If you’re moving to Scottsdale, Arizona, you’re probably wondering if Scottsdale, AZ is a good place to live. You’ll want to know about what life is really like. After all, life isn’t just partying, shopping and golf (at least for most people). So, is Scottsdale, AZ a good place to live? Let’s find out! For clues about Scottsdale as a place to live, work and raise a family, read on. We put together helpful insight and data below to help you decide for yourself.
Scottsdale, Arizona, has a surprising number of different and interesting nicknames. For example, the city’s official nickname is “The West’s Most Western Town”. Many people also refer to Scottsdale as the “Beverly Hills of the Desert” because of its opulent shopping and dining. Golf fanatics call Scottsdale, AZ, “The World’s Finest Golf Destination”. And with over 200 courses, this is a very fitting name.
The Cost of Living in Scottsdale, AZ is Expensive
The cost of living is one of the first factors you should consider when thinking about moving to Scottsdale, AZ. While it isn’t as bad as Beverly Hills, Scottsdale is more expensive than most Arizona cities. The overall cost of living index is 133/100, or 33% more than the average U.S. city. However, most of that comes from one thing: housing. The Scottsdale housing cost index is 203/100. That means it’s 103% higher than the national average! That’s a tough nut to crack for many families, but other costs are thankfully lower. Below is a list of the seven major cost indices from Best Places, to give you a better idea:
- Overall 133/100
- Groceries 103/100
- Health Care 92/100
- Housing 203/100
- Utilities 102/100
- Transportation 109/100
- Miscellaneous 101/100
As you can see, the other costs in Scottsdale are more or less average, which isn’t so bad. Housing, unfortunately, takes us from average to expensive. The median home cost in Scottdale is $673,000, more than double the average city.
One important thing to note is that Scottsdale is a luxurious, high-end city. It’s like the affluent cities of East Hampton, NY, Washington, DC, Palm Beach, FL, and Martha’s Vineyard, MA. When you consider that factor, you’ll find Scottsdale, AZ, is incredibly affordable in comparison.
Scottsdale is Very Highly Rated for Families
One of the important factors for a good city to live in is whether it’s good for families. And what makes a city great for families is good schools, low crime, and plenty of green spaces to enjoy. Scottsdale, Arizona, checks off all those boxes nicely.
The public school system in Scottsdale, for example, gets excellent marks. Of the 66 public schools here, 46 get an A, which any student will tell you stands for ‘awesome!’. Overall, the city gets an A for public schools. That’s great news for anyone moving to Scottsdale with school-age children and means they’ll get an excellent primary education.
As for green spaces, Scottsdale has an incredible variety of parks, both in and outside the city. That includes over 400 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails! There are water parks, ball fields, skate parks, and many others. Golf is huge here, also, as we mentioned earlier.
Scottsdale offers a huge variety of fun, exciting and sporty things to do for adults and kids alike. Crime rates in Scottsdale are also acceptable (if not exactly perfect). Violent crime is very low at only 11/100, while property crime is equal to the national average at 35/100. Knowing your family is safe is undoubtedly a big plus when living in Scottsdale.
Lastly, there’s the weather, an important factor when you’re deciding where to live. The good news is that Scottsdale is one of the sunniest places in America! Yes, it gets hot as blazes in Scottsdale for about 5 months, and air conditioning is a necessity. However, the rest of the year is brilliant, with very little rain and low to no humidity. In our opinion, the sunny and warm weather makes Scottsdale, AZ a good place to live!
Nightlife in Scottsdale is as Exciting and Fun as it Comes!
We’ve written before about nightlife in Scottsdale, AZ, and how it’s one of the best in the country! (See our blog about it to discover Scottsdale’s best bars, clubs, and nightlife!) Without going into great detail, suffice to say that the nightlife here is lots of fun! One reason why is that Scottsdale has over 800 restaurants, clubs, bars, and hotspots!
For Retirees, Scottsdale, AZ, is one of America’s Best Cities
Did you know that Scottsdale, AZ, is the #1 Best City to Retire in America? Thanks to great weather, moderate living costs, and plenty of golf and tennis opportunities, it’s true. The city has world-class hospitals and healthcare costs are lower than the national average. Very low humidity is also a plus for folks with health concerns. In short, for retirees, Scottsdale, AZ, is definitely a good place to live.
Taxes in Scottsdale, AZ, are Reasonable
Arizona has the 11th highest sales tax rate in the United States. However, Scottsdale sales taxes are lower, which evens things out. Even better, our property tax rate in Scottsdale is only 0.640%, about 40% lower than the national average. That’s a perk all Scottsdale homeowners thoroughly enjoy when living here.
Scottsdale, Arizona, is a Fantastic Place to Live, Work and Enjoy Life!
We think you’ll agree; there’s a lot to love about Scottsdale, AZ! Families of all shapes and sizes will find many things to enjoy in our fine city! You’ll find safe, clean storage units in Scottdale, AZ, to store your valuables if you’re on your way. Storage Solutions has secure Scottsdale, AZ, storage units in several sizes. We also offer climate-controlled storage units to protect your more sensitive items.
Questions about self-storage in Scottsdale, AZ? You can always chat with us online. Also, please feel free to drop by our self-storage center in Scottsdale and meet the onsite manager. They’re super friendly and can help you with any of your self-storage questions.
By the way, if you’re moving to Scottsdale, AZ, soon, we recommend reserving a storage unit ahead of time. That way, when you arrive, your movers can unload the right into your storage unit. (Our storage units in Scottsdale, AZ, are significantly less expensive than storing with a moving company.)
If you’ve just arrived in the city, everyone at Storage Solutions wishes you a hearty welcome! Once you’ve settled in, we’re sure that you’ll wonder why you didn’t move to Scottsdale, AZ, much sooner!