Why Scottsdale, Arizona is the best place to retire in the USA

Niche gave Scottsdale a weather score of A+, and according to U.S. Climate Data, the average high temperature never drops below 75 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making for perfect sunny winters.

However, on summer days temperatures often exceed 100 degrees F. When I visited in April, the temperature was around 90 degrees F.

“We have hot summers, there's no question about that,” Shackleton told the business magazine, “but all of my clients who move here from the Midwest or East Coast say the same thing: 'I would rather have this heat than the gray clouds, ice, snow and freezing rain.'”

Shackleton said Scottsdale's climate, combined with its mountainous terrain, makes it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking, tennis and pickleball. According to All Trails, the city has more than 100 hiking trails. For retirees looking to stay active, he thought Scottsdale would make it easy to do so.

Golf is the No. 1 reason retirees move to Scottsdale, Shackleton said.

“There are approximately 200 golf courses in Scottsdale and the surrounding area, ranging from private clubs to public parks,” Shackelton said.

She added that one of the biggest struggles is getting clients who want to join private clubs, as they are all full right now and they have to be put on a waiting list.

“But the benefit of being in Scottsdale is that the public courses play almost the same as the private courses,” she says. “They're a little busier, but the public courses are well-maintained.”

During my travels, I saw countless golf courses from the highway, from mountaintop vantage points and up close.

Scottsdale is in the desert, so I was expecting patches of dry yellow grass, but there was nothing. Instead, bright green spaces contrasted vividly with red pebble paths dotted with sand bunkers and succulents. With the mountains as a backdrop, I couldn't imagine a more ideal place to stroll and hit some golf balls.

Niche ranks Scottsdale 30th on its list of best US cities for health and fitness, and it's not just because of the abundance of outdoor activities: Scottsdale also has more spas per capita than any other US city. According to Go Banking rates.

During my stay, I toured the Phoenician Spa, a three-story resort spa that, according to the Phoenician's website, received the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award for the fifth consecutive year this year.

Upon arriving, we were blown away by the modern décor with gold accents. It had everything you could want for the ultimate spa experience: massages, facials, hair styling, a sauna, a nail salon, an indoor pool, and even a rooftop pool with an outdoor shower and cabanas.

Aside from luxury living, Scottsdale also ranked 19th on WalletHub's list of the best cities in the U.S. for healthcare, which takes into account accessibility, quality of facilities and insurance coverage.

Shackleton said her retired clients typically settle in North Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Desert Mountain, Terra Vita and DC Ranch, which are the city's most expensive areas.

About 40 minutes from Phoenix, North Scottsdale's streets are lined with custom mansions and luxury villas, while its mountains offer stunning desert views.

During my visit, I was given a private tour of DC Ranch, a 4,000-acre residential community with convenient amenities ranging from grocery stores and restaurants to a spa and private golf club.

It would be an ideal place for retirees to escape the hustle and bustle of Phoenix's vibrant tech industry without having to travel far to run daily errands.

DC Ranchi consists of four villages, each with its own neighbourhood. Most of these neighbourhoods are gated and have round-the-clock security. According to the DC Ranch website:.

Gated communities are common in North Scottsdale, and Shackleton said that's part of the attraction for retirees.

“This is a new level of not only security but privacy, which is something a lot of the people who come here are really looking for,” she said.

Shackleton said retirees are settling in North Scottsdale because the area offers high-end shopping and fine dining to rival any big city, such as the Scottsdale Quarter, an outdoor mall lined with upscale stores and restaurants.

I spent the evening in the Scottsdale Quarter and discovered a variety of stores, where residents can buy clothing, accessories, furniture, technology, and health products all in one place.

I went to Dominick's Steakhouse for dinner, sat in the rooftop dining room with a sparkling pool just for decoration, and savored my aged steak and corn crème brûlée like a queen.

Even though we were in North Scottsdale, we felt like we were dining in New York City.

BI previously reported that Arizona's tax rates are relatively low compared to other states in the U.S. But Scottsdale still received a C- for cost of living in Niche's assessment. According to PayScale, the cost of living in Scottsdale is 13% higher than the national average, with housing costs being the main culprit.

According to Zillow, the average listing price in the millionaire hotspot is $824,868, double the national average, BI reported in April 2024.

While certainly not within the price range of all retirees, low taxes make Scottsdale more affordable for wealthy baby boomers from places like New York and California.

In Scottsdale, residents enjoy the luxurious details of big city living without sacrificing outdoor activities that encourage socializing — from large private residences, ample open spaces and private clubs to beautiful public golf courses.

If retirement, as I see it, is about relaxing in the moment and appreciating the work that went into getting there, then this home outside Phoenix seems like the perfect place.