Best places to live in Arizona in 2023
Sourced By: Bankrate
There’s a lot to love about living in Arizona: gorgeous sunny days, scenic mountain vistas, peaceful desert serenity, more than 300 golf courses — and, of course, the Grand Canyon. And while the Grand Canyon State has a reputation as a great place to retire, it’s an equally desirable destination for young professionals who are buying their first home, too.
The state’s population surged throughout the pandemic, creating an overheated housing market that made buying here feel pretty difficult. However, the housing market in Arizona is calming. Median prices have dropped more than 7 percent since April of last year, according to Redfin data, so now is a good time to start thinking about where you might feel at home.
Arizona gives you a lot of options and a lot of ground to cover, stretching across 114,000 square miles. To narrow your search, begin your house hunting in these four cities, Bankrate’s best places to live in Arizona:
- Phoenix
- Tucson
- Flagstaff
- Lake Havasu City
1. Phoenix
Bigger isn’t just better in Arizona — it’s the best. Population-wise, Phoenix is the biggest city in the state by far, and you’ll find some big career opportunities here with employers like American Express, Honeywell, Banner Health, Intel and Bank of America. Whether you want to hike Camelback Mountain, enjoy an award-winning meal at Pizzeria Bianco or escape the heat with a cocktail at the nationally acclaimed Bitter & Twisted, Phoenix is a place where you can make the most of every day.
- Median home sale price: $440,000
- Cost of living: 104.7 (national average is 100)
- Average salary: $51,851
- Unemployment rate: 3.4%
- Total employees year-over-year: +4.3%
- Well-being: 66.3 out of 100
- Diversity: 64.5 out of 100
- Net migration: +1.4% population increase year-over-year
Why it stands out: The cost of living in Phoenix might be a few points above the national average, but the quality of life is above average too. It beats out the other three cities on our list when it comes to overall wellness and diversity, with a lower unemployment rate to boot. So, you’ll feel better, you’ll have more job opportunities and you’ll get to meet more kinds of people here. Win-win.
2. Tucson
Around two hours southeast of Phoenix, you’ll find a calming pace of life in Tucson. This city gets you closer to the sky — literally, at 2,389 feet above sea level. Look in any direction and you’ll see awe-inspiring views of one of the area’s five scenic mountain ranges: Rincon, Tucson, Santa Catalina, Santa Rita and Tortolita. It’s also home to the University of Arizona and makes an excellent place to either study or work from home: The city earned an honorable mention among our rundown of the best places to live for remote workers.
- Median home sale price: $340,000
- Cost of living: 102.1 (national average is 100)
- Average salary: $48,373
- Unemployment rate: 3.6%
- Total employees year-over-year: +3.0%
- Well-being: 65.7 out of 100
- Diversity: 62.5 out of 100
- Net migration: +0.8% population increase year-over-year
Why it stands out: Affordability. Tucson’s median home price is the only one on our list that’s lower than the national median ($388,800 as of April 2023). It’s a steal considering what you get: easy access to the great outdoors, a thriving arts community and a truly impressive food scene. In fact, Tucson is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the U.S., thanks to its rich Mexican and Native American culinary traditions.
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