Moving to Arizona: Complete Moving Guide 2024

Choosing to move to Arizona is a great call. Learn about a few of our favorite areas and our iMoving tips to relocation.

Moving to Arizona

Arizona Awaits Your Arrival

Moving to Arizona is an exciting adventure for those that love the heat! Here’s an iMoving local guide to help make your transition as smooth as possible.


Arizona’s Best Areas

Here are a few of our favourite areas we would recommend checking out:

City Areas

  • Phoenix: Arizona's capital has diverse cultures from all across the world, job opportunities galore with companies moving out here everyday, and great nightlife. It’s ideal for those who love a big city life with plenty of amenities accessible at all hours. The university town is even more fun, with lots of local dive bars. 
  • Scottsdale: Upscale living vibes are what you will find. Scottsdale has lots of luxury homes, high-end shopping, and a great fancy arts scene. It’s known for its excellent golf courses. Many wealthy families choose Scottsdale for their quality of life. 
  • Tempe: Home to Arizona State University, Tempe has a young energy, and lots of great restaurants. It’s great for those looking for an active, college-town vibe. You will find the average age here between 18-24 since it is a college town. It isn’t a great choice for families. 
  • Chandler: A much better family choice, with great rated schools and lots of parks. It has a growing tech sector and offers a suburbia feel while close enough to Phoniex that the commute is no big deal.

Tucson

  • Downtown Tucson: Has a mix of historic charm, cultural events, and an impressive local food scene. Small town lovers this is your spot.
  • Catalina Foothills: High-end homes with great views are here. It’s known for having good schools, and the backdrop of the Catalina Mountains makes it amazing.

Sedona

  • West Sedona: Insane red rock views and a more laid-back lifestyle this is the spot for nature lovers! It’s known for its art galleries, holistic community, and outdoor activities. Vegan Cafe Central!

Steps to Success in Arizona

1. Research Arizona

Cities & Area: Arizona has many regions that are extremely different from one another, from the high-tech zone in the city of Phoenix to the scenic areas of Flagstaff or the elderly communities in Sun City. Make sure you research where you want to live and the amenities offered there. 

Climate: Arizona is known for its Arizona sunshine. That means you should expect a hot, dry climate year round, especially in cities like Phoenix and Tucson it gets dry and hot. Summers can be rough, and temperatures exceed 100°F. Areas like Flagstaff offer cooler options of spots to live as they have more seasonal variations.

2. Living Plans

Finding a Home: Consider factors like proximity to work, schools, and amenities. Think about if you are planning to be in Arizona long term or if rental homes might make more sense for you until you lock down your choice for your living area. 

3. Utilities and More

Setting Up Utilities: Arrange for utilities such as electricity, water, gas, and internet. Providers vary by region. APS and SRP are major electric providers in Phoenix.

Change Your Address: Notify the postal service, your bank, credit card companies, and any other relevant places of your address change. You’ll need to do this before you can set up your utilities on your name. 

4. Health and Safety

Healthcare: Find new doctors, dentists, and specialists once you’ve found your new home. The Arizona Department of Health Services has lists of providers, but usually, it’s best to ask for recommendations from friends and family that live there locally. 

5. Transportation

Car Registration: If you’re bringing a car, you'll need to register it in Arizona within 15 days of getting your residency. Visit the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to do so. It is important to note this to avoid accidental fines. 

Driver’s License: You’ll also need to update your driver’s license. This can be done at an ADOT as well. Best to do so at the same time as your car registration.

Public Transit: You have local public transportation options like buses and light rail. Phoenix has Valley Metro, and Tucson has Sun Tran. The suburbs have less public transit and you are likely to need a car. 

6. Cost of Living

Budgeting: Arizona's cost of living is generally lower than California's but higher than some other states. Housing costs vary widely depending on the city and neighbourhood. Cities have higher costs of living, and suburbs have cheaper living costs.

Taxes: Arizona has a progressive income tax system, and sales tax varies by locality. Some are higher than others.

7. Lifestyle

Weather: Prepare for the heat by staying hydrated and using sunscreen. Air conditioning is a must in the summer. Prepare your body by drinking enough water and electrolytes. Plan your schedule around the hottest hours of the day to stay safe indoors. 

Outdoor Fun: Arizona offers plenty of outdoor activities, from hiking in the Grand Canyon and other incredible local trails to Sedona's red rocks that are photo perfect. Embrace the local lifestyle with outdoor hiking and community events.

Community: Check out the local community events, farmers' markets, and cultural festivals to get to know the area! Arizona is full of family fun events. 

8. Moving Day Tips

Hiring Movers: Use iMoving to hire a moving company if you have a lot of belongings. Get binding quotes from multiple vendors all at the same time and book worry-free as check reviews to find you a reliable mover.

DIY Move: If you’re moving yourself, start packing early and label boxes clearly. Plan your route to Arizona, and ensure your vehicle is ready for the drive. If you need partial services like loading and unloading, iMoving can help you book this as well. 

Essentials Bag: This is your key to success for your first day in your new Arizona home. Pack a bag with essential items you'll need immediately and during the drive. Pack things like toiletries, a few days' worth of clothes, sheets set, and important documents.


Arizona Here You Come

Moving to Arizona will be a smooth and fun process if you plan ahead and get to know the best local areas to find the right fit for you and your family. Good luck with your move from all of us at iMoving!


Frequently Asked Questions

Just as stated in our red flags, the worst thing would be your mover bailing on you the morning of your move. It happens all the time in the industry. Booking a scammer is the worst thing that can happen.

They can take a huge deposit up front and then just never show up or give a lame excuse and not answer your calls. This can be avoided by only booking a tried and trusted moving vendor from our marketplace and ignoring all the scammers online.

Sports gear can be packed in many ways and can actually be used as padding for fragile items sometimes. iMoving has options that offer to move any type of specialty item from a grand piano to a giant basketball net.

In general, it’s best to break down larger items into smaller parts and pack them together if possible, but as well we have a full service option that will handle this for you.

If you have fragile surfboards, be sure to bubble wrap them and, ideally, tie them to the top of your car to keep them extra safe from dings.

Trusted and reliable movers don’t come around every day. iMoving’s marketplace is the top answer for finding the top companies. Yes, we are biased, but honestly, if you ask a focus group of 10 people, at least 9 out of 10 would agree (and the one guy there just never moved homes).

If its trusted and vetted movers you want for your family, only iMoving offers such a wide range of moving companies that can be booked right here and now online.

Not only can you book their services and lock down your date and time, but you can also get a binding quote, taking the guesswork out of moving homes.

This depends on multiple factors such as size, clutter, clothing preferences, and other items. It’s more of a question for yourself if you plan to declutter and go Marie Condo or if you plan to throw everything in a box and call it a day. Plan according to this. Don’t forget to label as you go!

Pets pick up on our energy and need a common schedule. If you are stressed, you are likely to stress out your furry friend. Try and make the experience fun for them with lots of walks and treats. Associate the move with positive things your pet loves to make the day less hard for them.

Ensure to set up their home base as soon as you get into the new home so that they can feel they have their own corner with food, water and their bed. Try and send them to doggy daycare the day of the move to avoid stressing them out.


Rachel Kaplan

Rachel has spent the last few years writing for moving companies while actually moving across the globe. After many years of moving between many states in the US, she moved abroad to try the remote work life. She’s a pro at moving all her things with her dog and hundreds of plants. Thankfully she’s a minimalist so moves aren’t too much of an issue.

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