Here Are The 7 Best Places To Live In Arizona...And Why

I think for the most part people in Arizona are quite proud of the town or city they live in. I mean, there’s a reason you stay there, right? If, however, you are considering moving to a different part of Arizona for whatever reason— maybe for a change of scenery, retirement, or even a safer place to live—here are some suggestions for where to move. Our data was taken from Area Vibes, a website that provides some pretty in-depth information about cities across the country. Check out our suggestions for the best places to live in Arizona!

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Huachuca City has an impressively low crime rate; your chance of becoming a crime victim is 1 in 140, which is 76% lower than the national average and about 81% lower than the state average. In fact, a total of 13 crimes were reported in 2013! It probably helps that the town is situated right next to the Fort Huachuca Army base.

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For a large city in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, Gilbert is doing a good job in keeping that crime rate down. Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime is 1 in 62, which makes it safer than a whopping 73% of the cities in the U.S. If there's any crime you should be wary of, its theft. 2,672 thefts were reported in 2013, which is actually slightly higher than the state's average.

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Town of Clarkdale/Facebook

This one was a bit tricky because affordable living should include both cost of living and housing prices. Most places in Arizona tend to rate better in one area than the other but we were able to find a few areas that did a good job in providing good ratings in both categories. The best selection for towns was was Clarkdale, which received a B+ for cost of living and B for housing.

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City of Glendale, Arizona/Facebook

One of the more affordable cities in the state to live in based on cost of living expenses and housing (rent or ownership)? Glendale, where the average rent price is $857 per month and it scores 93 for the cost of living index. 100 is the average, so this makes Glendale a bit more affordable than other places in the state. What do you think?

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With an unemployment rate at a very low 1% and an average household income 177% greater than the average for Arizona, Paradise Valley can offer quite a bit for those looking to increase their employment chances. However, keep in mind that the cost of living here is quite high so expect a chunk of that new income to go to living expenses.

The Official Gilbert Public Schools District/Facebook

If you're raising a family, you will want to find a city or town that combines all of the previous features: safety, employment, and affordability. An additional criteria is school ranking. That is why Gilbert makes this list a second time as one of the best places to raise a family. The school districts and individual schools are high ranking in both the state and nationwide. In fact, Gilbert Classical Academy High School was ranked the 10th best high school in the nation by US News for how well students were prepared for high school, math and reading levels, and for a low student-teacher ratio (11 to 1).

Jenni Konrad/Flickr

When it comes to retiring, most people tend to automatically think of active adult communities that the Phoenix area is known for. Those are good options but for those looking for a city outside of those communities, Prescott actually makes a nice community that is low in crime and the majority of the population is a bit older but the one potential downfall is the weather. If you would rather stay away from cold temperatures in the winter and maybe even be a little closer to metropolitan action, a good runner-up would be Peoria. It holds similar rankings as Prescott but can be more expensive than Prescott.

How do you think your current city or town best suits your lifestyle? Are there any other places you would recommend for these categories? Let us know your thoughts!