3 Best Places To Live in Arizona on Only a Social Security Check
With warm weather and relatively affordable living costs, Arizona has long been a popular destination for retirees. However, not all Arizona cities are affordable for those in retirement age. This is especially true for those depending primarily on Social Security to sustain their lifestyle. As of September 2022, the average monthly Social Security benefit amount is $1,628.17.
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Luckily, there are some spots in Arizona that are perfectly affordable given this amount. GOBankingRates has identified the Arizona cities where not only could you live on $1,628 a month in retirement, but where you could also live well. Only cities with livability scores of 65 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 100) were considered. These are the best Arizona cities for retirees to live on only a security check.
Tucson
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,532.72
Livability Score: 65
Tucson is the most affordable city on our list. Even after you pay for everything you need, you'll still have a little money left over when you're living in Tucson. About 20% of the population is older than 65, so retirees will be in good company. The average one-bedroom apartment costs $761, and the average cost of groceries is $401.44. Healthcare will run you about $370.28 on average per person.
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Douglas
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,561.11
Livability Score: 67
Douglas is another great place to settle in Arizona if you're looking for an affordable lifestyle. Again, even after rent and groceries are paid, you'll still have a little extra income. Rent will cost about $690 on average for a one bedroom apartment. Grocery trips run about $404.50 a month. Healthcare is a little bit more expensive than Tucson. For one person, healthcare costs around $466.60 a month. Another selling point is that 22% of Douglas' population is 65 and older, so there will be plenty of opportunities to meet other seniors in the area.
Sierra Vista
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,574.69
Livability Score: 79
Sierra Vista offers the highest livability score on this list, so retirees are sure to enjoy themselves and live well. In terms of population, 22% of Sierra Vista's residents are over the age of 65. Like Douglas, the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment is about $690 a month. Sierra Vista has the highest grocery cost on the list. Residents can expect to spend $418.09 every month. Monthly healthcare costs match Douglas, running about $466.60 on average.
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Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined where in Arizona to live on only Social Security checks based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, sourced from the Social Security Administration; and (2) FY 2022 Arizona Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom apartment, as sourced from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. GOBankingRates then researched Sperling's Best to find the cost-of-living index for each listed city, looking at (3) grocery and (4) healthcare index scores. GOBankingRates additionally used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery ("food at home") and healthcare costs for people aged 65 and older in order to find how much a person 65 and over would spend on groceries and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, and healthcare costs together. In order for a city to be qualified for the study, its (5) population had to be 10% or more over the age of 65, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; and (6) have a livability score of 65 or above, sourced from AreaVibes. All data was collected on and up to date as of October 10, 2022.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 3 Best Places To Live in Arizona on Only a Social Security Check
