7 Reasons Why Californians are Moving to Arizona

If you have ever wondered why Californians are moving to Arizona, you have come to the right place!

After moving thousands of Californians to Arizona — as well as moving many thousands of our wonderful customers to virtually every state in the US — these are the reasons why people are moving to our beautiful state.

Why are Californians moving to Arizona?
Here are 7 reasons why Californians are moving to Arizona: 1. Low Cost of Living, 2. Lower Income Tax Rates, 3. Great Education Systems, 4. More Job Opportunities, 5. Less Traffic, 6. Beautiful Landscape, 7. Less Prone to Natural Disasters.

In this helpful article, we will review 7 reasons why Californians are moving to Arizona, and why we think you should too.

Let’s get started.

Why Californians are moving to Arizona

If you haven’t seen, there is a huge number of Americans moving from California to Arizona.

In fact, Census.gov estimates 70,000 people move from California to Arizona in 2019 alone!

And we can confirm these huge numbers of movers. While we didn’t move all 70,000 in our moving trucks, we safely and securely moved a lot of them.

Below are seven of the reasons why Californians are moving to Arizona.

1.   Lower Cost of Living

Ever since Arizona was declared a state in 1912, its population has ballooned from a mere 217,000 to the current more than 7.2 million. Arizona was actually the 2nd fastest-growing state between 1990 and 2000, with a population growth of 40%.

One of the major contributors to population growth in Arizona is domestic migration from neighboring states, particularly California. Many people move from California and other high-cost states to Arizona to look for affordable housing and better living conditions.

Generally, the cost of living in Arizona is low. A CNN’s Cost of Living estimation found that a $100,000 salary in San Diego, California is equivalent to $71,378 in Phoenix. The cost of basic items, such as groceries (24% cheaper), utilities (20% cheaper), transportation (29% cheaper), and healthcare (28% cheaper) are lower in Arizona.

2.   Lower Income Tax Rates

Nobody likes paying taxes, especially if they consume a significant percentage of your paycheck. In 2022, Arizona taxpayers earning an average of $22,272 pay a 2.55% tax rate. Those earning higher than this pay a 2.98% income tax rate. On the other hand, single-tax filers in California earning a maximum of $9,236 pay 1%, while those earning up to $22,107 pay a fixed amount of $93.25 plus a 2% of any amount above the minimum tax wage.

If you earn $34,892 in California, you should pay $348.89 plus 4% of the amount above the minimum wage. California’s tax rates increase with income, making life unbearable for most residents.

There is an excellent conversion about Arizona now proposing one of the lowest flat taxes in the country, beginning in 2023.  Go here to read more about the tax plan here.

For more information about Arizona taxes, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue here:

Arizona Department of Revenue

3.   Great Education Systems

Interestingly, a good percentage of middle-aged families relocate to search for better schools and education systems for their kids. While this isn’t the main reason, it is part of the many reasons Californians are moving to Arizona. The state of Arizona has 66 public schools and is ranked the 14th state with the largest public school systems.

The state also hosts several prestigious charter institutions, colleges, and universities. Among the top public schools in Arizona include the Vail Unified School in Tucson, Chandler Unified School, Choice Academies in Phoenix, and Catalina Unified School District, among others.

Plus, Arizona is home to some incredible Universities, including The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon University, Arizona Christian University. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and more.

4.   More Job Opportunities

Apart from favorable financial systems in Arizona, the increasing number of job opportunities has attracted many people into the state. Many multinational companies and tech firms have settled in Arizona, broadening the job market.

Despite the estimated 93,000 jobs lost during the pandemic, Arizona has recovered, creating approximately 105,700 new opportunities in 2021. 127,200 more job opportunities will likely open up in 2022 as the state focuses on creating 700,000 jobs by 2030.

5.   Less Traffic

The excellent California weather calls everyone outside. However, with everyone going outdoors, traffic in California worsens. While the roads leading out of California cities are less congested, residents of Los Angeles spend up to 120 hours or five days in traffic annually.

Unlike Arizona, traffic in California is terrible. A recent TomTom Traffic Index ranking U.S cities listed Los Angeles as the top congested city with 27%. Other Californian cities had high congestion levels, with San Francisco ranking fourth with 21% and San Jose sixth with 19%.

On the contrary, Tucson was the first city in Arizona, which appeared at position 18 with a 16% congestion level.

6.   Beautiful Landscape

Breathtaking sights is another reason why people move to Arizona from California. While California has an exciting landscape, it comes with a price, which many Californians cannot afford. Arizona boasts of beautiful mountains and canyons, such as the Grand Canyon, which provides endless hiking, camping, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, skydiving, and swimming opportunities.

Not only is Arizona known for the Grand Canyon, but also Antelope Canyon, Havasu Falls near the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Petrified Forest National Park, Red Rock State Park, Glen Canyon National Recreational Area and much much more.

Additionally the USGS reports that Arizona has great natural resources including leading in copper production and is a major producer of crude perlite, molybdenum, and silver.

7.   Less Prone to Natural Disasters

California is widely known for being prone to nearly all types of natural disasters. Relocating from California to Arizona frees you from the worries of being affected by disastrous earthquakes and forest fires. Arizona sits close to the Pacific Coast, which lies between California and Mexico.

The state also lies on bedrock, making it less prone to earthquakes. The majority of Arizona residents also reside along the Phoenix Valley, which doesn’t have much vegetation to fuel forest fires. California has experienced 355 natural disasters since 1953, way higher than Arizona’s 103.

Conclusion

California and Arizona are neighboring states that share and differ a lot.

Before moving to Arizona, you should choose a perfect city to settle in. And that is where we can absolutely help you as you develop your plan.

Phoenix is a favorite for many domestic migrants for several reasons. However, you can choose other cities in Arizona, such as Prescott, Flagstaff, Tucson, Sedona, Scottsdale, and Yuma.