Arizona is a popular destination for active adult living and retirement communities. In fact, The Grand Canyon State has over 140 active adult communities.
The majority of 55+ communities in Arizona are located in the greater Phoenix area, including cities such as Scottsdale, Chandler, Surprise, Mesa, and Phoenix.
Why Arizona Is a Popular Destination for 55+ Communities
Arizona is home to the second-most active adult communities following Florida, and it is easy to see why.
The state offers year-round sunshine, extensive access to healthcare and major medical centers, a wide range of golf, recreation, and social activities, and a reasonable cost of living.
Large Selection of Active Adult Communities
Active adult communities in Arizona are not a one-size-fits-all.
Communities range from large master-planned 55+ developments to small, intimate neighborhoods.
Homes include condos, townhomes, patio homes, single-family homes, and manufactured homes.
Arizona 55+ communities also offer a wide range of amenity packages and lifestyles.
Sun City, for example, is the largest active adult community in Arizona and the second-largest in the country with over 28,000 homes.
This Arizona retirement community offers eight recreation centers that feature a variety of amenities, including multiple indoor and outdoor pools, state-of-the-art fitness centers, climate-controlled indoor walking tracks, a pickleball pavilion, and lawn games.
In contrast, Villa Monterey in Scottsdale is a smaller, more intimate community with 800 homes.
Villa Monterey is an amenity-rich community, but not as extreme as Sun City.
Residents of Villa Monterey have access to an outdoor pool, walking and biking trails, tennis courts, and a clubhouse that serves as the social hub
While Sun City offers extensive amenities within the community itself, Villa Monterey benefits from its location near Old Town Scottsdale restaurants, shopping, and events, just five minutes away.
As one of the sunniest cities in the country, Phoenix averages over 300 days of blue skies and sunshine each year. This weather makes Arizona a haven for outdoor recreation.
Arizona’s mild winters with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s mean residents can continue outdoor activities during these months, when many places in the rest of the country are shut down by cold weather.
This year-round sunshine attracts many full-time residents and seasonal retirees.
Many snowbirds spend the winter months in Arizona and return to their primary homes during the hotter summer months.
These seasonal residents often look for 55+ communities that offer a lock-and-leave lifestyle or choose one of the Valley’s non-age-restricted communities, such as Optima Camelview in downtown Scottsdale.
Golf in Arizona 55+ Communities
Arizona is a major golf destination, and many 55+ communities are built around a golf course, such as Pebble Creek in Goodyear and Victory at Verrado in Buckeye.
These communities typically have clubhouses, dining, and social spaces centered around the golf course.
It is common for residents to walk or drive their carts to the course, turning the game they love into part of their daily routine.
Few places in the country give retirees this year-round option.
Residents are not limited to the course within their community, with hundreds of golf courses throughout Arizona.
Scottsdale, in particular, is known as one of the top golf destinations in the U.S.
There is a high concentration of courses in Scottsdale and North Phoenix. TPC Scottsdale, in the North Valley, hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open annually.
Another reason many people choose Arizona to retire is its access to major medical centers. The Phoenix metro area, specifically, has several top-tier medical facilities.
The Mayo Clinic is the number one-ranked hospital in Arizona and has two campuses in Maricopa County.
The Phoenix campus is located off Loop 101 and 56th Street and includes the Mayo Clinic Hospital, Mayo Clinic Specialty Building, and Mayo Clinic Building. The smaller campus is in Scottsdale and is home to the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
The Mayo Clinic also has primary care clinics throughout the Valley, including Glendale and Chandler.
Banner - University Medical Center in Phoenix is known for its academic research and is highly regarded for geriatrics as well as other specialties.
Other distinguished medical facilities in the Phoenix area are HonorHealth Scottsdale and Shea Medical Center, and St. Joseph’s Hospital, which is nationally ranked for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Types of 55+ Communities in Arizona
Active adult communities in Arizona vary widely, ranging from large master-planned active adult communities to smaller patio home, condominium, and manufactured home communities.
Large Master Planned Active Adult Communities
Large master planned 55+communities in Arizona typically are amenity-rich and often built around or near a golf course.
Built around an 18-hole, 7,300-yard championship course, many homes in this community have beautiful views of The Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia.
This 100-acre community comprises 2,800 homes and features the 35,000-square-foot Kiva Club and the Mita Club, which offer athletic facilities, tennis courts, pools, cafes, and more.
Trilogy at Vistancia is part of the 7,100-acre master-planned Vistancia community, which features grocery stores, banks, restaurants, a gas station, and an urgent care center.
Low-Maintenance Condo and Patio Home Communities
Low-maintenance patio home communities are often in a more intimate setting.
Sun Village in Surprise has just over 1,300 patio homes and townhomes.
This 55+ community, like many others, features a golf course.
Sun Village Golf Club is an 18-hole par-3 course that offers both member and non-member rates.
The 47,000 square-foot clubhouse serves as the community’s social hub where residents meet up to work out, play a game of pickleball, have coffee, or eat lunch.
Sun Village has over 30 clubs where neighbors meet up regularly. Bible study, Tai Chi, book club, and a singles club are just a few of these interest groups.
Because of its more intimate setting, you are much more likely to know many of your neighbors and know someone who knows someone at Sun Village than you are in the larger master-planned communities.
Manufactured Home 55+ Communities
The Phoenix metro area has dozens of manufactured home 55-and-over communities, with many located in Mesa, Apache Junction, and other East Valley cities.
Manufactured home 55+ communities are often more affordable because residents usually own the home but lease the land and pay monthly lot rent instead of purchasing the lot.
These communities are typically privately owned parks that operate under on-site management and established community rules rather than homeowner-controlled HOAs.
Many manufactured active adult communities include amenities such as clubhouses, pools, fitness centers, pickleball courts, and organized social activities for residents.
Viewpoint Golf Resort is a large, gated 55+ community in Mesa that includes manufactured homes and seasonal RV sites. Many residents here live year-round, and it is a popular community for snowbirds.
The community is centered around a golf course and a 9-hole executive course. It also has an extensive list of amenities such as multiple swimming pools, tennis, pickleball, and on-site restaurants.
Popular Cities with 55+ Communities in Arizona
While you can find active adult living in nearly 60 different areas across Arizona, a select few Phoenix metro cities have truly solidified their reputations as the most popular destinations for 55+ living.
Many of these communities are located in cities consistently ranked among the best places to retire in Arizona because of their active adult amenities, healthcare access, outdoor recreation, and overall lifestyle.
55+ Communities in Scottsdale
Many 55+ communities in Scottsdale are located near Old Town Scottsdale. Living in Scottsdale gives you convenient access to restaurants, shopping, art galleries, and entertainment.
Surprise is home to some of the largest 55+ communities in Arizona. These master-planned communities include golf courses, recreation centers, and amenity-rich resort-style amenities.
Mesa has one of the highest concentrations of 55+ communities in the Phoenix area. The city includes many active adult neighborhoods and several large manufactured home communities.
It may surprise you that Phoenix proper has fewer age-restricted communities than its surrounding cities.
Cities such as Mesa, Peoria, Surprise, and Buckeye saw more large-scale active adult construction because those areas had more available land for new master-planned communities.
Peoria includes several popular active adult communities in the northwest Valley. Many are located near golf courses and within larger master-planned developments.
Goodyear is home to one of the most well-known 55+ communities in the West Valley, PebbleCreek. This large master-planned community is centered around golf, multiple clubhouses, and a highly active social lifestyle.
Goodyear 55+ communities are often located within gated neighborhoods and include access to resort-style amenities such as pools, fitness centers, restaurants, and organized activities.
Buckeye has become a growing destination for newer 55+ communities. Many communities feature newer homes, mountain views, and large resort-style amenity centers.
Several of Arizona’s most recognizable active adult communities have developed strong reputations over the years.
These communities attract buyers from across the country because of their amenities, lifestyle offerings, and well-established active adult environments.
These communities often operate like self-contained neighborhoods with their own golf courses, recreation centers, clubhouses, and social activities.
Sun City
Despite its name, Sun City isn't a legal city. It's a census-designated area that relies on Maricopa County for services like police and roads.
It is located in the West Valley, bordered by Peoria to the north and east, Surprise to the northwest, and Youngtown and El Mirage to the west.
Fun fact: Sun City was the first 55+ community established in the country in 1960.
The community includes multiple golf courses, recreation centers, and hundreds of clubs and social activities.
Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch is located in the town of Wickenburg, northwest of the Phoenix metro area.
This active adult community offers a desert setting with mountain views, along with golf, resort-style pools, dining, and amenities designed for an active lifestyle.
Sun Lakes is one of the most popular active adult communities in the East Valley. Many people searching for 55+ community homes assume Sun Lakes is part of Chandler, but it is its own unincorporated community located just south of the city.
This active adult community comprises several neighborhoods, each featuring its own golf course and clubhouse, as well as several man-made lakes, restaurants, pools, and a wide range of amenities.
Trilogy at Power Ranch is the only 55+ community in Gilbert. It is located within the larger Power Ranch master-planned community in the southeast part of the city.
This active adult community includes single-family homes with a range of floor plans. Residents have access to a 27,000-square-foot private clubhouse, pools, fitness centers, sports courts, and a wide range of clubs and activities. Trilogy residents also have access to many of the Power Ranch amenities, including parks, lakes, and walking trails.
Encanterra offers a private country club lifestyle in San Tan Valley with newer luxury homes and a polished resort feel.
Residents enjoy golf, impressive clubhouses, fitness and spa facilities, on-site dining, and a full social calendar that keeps the community active and connected.
Before choosing a 55+ community in Arizona, it helps to understand how these communities operate.
While amenities and home styles vary from one community to another, most active adult communities follow similar age requirements and HOA structures, though manufactured home communities often operate under different management models.
Age Restrictions and Occupancy Rules
Most active adult communities operate under federal housing guidelines that require at least one resident in the home to be age 55 or older.
These communities are designed to create a neighborhood environment that focuses on the active adult lifestyle.
In many communities, spouses or partners under age 55 may live in the home as long as one resident meets the age requirement.
Communities also typically allow visits from children and grandchildren, although longer stays may be limited depending on the community’s rules.
Each community establishes its own policies, so it is important that you thoroughly review occupancy guidelines and community regulations before purchasing a home.
HOA Fees and Community Amenities
The majority of Arizona 55+ communities have homeowners associations that maintain shared amenities such as recreation centers, pools, fitness facilities, walking paths, and landscaped common areas.
In some communities, HOA fees may also cover services such as exterior maintenance, like roof replacement or repair, landscaping, or trash collection.
HOA fees vary widely depending on the size of the community and the services provided.
Many active adult communities in Arizona include recreation centers, swimming pools, fitness facilities, pickleball courts, walking paths, and organized clubs or activities.
Some larger communities are built around golf courses where residents often receive discounted rates, priority tee times, or membership options, along with amenities such as clubhouses, on-site dining, and multiple clubhouse facilities.
Find the Right Arizona 55+ Community
Arizona offers a wide variety of active adult communities, from large master-planned neighborhoods with extensive amenities to smaller communities in central city locations across the Valley.
The best way to determine which community fits your lifestyle is to explore the homes and neighborhoods in person.
If you have questions or would like to explore available homes in Arizona 55+ communities, our team is here to help.
Use our contact form, or call 480-387-3990 to speak with our team about available homes in Arizona 55+ communities or to arrange a tour.
Published by The Kay-Grant Group, Arizona 55+ community real estate experts.
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3Beds
2Baths
7058468MLS
2,280SqFt.
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