Taxes
Arizona's income tax is 2.50%, below Illinois's 4.95%. Illinois generally doesn't tax retirement income, so retirees should compare their own sources of income before assuming savings. Sales tax and vehicle license tax work differently here too, so ask a tax professional.
Summer is the real winter
Phoenix regularly passes 100 degrees for months at a time. What this means for daily life:
- Cooling costs. Ask about the age of the air conditioning and past electric bills on any home.
- Outdoor plans. People exercise at dawn and shift errands to cooler hours.
- Cars. Heat wears out batteries and tires faster, and steering wheels get hot.
- Pets. Hot pavement can burn paws.
- Move-in. Try to arrive between October and April. If you can't, plan on an early unloading slot.
HOAs and housing
Much of the Valley's housing sits in HOA communities, with fees and rules covering paint, landscaping and parking. Read them before you buy. Homes commonly have no basement, so storage shrinks compared with a Chicago-area house, and desert landscaping replaces a lawn.
Water and desert living
Water use is a real issue here. Ask about water costs and look for hard water effects on appliances. Scorpions and other desert wildlife are also part of life in some areas, so ask neighbors and consider pest control.
Choosing where to live
Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa all offer something different, and much of the metro depends on cars. Tucson is smaller, higher and a bit cooler than Phoenix, while Flagstaff has actual winters.
Deadlines
Arizona sources disagree about exact deadlines for new residents, so go directly to ADOT Motor Vehicle Division. Plan to take care of your license and registration soon after you arrive.
Your move
See Chicago to Arizona movers for prices by home size and how to protect heat-sensitive items.