas, NV as far as senior housing, cost of living, medical care and recreation.
Thanks
James

Can anyone tell me about the haboobs and the monsoons in AZ? What areas are the worse and which areas are better. Thank you for any help.

Editor's note: Haboob is a new one on us, but they really exist. See this link for more

We live west of Phoenix and have had two haboobs (a sand storm) very high winds and possible with rain. The first one some of our patio furniture started blowing into the neighbors yard, opened the patio door to retrieve the pieces, a bad mistake we had so much sand in the house from just few moments we couldn't believe it. We put the patio furniture in the garage as we don't use it during these hot times and will bring it out after monsoon season. During monsoon season lot of lighting and sometimes it rains and sometimes it does not, but when it rains it rains hard.

My wife and I winter in Tucson and are considering a full time move. We love the ‘old west’ feel to the area compared to Phoenix. A lot of nice areas within a 50 mile radius.

We are in the middle of monsoon season now. It is June 15-Sept 15, but in Tucson since I've been here we generally see it get active by July 4th. We really do not get the big dust storms in Tucson, they happen up the road (I-10) on the way to Phoenix. No haboobs in Tucson that I've seen in 20 years. The 2 worst areas for dust storms are around Casa Grande up to Phoenix and on the southeast side down by Wilcox/Lordsburg - this has more to do with flat desert land with less vegetation. That being said we do have some high wind days and there could be "dirty air" for another day or so due to kicked up dust...but this isn't like the dust storms or haboobs. Generally the monsoons kick up in the late afternoons and it can rain hard but generally not long. We love it due the the fabulous lightning shows...like I never saw in the mid-west! And, this is what breaks the heat, so it can literally go from 105 to 75 in 15 minutes and the desert is very happy like us!

We just moved to the main Saddlebrooke. It is north of Tucson at a slightly higher elevation. So cooler than Tucson, way cooler than Phoenix, great mountain views and tons of amenities.
Multiple pools, golf courses, clubhouses, libraries, over a hundred clubs, gyms
And great neighbors.
Wide variety of housing from small to big. Older to brand new.
With higher elevation, we have trees and huge variety of trees, shrubs, flowers and cactus.
Like the views , more in mountains, wider streets, larger lots and variety of amenities compared to the Saddlebrooke Ranch area. It is five miles north but more in the flats. They have a great aquatic pool though.

We moved to Scottsdale in 1991 from Hermosa Beach Ca. (we're both East Coast originally, Sea Bright., N.J. and DC). From, all the comments, Hospitals and Health Care are excellent, we've been at Honor Health in Scottsdale for everything to an AV Replacement, Tucson has a Cancer Center among others. Our youngest went to UofA and played Football, so we spent alot of time down there, I prefer the Foothills (La Encantada) and up toward Marana, Dove Mountain, which is very nice and maybe 75 minutes to Sky Harbor in Phoenix, a better option then Tucson National, that itself is 30 minutes plus south. Golf, Biking abound, great dining and much better pricing then Scottsdale that is filling up and seeing higher prices, as is most of greater Valley of the Sun and Chandler-Gilbert. To Haboobs, part of the Monsoon Season (June-September), you do not want to be driving to Phoenix that day, very treacherous on the '10', but generally late afternoon and one can see them develop. We're actually going to take another look down there as we are next to the TPC/Fairmont Scottsdale and even inside the '101' it's getting crowded. We haven't looked back, having moved here with the boys in High School, Sky Harbor is one of the best Airports in the Nation with over 100 Non-Stops, why we chose initially for business. Arizona is a great choice.

Randy, thanks for your post. My wife and I are heading to AZ in a couple weeks to look at for potential retirement location. Looking at the NE quadrant if PHX metro (Scottsdale to N Scottsdale to Cave Creek areas), then on to Prescott. I loved Tucson when we visited there a few years ago (were poolside when Durant signed with the Warriors...a highlight!); however she was not so interested in that area. We’re still looking at other areas of the West (Puget Sound, Oregon, HI, others), but AZ is a big interest area for us.