10 Best Places to Retire in Arizona

Arizona continues to be a premier destination for retirees. In addition to offering residents allergy-free living, the Grand Canyon State boasts more than 300 days of sunshine annually. It’s not all desert landscape; retirees can fish in the Colorado River or play golf on one of the state’s 421 courses, each with a spectacular backdrop. If you’re considering Arizona for your retirement destination, take a look at our list of the state’s 10 best cities for enjoying retired life. And if you want more ideas on how to spend your golden years, check out our list of Arizona’s top state parks or explore the healthiest cities in Arizona.

Top 10 Places to Retire in Arizona

1. Tuba City

• Percent of population over 65: 10.90%
• Number of physicians per capita: 229
• Violent crimes per capita: 3.84
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 8.18

Tuba City tops our list as the most desirable destination for retirees. Part of the Navajo Nation, it’s located 50 miles east of the Grand Canyon in the beautiful badlands of the Painted Desert. Millions of years before the Navajo settled in this region, dinosaurs from the Jurassic period roamed the land. You can view these prehistoric footprints by driving five short miles west of Tuba City. To discover how Navajo culture and tradition have enriched the country, visit the Explore Navajo Interactive Museum in downtown Tuba City.

2. Kayenta

• Percent of population over 65: 17.60%
• Number of physicians per capita: 110
• Violent crimes per capita: 9.42
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 8.35

The distinctive city of Kayenta lies in the heart of the Navajo Nation, in the northeastern part of Arizona and just south of the Utah border. The vast expanses of endless blue skies that stretch across the horizon are nothing short of spectacular. This gracious community extends an open invitation for all to celebrate their rich heritage and culture. You can amble through a museum, hop aboard a jeep for an off-road adventure, or visit a trading post for traditional and contemporary Navajo art and jewelry. 

3. Drexel Heights

• Percent of population over 65: 14.20%
• Number of physicians per capita: 259
• Violent crimes per capita: 7.11
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 40.02

Drexel Heights is a suburb that lies southwest of Tucson — and only about 15 minutes from the Tucson International Airport. Retirees love the small-town feel of Drexel Heights, yet they can also take a quick jaunt into the city when the mood strikes. Shop at a quaint shop on a palm-lined street, dine on local cuisine, or drive north about 12 miles to Tucson Mountain Park. You can take your four-legged friend along for a walk — just be sure to take a leash. Adventures in Drexel Heights are as endless as the blue skies.

4. Flowing Wells

• Percent of population over 65: 16.30%
• Number of physicians per capita: 259
• Violent crimes per capita: 23.70
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 47.90

Flowing Wells, located about seven miles north of Tucson, offers retirees abundant sunny experiences within the surrounding state and national parks. For example, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum about 15 miles west of town is more like a zoo than a museum. It contains a botanical garden, an aquarium, and an art gallery, so schedule time with friends to explore the exotic flora and fauna. Since it sprawls across 98 acres, you won’t see it all in one day. Senior discounts are available — and don’t forget the sunscreen! 

5. Golden Valley

• Percent of population over 65: 44.30%
• Number of physicians per capita: 137
• Violent crimes per capita: 1.93
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 11.82

Retirement means you will have much more time to enjoy the scenic outdoors and wide-open spaces of Golden Valley in western Arizona. Slip on your hiking shoes and head to Cave Spring Trail. This 1.3-mile trail has been designated as an easy trek, and its elevation is only 400 feet. Golden Valley isn’t shy about showing off dramatic views of the nearby Black Mountain range. For a different flavor of outdoor adventures, consider driving one hour south to spend the day at Lake Havasu State Park.

6. Avra Valley

• Percent of population over 65: 15%
• Number of physicians per capita: 259
• Violent crimes per capita: 33.50
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 61.80

Avra Valley, 30 miles northwest of Tucson, is an off-the-trail gem just waiting to be discovered. Retirees here aren’t impressed with towering skyscrapers that light the midnight sky. After savoring 360 degrees of nature’s beauty all day, they await the sun’s spectacular finale. The sun gracefully bids farewell in the evenings, signing off with a dazzling display of fiery red hues. This outdoor sanctuary will leave you awestruck.

7. Douglas

• Percent of population over 65: 12.30%
• Number of physicians per capita: 99
• Violent crimes per capita: 1.45
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 19.08

Residents of Douglas delight in telling intriguing tales about its enchanting past; they sprinkle their stories with slivers of its copper mining history, which was a defining facet of its culture. Douglas, which hugs the Mexican border, has a bevy of family-owned restaurants that serve mouthwatering homemade salsa. If you crave a Southwestern breakfast, that’s not a problem; you will find restaurants in Douglas that serve authentic fare all day long.

8. Picture Rocks

• Percent of population over 65: 24%
• Number of physicians per capita: 259
• Violent crimes per capita: 33.20
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 61.30

It’s only fitting that a community named Picture Rocks be an idyllic place, and retirees who have made their home here confirm it. Long before the invention of photography, inhabitants of yesterday carved their stories into the magnificent rocks of the Tucson Mountains. Many artists have been inspired over the centuries to capture the grandeur of the landscape on paper. If you are so inclined, you may want to try your hand at it. Or you can snap photos as you drink in the sights. In addition to Picture Rocks’ captivating natural beauty, it offers residents an extra helping of hospitality. 

9. Coolidge

• Percent of population over 65: 13.70%
• Number of physicians per capita: 31
• Violent crimes per capita: 4.42
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 23.66

For hundreds of years, the cotton industry dominated the area around Coolidge, about an hour southeast of Phoenix, as cotton crops thrive in hot climates. Thus, cotton and its byproducts created a cash cow for early residents. They haven’t forgotten their roots; the Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual Coolidge Days festival in the fall. It’s complete with a parade, entertainment, carnival rides, and arts and crafts vendors. And in December, you will be treated to a Christmas Light Parade.

10. Fortuna Foothills

• Percent of population over 65: 15.90%
• Number of physicians per capita: 112
• Violent crimes per capita: 4.83
• Nonviolent crimes per capita: 19.91

If you are looking for a perfect combo of vibrant blue skies and rugged rock formations, you will want to check out Fortuna Foothills, a designated bedroom community of Yuma in western Arizona. It may be a small town, but it’s not short on fun things to do. Boaters and anglers find refuge from the heat on the lakes north of Yuma. Or you could take in a round of golf at one of the three local courses. In Fortuna Foothills, each day never needs to be the same.  

NewHomeSource pulled data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Services, American Hospital Directory, and the U.S. Census Bureau. In the event exact crime data was unavailable, estimates were used. Median home price, number of hospitals, 65+ population, and crime rates were entered into an algorithm to calculate a score for each city whose population is at least 10,000.

Kathy Pierce

Kathy Pierce is a freelance writer and editor based in Houston who has amassed an extensive portfolio. Her articles have been published in Woman’s Day, Forbes, Huffington Post, Yahoo Finance, Guideposts, and many other national Christian magazines. Further, she has written content for the University of Notre Dame and edited a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Kathy is also a contract writer for Deloitte. When she’s not writing or editing, she enjoys spending time with her biological family and her church family.