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Well FL ranked about the same in this very poll, 27% say they would leave. And the reasons they would leave AZ are right in the article job opportunities and proximity to family lead the reason list, shocking news? Also AZ ranks pretty much in the middle of the pack, nothing really note worthy to see here.
You will have to be more specific on what you want to do, and where you want to live. I live in Miami Beach, and lived in California [so I've been to Arizona many times, I used to date a girl from Phoenix, and went several times there to spend with her family].
As far as cities go, Miami is far better than anything in Arizona. But it's also more expensive and with more problems.
Miami obviously has the beach, great nightlife, and warmer winter weather but maybe that's not your cup of tea. If you like hiking, skiing, and camping and dislike swimming, sun bathing, and water sports in general then I'd recommend Phoenix over Miami.
Glad you mentioned the hobbies because for me FL would never work, I'm on mountain trails 3-4 days a week, just like I imagine a surf bum would not want to live here. It's be beauty of every city being different, if they were all the same the world would be very boring.
Although I'm not a snowbird, I lived in Boca Raton, FL for 12 years and have been living in Scottsdale, AZ since mid-2012, and I'm only a few years younger than you (late 30's), so I'll give it my best shot.
Winters in the Phoenix area are mild, for sure, but not necessarily warm in the same respect as winters in South Florida. December 1st to March 1st is much cooler in Phoenix than South Florida, which, of course, is better for some and worse for others. If I was snowbird living in an area for the winter months only (i.e., December to March), then you wouldn't find me in Phoenix. OTOH, if I was to snowbird in a place from October to May, then that'd be a different story.
I will have you know that October, November, March, April, and May are much nicer weather-wise in Phoenix than South Florida. During these months, Phoenix is drier and sunnier than South Florida with cooler nights and much less volatile weather, up to and including hurricanes; tropical depressions; torrential downpours; electrical storms; tornadoes; and, to a lesser extent, hailstorms. In fact, Phoenix rarely gets any type of "weather" from early March 'til about late June/early July when monsoon season begins.
In South Florida, May, October, and November are "rainy season" months, meaning daily afternoon thunderstorms and torrential downpours, passing tropical depressions (i.e., days of overcast skies and moderate to heavy rain), and increased hurricane risk (excluding May, which is not considered hurricane season). Even December can be quite rainy and cloudy in South Florida. February through April is tornado season in all of Florida, although tornadoes in South Florida are usually less deadly than those in the Midwest and other parts of the South.
In Phoenix, the rainy season is called "monsoon season," and typically lasts for about 8-10 weeks in July, August, and the first half of September, with most of the precipitation for the year falling during this period. That's also when we're most prone to dust storms or "haboobs" and, by Arizona standards, high humidity. However, you wouldn't be in town during this time of the year, so this is irrelevant.
That said, Phoenix does have a winter rainy season, too, although like monsoon season, the occurrence of rain events is highly variable from year to year. For example, this past winter, we had only a handful of rain events, as it was an unusually dry winter. In fact, I don't think it rained at all during February. The previous winter, IIRC, was wetter and much colder. FWIW, last winter, it snowed in Tucson and in the higher elevations of the Phoenix valley, including outlying areas of Scottsdale, so it can snow in the desert areas of Arizona, albeit very rare.
The scenery of Phoenix--and Arizona in general, for that matter--blows that of Florida out of the water, especially if you prefer mountainous topography. If you tire of Sonoran Desert scenery and want cooler temperatures and trees/greenery in the summer, foliage in the fall, and/or snow and skiing/snowboarding in the winter, then you can head up to Sedona, Flagstaff, or any number of the smaller towns in the northern part of the state. Some of the of the most breathtaking natural scenery in the United States can be found in northern Arizona. The Everglades and the Gulf of Mexico coastline are nice--don't get me wrong--but there's nothing like the Grand Canyon in Florida. Also, the scenery in Florida doesn't really change all that much from one end of the state to the other--it's pretty flat and nondescript from Miami to Pensacola. As you travel north in Florida, you just get scrubbier-looking palm trees and more pine trees. To see any real change in topography, you have to travel to North Georgia at the very least--no, thanks.
Also, if you live in Florida, you're regional travel is pretty much relegated to other parts of the state. Unless boating, the beach, and the theme parks are your thing, then this could be a potential drawback. OTOH, Phoenix is in reasonable driving distance to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, which all make fantastic weekend trips. Miami is fun, but Tampa and Jacksonville are boring, and Orlando is really only fun if you're a child or a theme park junkie. If boating is your thing, we have plenty lakes plus the Colorado River nearby, although no saltwater boating obviously.
Regarding the age issue, Phoenix and in particular Scottsdale is a much better place for a snowbird in his or her early 40's, as this area is home to lots of professional singles in their 30's, 40's, and beyond. I've met some young retirees out here while out and about, although I don't think any as young as you. However, there are way more older young adults and younger middle-aged people here than in just about any city in Florida that I can think of. In most of the smaller coastal towns in Florida (e.g., Naples, Sarasota, Stuart, et al.), the crowd trends much older (i.e., 60's, 70's, & 80's). On a similar note, Scottsdale is more cosmopolitan and trendier than just about anywhere in Florida, and people out here tend to have more refined tastes, consistent with California.
Because Florida is as flat as a pancake with much more humid weather, it's a less conducive place to physical activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock-climbing, et al. IMO, the weather and topography of Arizona encourage outdoor activity and help make it a much more active, outdoors-oriented place overall. Besides the beach, the population of South Florida isn't very outdoorsy, LOL. The population of Arizona is generally more health-conscious, too--more organic and health food stores, more supporters of CSA, fewer smokers, fewer overweight/obese people, etc.
Aside from the differences in weather, scenery, and lifestyle, Arizona and Florida couldn't be more different in terms of people and culture, and I personally find Arizona to be an easier, more pleasant place to live than Florida, especially as a white male--no reverse racism or racial strife to really speak of, fewer angry minorities (and angry people in general), fewer thuggish types, and so forth. Overall, people of different racial backgrounds seem to coexist better in Arizona than Florida, which is home to plenty of transplants, although mostly working-class ethnic whites from highly-segregated cities in the Northeast and Midwest as well as many natives who harbor a lot of bitterness towards other races. There's also way less tolerance for ghetto behavior in Arizona, too. I understand that this is a delicate issue, but it's something that clearly differentiates Florida from most, if not all, of the Western states.
Florida is a Southern state, and although you'd be hard-pressed to find true Southern culture in most of the major population centers in the southern half of the state, there are still plenty of Southern undertones. Social circles in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, etc. are very segregated--blacks really only associate with other blacks, whites with other whites, etc. You still see lots of Confederate flags and flag decals/bumper stickers/license plates on vehicles, although mostly jacked-up pickup trucks. And every once in a blue moon, someone will call you or refer to you as "Yankee" if you're from "up North," albeit much less common than in other Southern states. Hard liquor isn't sold in grocery stores, and aside from Miami-Dade County (at least the last time I checked), liquor sales don't begin until 12:00pm on Sundays. Oh, yeah--no liberal marijuana laws, either.
If it matters, Arizona has none of those issues. Arizona has a West Coast vibe: very casual; polite (e.g., you will rarely hear a car horn here); open-minded; tolerant, even if not approving; and although people can seem aloof, they are usually pleasant if you talk first. No one cares what religion you are out here, and most people revere nature.
For the most part, people in Florida are angry; rude; arrogant; selfish; and, in many cases, just plain bizarre. Most of the time, people in Florida are just looking to "one-up" you: cut you in line, beat you to the stoplight, cut you off at the last possible second, drive a more expensive car than you, have a hotter wife/girlfriend, etc. Everyone in Florida seems to go out of their way to act shrewd, ghetto, redneck, or some other variant of "tough." Florida is also home to significantly more bizarre crime and goings-on than Arizona. Look up the "FloriDUH Blog" published in the Sun-Sentinel. If that isn't enough to scare you, then I don't know what in the world is! Also, I'll have you know that lots of people who move to Florida, especially in your age group, seem to be running from something (e.g., a criminal record, a history of drug use, a crazy ex, etc.). In broad terms, I would venture to say that Florida is, perhaps, home to the lowest quality of people in the nation.
On a final note, driving in Phoenix is much better than driving in South Florida, which is is a very scary experience in and of itself, as drivers down there are, perhaps, the most aggressive in the US after those in the NYC area, which is where many people in Florida originate--go figure. On a similar note, since many of the people living in Florida in general are from the Northeast, you hear a lot of whining, complaining, and "kvetching" down there. Also, if you don't wanna hear about how NYC is God's gift day-in and day-out, avoid the retirement communities in Florida.
I tried to touch on everything I could think of. If there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to message me. Best of luck in your decision.
kudos for this post, most excellent. I have to agree that if you're only talking Dec-Feb, south Florida is better than Scottsdale but if you go October to May, then Phoenix is better with sunnier drier less hurricane weather. The scenery and terrain of Arizona blows away Florida especially when you get into the mountains. Overall, I much prefer Zona.
Although I'm not a snowbird, I lived in Boca Raton, FL for 12 years and have been living in Scottsdale, AZ since mid-2012, and I'm only a few years younger than you (late 30's), so I'll give it my best shot.
Winters in the Phoenix area are mild, for sure, but not necessarily warm in the same respect as winters in South Florida. December 1st to March 1st is much cooler in Phoenix than South Florida, which, of course, is better for some and worse for others. If I was snowbird living in an area for the winter months only (i.e., December to March), then you wouldn't find me in Phoenix. OTOH, if I was to snowbird in a place from October to May, then that'd be a different story.
I will have you know that October, November, March, April, and May are much nicer weather-wise in Phoenix than South Florida. During these months, Phoenix is drier and sunnier than South Florida with cooler nights and much less volatile weather, up to and including hurricanes; tropical depressions; torrential downpours; electrical storms; tornadoes; and, to a lesser extent, hailstorms. In fact, Phoenix rarely gets any type of "weather" from early March 'til about late June/early July when monsoon season begins.
In South Florida, May, October, and November are "rainy season" months, meaning daily afternoon thunderstorms and torrential downpours, passing tropical depressions (i.e., days of overcast skies and moderate to heavy rain), and increased hurricane risk (excluding May, which is not considered hurricane season). Even December can be quite rainy and cloudy in South Florida. February through April is tornado season in all of Florida, although tornadoes in South Florida are usually less deadly than those in the Midwest and other parts of the South.
In Phoenix, the rainy season is called "monsoon season," and typically lasts for about 8-10 weeks in July, August, and the first half of September, with most of the precipitation for the year falling during this period. That's also when we're most prone to dust storms or "haboobs" and, by Arizona standards, high humidity. However, you wouldn't be in town during this time of the year, so this is irrelevant.
That said, Phoenix does have a winter rainy season, too, although like monsoon season, the occurrence of rain events is highly variable from year to year. For example, this past winter, we had only a handful of rain events, as it was an unusually dry winter. In fact, I don't think it rained at all during February. The previous winter, IIRC, was wetter and much colder. FWIW, last winter, it snowed in Tucson and in the higher elevations of the Phoenix valley, including outlying areas of Scottsdale, so it can snow in the desert areas of Arizona, albeit very rare.
The scenery of Phoenix--and Arizona in general, for that matter--blows that of Florida out of the water, especially if you prefer mountainous topography. If you tire of Sonoran Desert scenery and want cooler temperatures and trees/greenery in the summer, foliage in the fall, and/or snow and skiing/snowboarding in the winter, then you can head up to Sedona, Flagstaff, or any number of the smaller towns in the northern part of the state. Some of the of the most breathtaking natural scenery in the United States can be found in northern Arizona. The Everglades and the Gulf of Mexico coastline are nice--don't get me wrong--but there's nothing like the Grand Canyon in Florida. Also, the scenery in Florida doesn't really change all that much from one end of the state to the other--it's pretty flat and nondescript from Miami to Pensacola. As you travel north in Florida, you just get scrubbier-looking palm trees and more pine trees. To see any real change in topography, you have to travel to North Georgia at the very least--no, thanks.
Also, if you live in Florida, you're regional travel is pretty much relegated to other parts of the state. Unless boating, the beach, and the theme parks are your thing, then this could be a potential drawback. OTOH, Phoenix is in reasonable driving distance to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, which all make fantastic weekend trips. Miami is fun, but Tampa and Jacksonville are boring, and Orlando is really only fun if you're a child or a theme park junkie. If boating is your thing, we have plenty lakes plus the Colorado River nearby, although no saltwater boating obviously.
Regarding the age issue, Phoenix and in particular Scottsdale is a much better place for a snowbird in his or her early 40's, as this area is home to lots of professional singles in their 30's, 40's, and beyond. I've met some young retirees out here while out and about, although I don't think any as young as you. However, there are way more older young adults and younger middle-aged people here than in just about any city in Florida that I can think of. In most of the smaller coastal towns in Florida (e.g., Naples, Sarasota, Stuart, et al.), the crowd trends much older (i.e., 60's, 70's, & 80's). On a similar note, Scottsdale is more cosmopolitan and trendier than just about anywhere in Florida, and people out here tend to have more refined tastes, consistent with California.
Because Florida is as flat as a pancake with much more humid weather, it's a less conducive place to physical activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock-climbing, et al. IMO, the weather and topography of Arizona encourage outdoor activity and help make it a much more active, outdoors-oriented place overall. Besides the beach, the population of South Florida isn't very outdoorsy, LOL. The population of Arizona is generally more health-conscious, too--more organic and health food stores, more supporters of CSA, fewer smokers, fewer overweight/obese people, etc.
Aside from the differences in weather, scenery, and lifestyle, Arizona and Florida couldn't be more different in terms of people and culture, and I personally find Arizona to be an easier, more pleasant place to live than Florida, especially as a white male--no reverse racism or racial strife to really speak of, fewer angry minorities (and angry people in general), fewer thuggish types, and so forth. Overall, people of different racial backgrounds seem to coexist better in Arizona than Florida, which is home to plenty of transplants, although mostly working-class ethnic whites from highly-segregated cities in the Northeast and Midwest as well as many natives who harbor a lot of bitterness towards other races. There's also way less tolerance for ghetto behavior in Arizona, too. I understand that this is a delicate issue, but it's something that clearly differentiates Florida from most, if not all, of the Western states.
Florida is a Southern state, and although you'd be hard-pressed to find true Southern culture in most of the major population centers in the southern half of the state, there are still plenty of Southern undertones. Social circles in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, etc. are very segregated--blacks really only associate with other blacks, whites with other whites, etc. You still see lots of Confederate flags and flag decals/bumper stickers/license plates on vehicles, although mostly jacked-up pickup trucks. And every once in a blue moon, someone will call you or refer to you as "Yankee" if you're from "up North," albeit much less common than in other Southern states. Hard liquor isn't sold in grocery stores, and aside from Miami-Dade County (at least the last time I checked), liquor sales don't begin until 12:00pm on Sundays. Oh, yeah--no liberal marijuana laws, either.
If it matters, Arizona has none of those issues. Arizona has a West Coast vibe: very casual; polite (e.g., you will rarely hear a car horn here); open-minded; tolerant, even if not approving; and although people can seem aloof, they are usually pleasant if you talk first. No one cares what religion you are out here, and most people revere nature.
For the most part, people in Florida are angry; rude; arrogant; selfish; and, in many cases, just plain bizarre. Most of the time, people in Florida are just looking to "one-up" you: cut you in line, beat you to the stoplight, cut you off at the last possible second, drive a more expensive car than you, have a hotter wife/girlfriend, etc. Everyone in Florida seems to go out of their way to act shrewd, ghetto, redneck, or some other variant of "tough." Florida is also home to significantly more bizarre crime and goings-on than Arizona. Look up the "FloriDUH Blog" published in the Sun-Sentinel. If that isn't enough to scare you, then I don't know what in the world is! Also, I'll have you know that lots of people who move to Florida, especially in your age group, seem to be running from something (e.g., a criminal record, a history of drug use, a crazy ex, etc.). In broad terms, I would venture to say that Florida is, perhaps, home to the lowest quality of people in the nation.
On a final note, driving in Phoenix is much better than driving in South Florida, which is is a very scary experience in and of itself, as drivers down there are, perhaps, the most aggressive in the US after those in the NYC area, which is where many people in Florida originate--go figure. On a similar note, since many of the people living in Florida in general are from the Northeast, you hear a lot of whining, complaining, and "kvetching" down there. Also, if you don't wanna hear about how NYC is God's gift day-in and day-out, avoid the retirement communities in Florida.
I tried to touch on everything I could think of. If there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to message me. Best of luck in your decision.
I lived in Florida for over ten years. I lived a year in South FL (Ft. Lauderdale) and worked in Miami for 6 months. I also worked in Panama City. But most of my time was spent in Tallahassee. I have graduate degrees from both UF and FSU (lol). So I know Florida.
As for Arizona, I was born and raised here. I left FL three weeks ago and sold my house. I am very relieved. I got tired of the flat landscape and humidity. Culturally, I felt like a "fish-out-of-water" in Tallahassee and Panama City. There is also an age gap for Generation X - we don't fit in with the very young or the elderly in the area that tend to crowd us out. The cultural differences of the "Bible Belt" in the FL Panhandle are also extreme. North FL is very "southern" with "Bible Belt Protestants" and ultra-young marriages with high divorce rates (2nd only to Las Vegas). Many of the "hot" FSU girls rush into marriage and get divorced by their 30s. I witnessed this many times. It's a dilemma.
Tallahassee and the FL Panhandle are very hot and humid in the summer. There is plenty of rain all year round. North FL is usually much colder in the winter than South FL. I remember one day it was 35 degrees in Tallahassee. I drove down to Davie and the next day it was about 70 in the morning. This was a typical winter difference. By contrast, South FL is cooler in the summer. I took thermodynamics at UF with the engineers. I came to understand the thermal current of the ocean near Miami keeps the temperatures warm in the winter (relative to North FL) and cooler in the summer (relative to North FL).
Culturally, South FL is heavily Latin American. Spanish is a dominant language in Miami. There seems to be a pattern of "white flight" from Miami to Boca Raton and Palm Beach as Miami's population became more Latin. The annual FSU-Miami football game is like a clash of cultures (literally) with white southerners from North FL rooting against the "U" and its heavily Latin American cultural base of fans (e.g. Cubans). But I say "Go Gators".
Most of the state is flat. The part of FL I really like is Central FL. I ran the Disney Marathon and loved it. I almost moved to Orlando in March but unexpectedly got a new job in Phoenix (Scottsdale). So I moved home to AZ instead. I have HS classmates from Arizona who live near Orlando and love it. When I graduated from UF I celebrated on the Hulk Ride at Universal Orlando. It was awesome.
It's already hitting mid-90s in March here. It used to not be this way in Phoenix. I mean if I really wanted to snowbird for half the year I'd look for somewhere a bit cooler than Phoenix. Unless reaching high 90s in March and expecting to be here for another two months is your cup of tea. It's around April that it starts reaching triple digits. Triple digits is not for everyone.
The sun here in Arizona is not a game... even low 90s it can be rather intense.
At least in Florida, outside of our monsoon season, the clouds and rain give some relief. Shade is pretty much our biggest recovery for the heat, whenever it's found. Though the shade can easily provide a twenty-thirty degree difference in temp, or at least it feels that way after walking for two miles haha.
After living here all of my life I find that I have a love-hate relationship with this place that is mostly seasonal. Winters are getting shorter and warmer. Climate change affects Arizona significantly even more so than other areas of the country. Has to do with our large urban islands, carbon dioxide emissions, asphalt and naturally little grass or trees to cool things down as a whole. The more we expand the less natural "cooling" things (like grass in comparison to dirt and asphalt) we have. Downtown Phoenix can easily be four degrees warmer than the exurbs like Surprise or Queen Creek.
It's already hitting mid-90s in March here. It used to not be this way in Phoenix. I mean if I really wanted to snowbird for half the year I'd look for somewhere a bit cooler than Phoenix. Unless reaching high 90s in March and expecting to be here for another two months is your cup of tea. It's around April that it starts reaching triple digits. Triple digits is not for everyone.
The sun here in Arizona is not a game... even low 90s it can be rather intense.
At least in Florida, outside of our monsoon season, the clouds and rain give some relief. Shade is pretty much our biggest recovery for the heat, whenever it's found. Though the shade can easily provide a twenty-thirty degree difference in temp, or at least it feels that way after walking for two miles haha.
After living here all of my life I find that I have a love-hate relationship with this place that is mostly seasonal. Winters are getting shorter and warmer. Climate change affects Arizona significantly even more so than other areas of the country. Has to do with our large urban islands, carbon dioxide emissions, asphalt and naturally little grass or trees to cool things down as a whole. The more we expand the less natural "cooling" things (like grass in comparison to dirt and asphalt) we have. Downtown Phoenix can easily be four degrees warmer than the exurbs like Surprise or Queen Creek.
No more snowbirds please.
like we do every year, we had a stretch of warm weather in March (like 5 days able 90) and beginning today we're back below 90 for the foreseeable future including one day with projected high of 67? Chill on the heat drama, it's beautiful here right now.
Although I'm not a snowbird, I lived in Boca Raton, FL for 12 years and have been living in Scottsdale, AZ since mid-2012, and I'm only a few years younger than you (late 30's), so I'll give it my best shot.
Winters in the Phoenix area are mild, for sure, but not necessarily warm in the same respect as winters in South Florida. December 1st to March 1st is much cooler in Phoenix than South Florida, which, of course, is better for some and worse for others. If I was snowbird living in an area for the winter months only (i.e., December to March), then you wouldn't find me in Phoenix. OTOH, if I was to snowbird in a place from October to May, then that'd be a different story.
I will have you know that October, November, March, April, and May are much nicer weather-wise in Phoenix than South Florida. During these months, Phoenix is drier and sunnier than South Florida with cooler nights and much less volatile weather, up to and including hurricanes; tropical depressions; torrential downpours; electrical storms; tornadoes; and, to a lesser extent, hailstorms. In fact, Phoenix rarely gets any type of "weather" from early March 'til about late June/early July when monsoon season begins.
In South Florida, May, October, and November are "rainy season" months, meaning daily afternoon thunderstorms and torrential downpours, passing tropical depressions (i.e., days of overcast skies and moderate to heavy rain), and increased hurricane risk (excluding May, which is not considered hurricane season). Even December can be quite rainy and cloudy in South Florida. February through April is tornado season in all of Florida, although tornadoes in South Florida are usually less deadly than those in the Midwest and other parts of the South.
In Phoenix, the rainy season is called "monsoon season," and typically lasts for about 8-10 weeks in July, August, and the first half of September, with most of the precipitation for the year falling during this period. That's also when we're most prone to dust storms or "haboobs" and, by Arizona standards, high humidity. However, you wouldn't be in town during this time of the year, so this is irrelevant.
That said, Phoenix does have a winter rainy season, too, although like monsoon season, the occurrence of rain events is highly variable from year to year. For example, this past winter, we had only a handful of rain events, as it was an unusually dry winter. In fact, I don't think it rained at all during February. The previous winter, IIRC, was wetter and much colder. FWIW, last winter, it snowed in Tucson and in the higher elevations of the Phoenix valley, including outlying areas of Scottsdale, so it can snow in the desert areas of Arizona, albeit very rare.
The scenery of Phoenix--and Arizona in general, for that matter--blows that of Florida out of the water, especially if you prefer mountainous topography. If you tire of Sonoran Desert scenery and want cooler temperatures and trees/greenery in the summer, foliage in the fall, and/or snow and skiing/snowboarding in the winter, then you can head up to Sedona, Flagstaff, or any number of the smaller towns in the northern part of the state. Some of the of the most breathtaking natural scenery in the United States can be found in northern Arizona. The Everglades and the Gulf of Mexico coastline are nice--don't get me wrong--but there's nothing like the Grand Canyon in Florida. Also, the scenery in Florida doesn't really change all that much from one end of the state to the other--it's pretty flat and nondescript from Miami to Pensacola. As you travel north in Florida, you just get scrubbier-looking palm trees and more pine trees. To see any real change in topography, you have to travel to North Georgia at the very least--no, thanks.
Also, if you live in Florida, you're regional travel is pretty much relegated to other parts of the state. Unless boating, the beach, and the theme parks are your thing, then this could be a potential drawback. OTOH, Phoenix is in reasonable driving distance to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, which all make fantastic weekend trips. Miami is fun, but Tampa and Jacksonville are boring, and Orlando is really only fun if you're a child or a theme park junkie. If boating is your thing, we have plenty lakes plus the Colorado River nearby, although no saltwater boating obviously.
Regarding the age issue, Phoenix and in particular Scottsdale is a much better place for a snowbird in his or her early 40's, as this area is home to lots of professional singles in their 30's, 40's, and beyond. I've met some young retirees out here while out and about, although I don't think any as young as you. However, there are way more older young adults and younger middle-aged people here than in just about any city in Florida that I can think of. In most of the smaller coastal towns in Florida (e.g., Naples, Sarasota, Stuart, et al.), the crowd trends much older (i.e., 60's, 70's, & 80's). On a similar note, Scottsdale is more cosmopolitan and trendier than just about anywhere in Florida, and people out here tend to have more refined tastes, consistent with California.
Because Florida is as flat as a pancake with much more humid weather, it's a less conducive place to physical activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock-climbing, et al. IMO, the weather and topography of Arizona encourage outdoor activity and help make it a much more active, outdoors-oriented place overall. Besides the beach, the population of South Florida isn't very outdoorsy, LOL. The population of Arizona is generally more health-conscious, too--more organic and health food stores, more supporters of CSA, fewer smokers, fewer overweight/obese people, etc.
Aside from the differences in weather, scenery, and lifestyle, Arizona and Florida couldn't be more different in terms of people and culture, and I personally find Arizona to be an easier, more pleasant place to live than Florida, especially as a white male--no reverse racism or racial strife to really speak of, fewer angry minorities (and angry people in general), fewer thuggish types, and so forth. Overall, people of different racial backgrounds seem to coexist better in Arizona than Florida, which is home to plenty of transplants, although mostly working-class ethnic whites from highly-segregated cities in the Northeast and Midwest as well as many natives who harbor a lot of bitterness towards other races. There's also way less tolerance for ghetto behavior in Arizona, too. I understand that this is a delicate issue, but it's something that clearly differentiates Florida from most, if not all, of the Western states.
Florida is a Southern state, and although you'd be hard-pressed to find true Southern culture in most of the major population centers in the southern half of the state, there are still plenty of Southern undertones. Social circles in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, etc. are very segregated--blacks really only associate with other blacks, whites with other whites, etc. You still see lots of Confederate flags and flag decals/bumper stickers/license plates on vehicles, although mostly jacked-up pickup trucks. And every once in a blue moon, someone will call you or refer to you as "Yankee" if you're from "up North," albeit much less common than in other Southern states. Hard liquor isn't sold in grocery stores, and aside from Miami-Dade County (at least the last time I checked), liquor sales don't begin until 12:00pm on Sundays. Oh, yeah--no liberal marijuana laws, either.
If it matters, Arizona has none of those issues. Arizona has a West Coast vibe: very casual; polite (e.g., you will rarely hear a car horn here); open-minded; tolerant, even if not approving; and although people can seem aloof, they are usually pleasant if you talk first. No one cares what religion you are out here, and most people revere nature.
For the most part, people in Florida are angry; rude; arrogant; selfish; and, in many cases, just plain bizarre. Most of the time, people in Florida are just looking to "one-up" you: cut you in line, beat you to the stoplight, cut you off at the last possible second, drive a more expensive car than you, have a hotter wife/girlfriend, etc. Everyone in Florida seems to go out of their way to act shrewd, ghetto, redneck, or some other variant of "tough." Florida is also home to significantly more bizarre crime and goings-on than Arizona. Look up the "FloriDUH Blog" published in the Sun-Sentinel. If that isn't enough to scare you, then I don't know what in the world is! Also, I'll have you know that lots of people who move to Florida, especially in your age group, seem to be running from something (e.g., a criminal record, a history of drug use, a crazy ex, etc.). In broad terms, I would venture to say that Florida is, perhaps, home to the lowest quality of people in the nation.
On a final note, driving in Phoenix is much better than driving in South Florida, which is is a very scary experience in and of itself, as drivers down there are, perhaps, the most aggressive in the US after those in the NYC area, which is where many people in Florida originate--go figure. On a similar note, since many of the people living in Florida in general are from the Northeast, you hear a lot of whining, complaining, and "kvetching" down there. Also, if you don't wanna hear about how NYC is God's gift day-in and day-out, avoid the retirement communities in Florida.
I tried to touch on everything I could think of. If there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to message me. Best of luck in your decision.
A lot of people are commenting on year around living in AZ vs. FL. Snowbirds are talking about comparing mid Oct- mid May (or even Nov- April) in both places. So the summer in either place doesn't matter to the snowbird.
Some observations from some visits I have done since the original post a few years ago.
No question AZ has more beauty with the mountains, Flag, Sedona, long distance vistas, all that stuff. But the intense dryness of the air (and how your skin always feels so dry), brownness, lack of natural bodies of water, endless intense sun, and the starkness of the desert landscape can get to you. I like the desert for a few days like most people, but looking at just sand and cactus with little green can get to some people. And if you were a Nov-April snowbird you would likely be in the Phoenix//Scotts area because it is the warmest those months, not up north in the prettier areas north. Phoenix/Scotts is also a really, really giant sprawl - just getting from end to end of the Phoenix sprawl from north to south or east to can now take like a hour+ sometimes right? When I drove it you have no idea you are going from town to town or area to area as it all looks they same and it can have this soulless feel. Of course much of FL can have this same soullessness feel.
But there are still certainly still positives about the Phx/Scotts area in terms of stuff to do, scenery, clear skies, nice road trips up to scenic points north.
Of all of FL I would probably choose somewhere in Pinellas, maybe St. Pete, Dunedin, Safety Harbor. I would never go near Miami, not my cup of tea at all. In fact I don't like any of SE FL. They ruined the coast with endless high rise condos on the beach so you can't see it, traffic is ferocious, and very materialist shallow culture. You could not pay me to live in SE FL. One nice thing about FL is if you wanted to do a winter cruise would not have to jump on a plane to get to the cruise port.
I thought the beach areas from St. Augustine up to Amelia Island actually had some charm. They have some nice protected stretches of coast up there and some decent beach towns. But it gets colder up that way in winter so not as great for a snowbird.
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