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Bisbee, Arizona

What It Is Like to Retire in Bisbee

Bisbee is an historic mining town of 6,000 people in south central Arizona, almost at the Mexican border. If you are looking for an interesting, off-beat place to retire, Bisbee might be the place. An associate of ours recently visited Bisbee and reported back that he thought the town was a "sleeper", an up and comer that could be the next hot retirement destination. Time will tell. The town is at 5,500 ft., an elevation that gives it milder temperatures than most places in Arizona.

The Bisbee area is famous for its copper, gold, and silver mines. The Copper Queen Mine, one of its largest, helped serve America's need for copper during WWI. The mining industry has had its booms and busts, but the result overall was to create a city with great wealth, even its own suburbs. Today there is still some open pit mining.

Bisbee is famous for its Victorian architecture and Bisbee Blue, a beautiful turquoise. Hippies discovered the town in the 70's as a refuge from trendy (and expensive) Aspen. John Wayne was a frequent visitor and helped in the town's economic development. Today Bisbee is one of the more interesting towns in the southwest. It has been actively promoted as a tourist destination and place for baby boomers looking for an interesting retirement town. The Copper Queen Hotel is an anchor for the downtown, along with a great Art Deco Hotel. There are plenty of coffee shops. The AARP named Bisbee one of the "quirkiest" towns in America. Believe it or not Bisbee actually has some suburbs - one of the nicest is the very affluent community of Warren. Jerome AZ is a town which is frequently compared to Bisbee.

Where to Retire in Bisbee and Home Prices

Real estate prices tend to go in cycles in Bisbee. There are plenty of beautiful Victorians and prices go up and down. According to City-Data.com median home prices fell during 2014 to about $70,000. Of course the condition and location can produce big swings below and above that average. Zillow reports the home value index to be $212,272, in late 2023. We are not aware of any active communities in Bisbee, although there are many in nearby Green Valley and other towns.

What Is Special about Bisbee

Some of its attractions are its Victorian architecture, the Copper Queen Hotel, and being a quirky town in Arizona's mountains. Bisbee has been documented in The New Yorker as well as The Cornell Review by Calvin Trillin. Set in the Mule Mountains, the hills are so steep that some homes can only be reached by steps. The Sheriff of Cochise and numerous other TV shows and movies were filmed here.

What Is Not Special about Bisbee

Bisbee is prone to booms and busts, so far. It is located in a very remote part of the country. And if you don't like quirky, you won't like Bisbee.

Who Will Like Retirement in Bisbee

Former hippies, baby boomers who loved their era, people with a sense of adventure, and those who love southern Arizona will love it in Bisbee.

Local Economy Is Driven by

Tourism and mining are the big influences in the Bisbee economy. Minerals like turquoise, malachite, and galena are found and sold here.

Climate and Physical Environment

Bisbee is at an elevation of 5,500+ ft. in the Mule Mountains, 82 miles southeast of Tucson near the Mexican border. The climate is relatively mild for being this far south, with January temperatures in the low 40's and July temps in the mid 70's.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

The Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum is located in the former Phelps Dodge general office building. There is the Arizona Cactus Botanical Garden and Southeastern Arizona Bird Sanctuary. Bisbee's tourist promotion emphasizes the town's historic old west flavor. Known to be gay-friendly, there are several Gay Pride parades/events per year.