2026 editionWestPop. 7,623,818Capital Phoenix48th state, admitted 1912Cook PVI Even
Is Arizona a Good Place to Live? Arizona Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Arizona ranks #38 of 50 with a composite score of 47.8 and a C grade, strongest in growth (#16) and weakest in education (#47). The median household earns $81,486 (1% above the national median), homes typically cost $417,990 (13% above the national average), and violent crime is 378 per 100,000 (15% above the national average).
Heat and water should have slowed Arizona, and they have not: population grows +0.89% a year, #8, nearly all of it in Phoenix suburbs where new groundwater-only subdivisions are no longer approved. The price of a flat 2.5% income tax is a school system ranked #47 and a graduation rate 8.3 points below the national average.
Arizona by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Arizona's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Arizona overview
Arizona scores above the national average in 4 of 11 categories and ranks #9 of 13 states in the West, behind 8 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is total tax burden (8.22%, 0.5 points below the national average); its biggest shortfall is violent crime rate (378, 15% above the national average). With 3 bottom-10 finishes and no top-10 category, its case rests on price rather than performance.
Where does Arizona rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Arizona is top 10 in 0 and bottom 10 in 3.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 42.6 | #31 of 50 | C+ | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 4.3% and median household income is $81,486. |
| Safety | 63.2 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 377.9 violent crimes and 1,513.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 49.7 | #31 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 76.7 years, 33.3% of adults have obesity, and 10.3% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 32.6 | #47 of 50 | D | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 270 in NAEP math and 254 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 77.3%. |
| Affordability | 60.3 | #35 of 50 | C | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $417,990 (5.1x median income); cost of living index 100.7 (100 = US); center-based infant care $16,384 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 59.4 | #25 of 50 | B | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,190 of debt per resident, has 72% of pensions funded, and holds a AA credit rating. |
| Growth | 48.3 | #16 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.89% last year; Census net domestic migration is +4.1 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 53.4 | #18 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 26.4 minutes, 1.1% of workers use public transit, and 16.3% work from home. |
| Livability | 24.3 | #42 of 50 | C | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.571 restaurants and 0.018 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.085 bars and 0.048 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 37.7 | #16 of 50 | B+ | 6% | 29.4 | 38.6% of its land is public, with 1.55 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 25.9 | #44 of 50 | D | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 45, 16% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 31.5. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Arizona's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Arizona bulges toward growth and dips at education.
How expensive is Arizona?
Arizona's cost of living index is 100.7 against a national baseline of 100, 1% above the national average and #35 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $417,990 (13% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $104,042, $22,556 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Yuma is cheapest (index 92.7) and Casa Grande priciest (103.3).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cold marketRanked #17 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #33 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $22,556 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Arizona housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Arizona | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$19,573 | −$11,758 | #29 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$29,757 | +$31,418 | #30 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$33,427 | +$35,970 | #29 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Arizona?
Arizona's tax mix is low income tax, low property tax, high sales tax. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.22% of income, 0.5 points below the national average (#17 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.56% of home value (#11), and combined sales tax averages 8.52% (#40).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 59.4 out of 100, #25 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Arizona safe?
Arizona reports 378 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 15% above the national average and #36 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,514 per 100,000, 1% below the national average (#29 of 50). The safety score is 63.2 out of 100, #32 of 50; among tracked cities, Marana has the lowest violent crime rate.
Arizona vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Arizona
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marana | 56,938 | 61 | 1,286 |
| Surprise | 154,948 | 86 | 781 |
| Gilbert | 280,262 | 117 | 878 |
| Chandler | 280,136 | 124 | 1,231 |
| Queen Creek | 71,867 | 155 | 779 |
Lowest violent crime among the 23 Arizona cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Arizona?
Arizona's unemployment rate is 4.3%, 0.3 points above the national average and #35 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $81,486, 1% above the national median. Real GDP grew +3.1% in the latest year (#7 of 50) and GDP per capita is $58,823, 9% below the national average. The population is growing 0.89% a year, 0.4 points above the national average. The economy score is 42.6 out of 100, #31 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Arizona, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $221,024 | $223,234 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler |
| Lawyers | $142,521 | $143,946 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler |
| Software Developers | $125,121 | $126,372 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $103,475 | $104,510 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler |
| Civil Engineers | $97,481 | $98,456 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Arizona's schools and healthcare?
Arizona's education score is 32.6 out of 100, #47 of 50. Eighth graders average 270 in NAEP math (#33 of 50) and 254 in reading (#39 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 77.3%, 8.3 points below the national average (#49 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | 95.1% | 23.8 | $10,072 |
| Goodyear | 94.8% | 28.9 | $10,066 |
| Queen Creek | 93.8% | 28.7 | $9,133 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
Arizona is #31 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 76.7 years, 0.2 years below the national average. 33.3% of adults have obesity (#21 of 50) and 10.3% of residents have no health insurance (#44 of 50). The health score is 49.7 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Arizona, and who is leaving?
Arizona gained a net 17,316 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 121,675 moved in and 104,359 moved out, +2.3 per 1,000 residents (#10 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $87,497 against $75,593 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +55.5K people (234.8K in, 179.3K out, ±18.9K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1California28,402 · $87,556
- 2Texas8,463 · $84,018
- 3Washington8,011 · $112,245
- 4Colorado6,012 · $97,216
- 5Illinois5,528 · $112,935
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1California16,283 · $75,193
- 2Texas9,966 · $80,303
- 3Washington5,803 · $88,640
- 4Colorado5,683 · $82,116
- 5Florida5,096 · $94,608
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Arizona?
By composite score, the best of the 23 Arizona cities we track are Queen Creek (66.2), Marana (65.9), and Gilbert (63.8). Yuma is the cheapest (cost index 92.7), Queen Creek the richest ($141,978), and Queen Creek the fastest growing (+8.2% a year). City ranks are among the 23 Arizona cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Arizona
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Marana | 61 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Yuma | cost of living index 92.7 |
| Most walkable | Tempe | walkability 14.2 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Lake Havasu City | median AQI 17 (county) |
| Best schools | Peoria | 95.1% graduation rate |
| Richest | Queen Creek | $141,978 |
Among the 23 Arizona cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Arizona
Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe are the tech-and-college half of the metro; Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Maricopa are the new subdivisions past the freeway ends, growing fastest.
Phoenix proper carries the crime and the light rail; Scottsdale the money; Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Avondale and Buckeye the cheaper, hotter, newer sprawl to the west.
A university and defense town, a full step cheaper than Phoenix with a far lower median income; the border counties beyond it are rural, poor and hot.
Flagstaff at seven thousand feet with snow, pines and a university, priced like a resort; Prescott and the Mogollon Rim towns are where Phoenix goes to cool off.
Yuma is winter lettuce, a Marine base and the cheapest cost of living among tracked cities; Lake Havasu City is boats, retirees and summer heat that tops even Phoenix.
All 23 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen Creek | A | 66.2 | 71,867 | $141,978 | 155 | 103.3 |
| 2 | Marana | A | 65.9 | 56,938 | $112,606 | 61 | 96.9 |
| 3 | Gilbert | A | 63.8 | 280,262 | $122,551 | 117 | 103.3 |
| 4 | Catalina Foothills | B+ | 62.9 | 52,593 | $115,304 | — | 96.9 |
| 5 | Chandler | B+ | 61.0 | 280,136 | $108,095 | 124 | 103.3 |
| 6 | Scottsdale | B+ | 61.0 | 243,821 | $110,886 | 175 | 103.3 |
| 7 | Surprise | B+ | 60.2 | 154,948 | $96,711 | 86 | 103.3 |
| 8 | Goodyear | B+ | 60.2 | 107,645 | $103,319 | 236 | 103.3 |
| 9 | Buckeye | B | 58.4 | 104,923 | $99,486 | 159 | 103.3 |
| 10 | Peoria | B | 58.2 | 196,906 | $95,815 | 253 | 103.3 |
| 11 | Tempe | B | 57.4 | 188,065 | $79,663 | 418 | 103.3 |
| 12 | Avondale | C+ | 55.6 | 92,477 | $86,123 | 341 | 103.3 |
| 13 | Mesa | C+ | 54.7 | 511,764 | $82,752 | 424 | 103.3 |
| 14 | Casas Adobes | C+ | 53.6 | 72,059 | $83,683 | — | 96.9 |
| 15 | Flagstaff | C+ | 53.3 | 76,445 | $71,512 | 501 | 100.3 |
| 16 | Lake Havasu City | C+ | 53.0 | 58,359 | $70,148 | 299 | 94.1 |
| 17 | Maricopa | C+ | 52.6 | 67,163 | $96,391 | 242 | 103.3 |
| 18 | Glendale | C | 52.1 | 252,833 | $73,530 | 438 | 103.3 |
| 19 | Phoenix | C | 51.3 | 1,642,323 | $81,332 | 696 | 103.3 |
| 20 | Tucson | C | 50.0 | 547,073 | $57,073 | 368 | 96.9 |
| 21 | Casa Grande | D | 48.5 | 60,905 | $69,983 | 434 | 103.3 |
| 22 | Yuma | D | 46.1 | 100,139 | $65,482 | 353 | 92.7 |
| 23 | San Tan Valley | D | 45.8 | 109,189 | $96,713 | — | 103.3 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 23 Arizona cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Arizona for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gilbert | 63.0 | 43.3 | 93.0 | 46.0 |
| 2 | Chandler | 60.5 | 38.1 | 90.0 | 51.3 |
| 3 | Queen Creek | 60.4 | 36.7 | 91.3 | 42.2 |
| 4 | Marana | 60.3 | 46.6 | 93.6 | 60.1 |
| 5 | Surprise | 57.6 | 37.7 | 95.7 | 52.9 |
Who is Arizona best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Arizona cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Arizona compare with its neighbors?
Arizona ranks #38. Among its bordering states, Utah ranks highest (#6) and New Mexico lowest (#49). Nevada is the most similar on the composite score and Utah the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | #38 | 47.8 | $81,486 | $417,990 | 100.7 | 378 | 8.22% | |
| Utah | #6 | 75.4 | $96,658 | $534,582 | 98.9 | 236 | 9.46% | Compare → |
| Nevada | #40 | 45.8 | $81,134 | $442,027 | 100 | 379 | 8.62% | Compare → |
| California | #47 | 40.2 | $100,149 | $764,158 | 110.7 | 433 | 11% | Compare → |
| New Mexico | #49 | 30.6 | $67,816 | $318,241 | 92.2 | 622 | 9.62% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 23 Arizona city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Arizona numbers say when read together.
Growth is Arizona's strongest suit
Arizona is a #38 state overall but #16 of 50 for growth, 22 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 48.3 against a national average of 38.8. Outdoor Access (#16) is next. Growth carries 7% of the composite.
Education is where Arizona falls furthest behind
Arizona ranks #47 of 50 for education, 9 places below its overall #38, with a score of 32.6 against a national average of 57.5. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Total tax burden is 0.5 points below the national average
Arizona's total tax burden is 8.22%, 0.5 points below the national average of 8.74%, #17 of 50 (1 = lowest). The largest gap in the other direction is violent crime rate: 378, 15% above the national average. Source: WalletHub tax burden study, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
Arizona ranks #10 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+2.3). The households arriving report $11,904 more in average income than those leaving ($87,497 against $75,593), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. California is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $19,573 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#29 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $29,757 surplus; a retiree couple at a $33,427 surplus. Infant childcare runs $16,384 a year, 5% above the national average.
Arizona sits 2nd among its 5-state neighborhood
1 of Arizona's 4 bordering states ranks above its #38; the closest match on the composite is Nevada. Median income among them runs from $67,816 in New Mexico to $100,149 in California; Arizona is at $81,486.
Frequently asked questions about living in Arizona
Is Arizona a good place to live?
Arizona ranks #38 of 50 with a C grade, #9 of 13 in the West. It is bottom 10 in livability, environment, and education. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 2 of 6 (income and tax burden) and trails on home prices, cost of living, violent crime, and unemployment. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Arizona rank among US states?
Arizona ranks #38 of 50 overall with a composite score of 47.8 (grade C), and #9 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #16 (growth) and its worst #47 (education). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C means rank 35–42.
Is it expensive to live in Arizona?
At #35 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Arizona is 1% above the national average: its index is 100.7 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $417,990 (13% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $104,042 against a median household income of $81,486. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $19,573 shortfall after all costs, #29 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Arizona have a state income tax?
Yes. Arizona's top state income tax rate is 2.5% (#11 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.22% of income, 0.5 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.56% of home value and combined sales tax 8.52%.
What is the crime rate in Arizona?
Arizona reports 378 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 15% above the national average and #36 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,514 property crimes per 100,000, 1% below the national average (#29). Its safety score is 63.2 out of 100, #32 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Arizona have good schools?
Arizona is #47 of 50 for education (score 32.6 out of 100). Its public school students average 270 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#33) and 254 in eighth-grade reading (#39), and the high school graduation rate is 77.3%, 8.3 points below the national average (#49). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Peoria has the highest graduation rate at 95.1%.
Why are people moving to Arizona?
Arizona gained a net 17,316 households in the latest IRS release: 121,675 moved in and 104,359 moved out, +2.3 per 1,000 residents (#10 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is California (28,402 households) and the most common destination is California (16,283). Arriving households report an average income of $87,497 against $75,593 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Arizona a red or blue state?
Arizona is an even split on the Cook Partisan Voting Index. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in Arizona?
Most people who leave cite the schools or the summer. Education ranks #47 with a graduation rate of 77.3%, and the state sits #45 for families. Summer in Phoenix runs from May into October, with cooling bills and heat deaths to match. Add a median AQI of 45 (#48), a sales tax of 8.52%, and homes at a price to income of 5.1x.
Is Arizona running out of water?
Not soon, but the cheap water is gone. Phoenix and Tucson draw on the Colorado River via the Central Arizona Project, groundwater, and the Salt and Verde rivers, and the river share has been cut repeatedly. The state stopped approving Phoenix-area subdivisions that depend on groundwater, pushing growth toward cities with surface water rights. Existing homes are fine; the question is who builds next.
Do I need a car in Arizona?
Yes, nearly everywhere: only 1.1% of commuters use transit, 1.2 points below the national average. Valley Metro light rail links central Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa and works for people along it; Tucson has a short streetcar. Beyond those lines the metro is freeways on a grid, with a commute of 26.4 minutes that hides the long drives from Buckeye or San Tan Valley. Flagstaff and downtown Tucson are walkable exceptions.
Is Arizona a good place to raise a family?
The numbers say no; arriving families say otherwise. Arizona ranks #45 for families, on a graduation rate of 77.3% and violent crime 15% above the national average, yet Queen Creek, Gilbert and Goodyear are among the fastest-growing family suburbs anywhere, with graduation rates above the state's. Infant care costs $16,384, 5% above the national average. Pick the school before the house; the state average does not apply.
What is the weather like in Arizona year-round?
Two Arizonas: the low desert (Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Lake Havasu) has mild winters that fill the state with snowbirds and a summer of extreme heat that peaks in July, when the monsoon adds humidity and dust storms. The high country (Flagstaff, Prescott, the Rim) has four seasons, pine forest and snow. Wildfire and flash flooding are the hazards; the FEMA index is 31.5.
Is Arizona cheaper than Nevada?
About even; the tax question decides it. Both have a cost index near a hundred, homes well above the national figure, and lean on sales tax. Nevada has no income tax to Arizona's 2.5%, so a high earner nets more in Las Vegas; Arizona's property tax of 0.56% runs a touch higher, its gasoline at $3.80 per gallon cheaper. Arizona ranks #38 overall, ahead of Nevada.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Arizona's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.