Arizona vs South Carolina for relocation (Phoenix, Tucson: low crime, new home, school district)

[hbzuk]

My husband and I are looking into relocating to follow new career paths. We currently live in the Philadelphia, PA suburbs and have came to the decision that we need to live somewhere that has nice weather all year round. We're considering Arizona or South Carolina, both have career opportunities for us and great attractions. We have traveled to both states but we're not too familiar with specific towns to look into that best fits our needs.

We have a small hobby farm of 2 goats, 4 chickens and a big garden that we would like to continue in our new home - so somewhere rural and secluded but yet not too far from a few stores would be nice. My husband enjoys hunting and fishing so having access to that is important to him. We both enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking and doing pretty much anything outdoors - we also love the beach but figured we'd consider Arizona if we were close to a nice lake. We do not have children but would like to be in a decent school district for the future. Low crime rate is also important to us!

Can anyone give me their opinion on which state they would think best fits our interests? If anyone is familiar with specifics please let us know of specific regions/towns to look into!

I know AZ and SC are VERY different - but we think we would be happy in either location but then again we're looking at it from a perspective of visitors right now so we're hoping for some helpful opinions from people with personal experience in either state.

Thanks!!

[Hschlick84]

I would suggest Chino Valley and Prescott Valley in Yavapai county. Chino Valley especially has a more rural, high country type of living that would meet your needs for your animals. There's quite a lot of acreage homes where you can own horses.. Also, it has 4 seasons, summer isn't as extreme compared to Phoenix, Yuma and Tucson.

Living in Prescott Valley, you're close to the mountains towards the west, plenty of hiking trails, mountain biking, some lakes for kayaking and outdoor activities. There is plenty of shopping, from Fry's grocery, Sprouts, Safeway and Target. We also have a shopping mall, those areas will meet all your needs. If you want to go to the Grand Canyon, is roughly a 2 hour drive, Flagstaff is about an hour and a half drive to the northeast, Williams is an hour drive north.

[mrshowtime3]

SC doesnt have nice weather year round. And if you live anywhere on the east coast you already know what most of the east coast looks like. Much more variety out west.