My wife, golden retreiver, and I are about to retire and get the heck outta Houston.  We're strongly considering Arizona...either north Phoenix or Prescott.

Regarding Prescott, what's the best and worst of it?

My impression of it is that it has 4 relatively mild seasons.  How are the energy bills?  Do you have to run AC in the summer?  

We won't know anyone there.  I see there is a ham radio club, a photography club, and a YMCA where I can lap swim.  And art clubs for my wife.  Looks like there will be some good ways to meet people.  Are there lots of arfcommers in the area?

Plus lots of places for biking, hiking, and boating.  

Shooting...I see there is a gun club with a range...but after being in Houston, I'm sick of ranges.  I'm pretty sure there are other less organized places to shoot....right?  Oh yes...it's close to one of my alma maters...Gunsite!

Bad stuff...li don't know anything bad about Prescott except it is pretty close to CA....Ha!  

So let me know what you know about Prescott....

Beautiful, but hard to find jobs from what I understand. I would LOVE to live up there.

I'm lucky.  Im retiring.  I don't need no more stinking jobs.  And I'm healthy...or mostly....physically anyway.

Had a buddy that lived up there for a year and a half.   There are some good folks and bad as with any area.   Noted that there is a fair contingency of young drop out, "rasta-farian" types.   You know, the kids that ran away from home, and pretty much just live on the dole.    But it ain't Portland –––– LOL.    But on that same note, there is a fair if not larger group of regular folks there.  Lot's of truck and hunting types that appreciate the outdoors.  

Not sure what the mean average income is, but I am sure the Prescott Chamber of Commerce folks could provide that.   Indeed, lots of folks people do retire there.    The weather if very moderate and nice.   Although I would note that a few years ago, there were concerns about the water table in that area being dangerously low.   Not alot of rivers in Arizona and much is dependent in that area on snow and rainfall ––- which has been dismal this year.

But you should spend a week there and just see if it fits you.    There are many other beautiful areas of Arizona that could be of interest ––- Pinetop/Lakeside, Payson, Flagstaff (although much more to the North and colder).     Arizona is much like Texas, in regards to politics and people.    Albeit we do have a larger mish-mash of folks from around the nation, and it seems to me that Arizona folks are not a real "always greeting and talking type"   Most stay to themselves, with a "don't bother me and I won't bother you attitude."    Daughter is in Sioux Falls, SD and notes the people are much friendlier, but it is also a smaller populace to contend with.

One thing to love about Arizona though is that we are an independent thinking group of folks, as are those of you in Texas.  

I know a guy who grew up there and was a cocaine dealer. Then he sorted his life out and went to college. He was also a cage fighter.

I've lived in Prescott Valley for the last 8 years. I love it and it's a great place to raise a family. We're outdoors people, so there is never a shortage of things to do - hike, hunt, fish, camp, shoot . . . . the list goes on and on when you are surrounded by public land. Location is perfect because we are too high for the crazy hot AZ temps, but too low for the ridiculous cold. Just a short drive to the I-17, and several routes out of town help me from feeling trapped.

I prefer the location of Prescott (pine trees) over the open space of Prescott Valley, but I dislike both the layout (read: traffic) of Prescott and the overall culture. Too many hippies and old retired Kalifornians who think Prescott should be under socialist rule. Prescott Valley is a little more laid back, more families and such.

if you have the means, check out Williamson Valley - very nice area with the scenery of Prescott but little to none of the bullcrap.

As for temps, we reach 100 for a few days in the summer, but for the most part it's in the high 90's, and it's a dry heat, no humidity. Lows in the winter can reach single digits, with some snow accumulation for short periods of time, more in Prescott than Prescott Valley.

Lots of clubs and organizations, several ranges but I dislike them for the most part. And Gunsite isn't the only show in town.

Any other questions, ask away. There's a few of us here in the AZ HTF that live in the area.

The best of Prescott was about 1984.  The worst of Prescott is 2012.  Its a small city.  The former culture of the area is DOA like a motherfucker.

Traveler,

Do you want to be in town (1/4 acre lots) or more rural (1+ acres)?
What is your budget for a house?

Here is a good link for stats on Prescott
Link

A photo of the local ARFCOM at one of our home town shoots.

I've lived in Prescott for the last 34 years - I love it here and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Rizzo covered most of it pretty well.

Personally I prefer Prescott over Prescott Valley or Chino Valley but there's a place for everyone up here.....
Yeah, there are places in Prescott that tend to accumulate "California Thinking People" - I just avoid those places, no big deal.
There are just as many places that "those" people wouldn't think of showing their faces......

Weather is usually great!
I run my A/C during the summer maybe only one or two weeks - but I tend to like it a little hotter than most.
Winters are usually mild but sometimes we'll get a doozy of a snowstorm, but it's nice for a change now and then.

In my opinion - compared to Phoenix, Prescott is heaven!
It's where a lot of the PHX folks come on the weekends during the summer to get out of the heat!

Many of these guys from the Prescott area?  If so, I'm staying as far away from Prescott as I can get!        




Just kidding!

I will probably choose to live in town.  Not sure I want to buy myself a big maintenance headache.

We will probably try to stay in the low 200s.

Traveler

The ugly ones are from "the valley", so stay away from Phoenix.


Not a lot of yard work living in a desert, most people have crushed stone for their yards.
I'm on 5 acres and all I need to do is kill the weeds that grow through the crushed stones on about 1/4 acre of yard surrounding the house.

In town some chose to have a lawn but it's not the norm.

Low $200s is doable but near the lower end for Prescott, OK in Prescott Valley or Chino Valley.

Come out and stay a few days and see what you like and can afford.

I gave up on Flagstaff and Prescott was my second choice. I've heard a lot of good from that VA too, so I can only hope that I can get some better care there. If anyone there knows any decently priced homes (150,000 and less), I'll be scouting with my realtor next week.

The VA here is pretty decent, and there are plenty of homes in your price range, 11bravo.

I'm pretty eager to get out of Tucson and into a newer horizon. I can't wait to scout out the area and hopefully move by July. I'm so anxious, that I'm even breaking my apartment lease just to get the hell out of here. Rizzo, you'll be the first I contact when I make the move. I take it that the coyote hunting is superb up there?

You're going to love it here in Prescott.
I think you should easily be able to find housing in your price range - somewhere in the area.

I hope so, cause my wife won't have a job for a while. Hopefully a buddy at the VA will help me out and I really look forward to the move. I haven't even started yet and I'm already getting a warm welcome.

Lots of good rentals around here, as well, if you want to get started with that before buying.

As for the predator hunting, yes - there are some great locations. The funny part is that I travel south a lot to hunt during the regular season!

I just moved to a home north of Prescott Valley in the Coyote Springs area––2 acres, mountain views.  Wife and I moved here from Michigan.  This area has a mild 4 seasons with a bit of snow in winter and a milder summer than the Phoenix area.  What I've seen of the cultures is Prescott is a bit more trendy and touristy, with a higher percentage of Birkenstock wearing hiker types and Prescott Valley is more laid back, spread out and typically middle class.

My electric bill on the budget plan is about $70.  I have well and septic out here.  Propane isn't cheap but you don't use much of it.

Summing it up: I did research for years looking for a good place to land when I retired.  Other than the Rizzo ammo tax, which I'll pay with Wolf 22lrs this was the best place in the country for a balance of climate, culture and cost of living.

Still waiting for those pukey .22LRs, by the way.

Glad you found a good place to land.

I can't hardly wait, I just hope to stay away from any HOA areas as much as possible. Right now the Dillon 650 is in a box, but can't wait to start cranking out ammo again.

Is this him?!

 

theres alot of us migrating up north, isnt there? ill get there eventually, landed a higher pay grade and im hoping to make my last summer in this hell hole worth it. Ive taaken a couple trips up there and tasted it, now i dont know if Ill be able to take another 120 degree summer when I know how nice it is up north. good luck

Yeah it's 68 degrees here right now. Just want to rub that in.

Sounds kinda cold, to me......  Hoody weather.  

Still having to run the heater much this time of year?  How many months a year do you have significant heating bills?

The gas bills are only high for a few months each year. This time of year is chilly at night but not cold enough to run the heater. I also have a wood stove so that really helps in the winter.