Arizona’s rapid population growth keeps the housing market hot and the cost of living high. This is a problem for seniors who want to retire to Grand Canyon State.
However, if you live on a fixed income, you don’t have to give up on your dreams. retire in comfort in warm climates.
These 15 Arizona cities are perfect alternatives to expensive metropolitan areas like Phoenix, Mesa, and Tucson.
Dreaming of early retirement?
Early retirement is a goal for many, but few have a plan on how to actually do it.
Instead, we have questions like… How much money do we need? Where should we keep that money?
a financial adviser It helps you organize your options and make a solid plan.Get started today Take this quiz from SmartAsset Match you with vetted financial advisors in your area.
15. Sun City
Sun City is a small, unincorporated neighborhood that effectively serves as a suburb of Phoenix. This fairly dense suburb has more than 30,000 residents, especially those over her 55 years.
With a median rent of $1,220, Sun City isn’t the most affordable retirement community.
Still, if you’re willing to spend a significant percentage of your budget on housing, you’ll enjoy Sun City’s golf courses, beautiful parks, and community focus.
Want to learn how to build wealth like the 1%? Sign up for Worthy and have ideas and advice delivered to your inbox.
14. Fortuna Foothills
Fortuna Foothills has a median rent of $1,103, not the cheapest in the state. However, the average age in this region he is 61.4 years old (slightly lower for men and higher for women).
If living near fellow retirees who can build a sense of community is important to you, Fortuna Foothills is worth considering.
13. Casa Grande
The median rent for Casa Grande is $1,052, which is pretty steep, so if you’re interested in this central Arizona town, you might want to consider it. pick up a side gig Keep costs under control.
If you have plenty of time to play golf after your ideal retirement, make sure you have room in your budget. In the city he has 5 golf courses and the 6th is about 20 minutes away.
12. Sierra Vista
The median rent in Sierra Vista is $1,017, higher than most of the other cities on our list, but still lower than the national median of $1,163.
If you love spending time in the great outdoors, Sierra Vista may be worth considering, even though rents are relatively high.
The city is surrounded by several wilderness areas, including the San Pedro Riverside National Reserve.
11. Yuma
With a population of nearly 100,000, Yuma is a relatively large city for retirees. Despite the city’s size, Yuma’s median rent is just $977 per month.
The city is close to California and has more sunny days than average. If you like the sun, you can explore Yuma’s 32 municipal parks, eight neighborhood parks and two golf courses.
10. Kingman
Kingman is a retiree-friendly city of about 32,000 people with a median rent of $928 per month.
Only 100 miles from Las Vegas, it’s the perfect place for those who want to live close (but not too close) to their favorite weekend getaways.
A city on historic Route 66, Kingman is home to many historic sites that offer little or no charge, including the Arizona Route 66 Museum ($6 admission for seniors).
8 ways seniors throw money away
9. Rio Rico
Rio Rico in Santa Cruz County is one of the more rural locations on this list. It is very close to the Mexican border and features breathtaking resorts and extensive golf courses.
The resort itself is quite expensive, but the housing in the area is not. The median rent is about $921.
Residents can enjoy the desert scenery, proximity to Mexico, and green oasis of the Sonoran Plateau without paying high resort fees.
8. Coolidge
Coolidge, Arizona currently has about 17,000 residents with a median rent of $892.
Perhaps the city’s biggest attraction for tourists and history buffs is the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. It preserves the remnants of ancient communities founded by the ancestral Sonoran Desert people.
Strangely enough, Coolidge is only five minutes from the ruins, but the town of Casa Grande itself is about a 30-minute drive away.
7. Florence
Florence is an older town with a long history, but with a median rent of $890, it’s definitely above the affordability curve compared to newer Arizona cities.
Florence values civic engagement and has a teenage community council that helps young people learn leadership skills while providing input and perspectives to the city government.
7 things to do if you’re scraping little financially
6. Bullhead City
If you prefer the high desert lifestyle of a lush oasis, Bullhead City may be just what you’re looking for.
The small town of 41,000 people sits on the beautiful Colorado River. The median rent is $861, leaving cash to spend across the river at one of his casinos in Laughlin, Nevada.
5. Apache Junction
Apache Junction is a suburb of Phoenix with a population of approximately 30,000. It’s more suburban than Flowing Wells, which is within Tucson.
Apache Junction is more expensive due to its proximity to Phoenix. Still, rent is low, averaging $813 a month.
Additionally, the city’s median housing cost is just $145,700, more than $100,000 lower than the national average.
Depending on your savings and current mortgage interest rate, if owning a home is your goal, owning a home in Apache Junction may be within your reach.
4. Eloy
Eloy is a highland desert town halfway between Tucson and Phoenix with the quirky distinction of being the skydiving capital of Arizona.
The city has the world’s largest indoor skydiving center with a vertical wind tunnel. Basic flight training packages start at $60 per person.
If you’re looking to see Arizona from a bird’s eye view, Eloy’s low median rent of $802 should make it easier to save for that once-in-a-lifetime flight.
9 things you must do before the next recession
3. Flowing well
Flowing Wells is a neighborhood of approximately 10,000 residents in Tucson.
With a median rent of just $732 per month, it’s one of the most affordable neighborhoods, especially in both Tucson and Arizona overall.
If you live on a fixed monthly income of $1,500, you can split the remaining $768 between necessities and snacks at a cozy local coffee shop in your neighborhood.
2. San Luis
San Luis is a true high desert town in Yuma County with a median rent of $716 per month. This is cheaper than Yuma, the largest city in the county.
The area also has many fascinating (and inexpensive) historical sites. The Yuma Territorial Prison is a state historic park that was home to stagecoach robbers and Old West thugs in 1876. Admission for seniors is just $8.
1. Douglas
Douglas is a small town of just 16,000 people located east of Tucson and the Coronado National Forest.
With a median rent of $645 in the city, living in Douglas will free up your budget for travel, savings, or investing in new hobbies.
If you’ve always wanted to go to Mexico, Douglas presents the perfect opportunity. He’s close to the border so you can enjoy lunch and be back in the US by dinnertime.
6 smart ways to pay off debt today
Conclusion
Living on a fixed retirement budget can take some getting used to. But if you can find an affordable city in your favorite state, it will make the transition to retirement much easier.
Whether you recently retired planning for retirementthese 15 cities are worth considering so you can budget for a sunny Arizona future.
Details from FinanceBuzz:
This article 15 Arizona Cities Where You Can Retire For Just $1,500 A Month originally appeared finance buzz.
