Along with Florida, Arizona traditionally has been one of the top retirement locations, and was the site of the first retirement community.

Del Webb started the retirement community concept with the opening of Sun City, Arizona, on January 1, 1960. During the three day grand opening, more then 100,000 people toured the community, ten times more than were expected, and Del Webb was featured on the cover of Time magazine.

Since then, Del Webb (which is now part of Pulte Homes family) has built retirement communities in 16 states. In Arizona, Del Webb/Pulte has built or is in the process of developing communities under the Sun City and Anthem names. The company also has developments in the Midwest, South, and East Coast areas. (source - Del Webb website - www.delwebb.com).

Arizona has a number of active adult retirement communities for just about all needs. At one end of the spectrum are communities consisting primarily of single family homes, townhomes, and condominiums, and which often feature community centers, golf, and planned activities. Nearly all of these communities are age restricted (typically being available only to households in which one spouse is at least age 50 or 55).

What is the best retirement community in Arizona? The answer will vary depending upon the criteria used. For some, golf and proximity to airports, sporting events, and cultural activities is a must, while others prefer to have the flexibility of living in an RV retirement community. Still others wish to be away from the congestion of the larger cities, and enjoy desert communities among the saguaro cacti and the towering mountains.

From Phoenix, retirement communities have expanded in nearly all directions. In southern Arizona, near Tucson, a number of retirement communities have been developed, including Green Valley, located just outside of Tucson, to the Southwest, and Sun City Tucson, to the Northwest. Just north of Sun City Tucson, and nestled against the Catalina Mountains, is the Saddlebrooke community, which is home now to more than 5,000 residents.

Some of the new retirement communities in Arizona include those being built to just outside of the expanding Phoenix metropolitan area, as well as those in Casa Grande, which is approximately halfway between Phoenix and Tucson.

As the Phoenix metropolitan area has grown dramatically in recent years, new retirement community development has expanded to the west of the city (where Sun City, Sun City West, and Sun City Grand are located), to the North of the City (name communities), to the east and south east of the city.

Most recently, the Casa Grande and Florence, Arizona locations have become a hotspot for new retirement community development. Both of these communities are approximately half way between Phoenix and Tucson, and are on opposite sides along the I-10 corridor.

Florence, Arizona was once the state capital of Phoenix, but in recent years has become better known for a number of state and federal correction facilities. In the last decade or so, the area around Florence has changed dramatically. Both retirees and builders have been flocking to the Florence area to take advantage of the relatively lower cost of land (compared to the immediate Phoenix area), and the proximity to the I-10 corridor, which allow residents easy access to the Sky Harbor airport and downtown Phoenix.

Across from I-10 is the town of Casa Grande. Until the last decade Casa Grande was the approximate mid-point stopping way between Phoenix and Tucson. Recognizing this, an outlet mall was built in Casa Grande just off I-10, which subsequently became the major attraction for Casa Grande.

Currently, there are several 55 retirement communities in Casa Grande which are in the development stage.

One of the newest concepts in retirement communities in Arizona is The Academy Village, located just South of Tucson near the Rincon Mountains. The Academy Village is centered around the concept of life-long learning, where residents can take university classes, one of our featured communities, started a new concept of an active adult community built around life-long learning.

In additional to single family home communities, Arizona has become home to a number of recreational vehicle retirement communities. RV communities vary greatly in both price and amenities. Some communities many of the same features as high-end retirement communities (pools, golf courses, etc.), and make an ideal place to call home, as well as offering the freedom to hit the road when the urge arises.

Other RV communities are more for the budget-minded, and may have a great atmosphere without the high-end amenities, such as golf. Mesa, Arizona has long been a favorite location for rv retirement communities. Mesa offers close proximity to shopping and restaurants in Scottsdale, university activities in Tempe, Arizona (home of Arizona State University), and sports activities in downtown Phoenix.

Fortunately, for golf enthusiasts, there are literally hundreds of golf courses in Arizona (more than 100 alone in metropolitan Phoenix). With so many courses available (many of which offer very favorable rates in the off-season), having a golf course on-site is usually not a prerequisite for most RV'ers.