Thousands of Californians flocked to Arizona in 2017

Nearly 262,000 people moved to Arizona from other states last year according to numbers from the 2017 Census Bureau.

“Beautiful weather and a state that has so much to offer to people with differing tastes and hobbies, it is easy to see why Arizona is attracting people to move here and keeping them once they get here,” Mary Roberts, ABR, GRI, Arizona REALTORS® 2019 president-elect, said.

Of the more than 200,000 new Arizonans, roughly four percent of those came from the Golden State.

59,233 Californians moved to Arizona in 2017, according to the Census.

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) said that the drastic number of Californians flocking to the Grand Canyon State may be due to our business environment.

Arizona offers companies affordable operating costs, competitive tax structures, light regulations, economic momentum, and top talent.

“Arizona offers many competitive advantages over California, and the state remains a top target market for the ACA’s business attraction efforts,” according to an ACA representative. “Since Q3 of FY ‘16 to the present, 38 California-based companies have either expanded or relocated their operations into Arizona. This has resulted in the creation of 12,229 jobs in Arizona and a capital investment of just over $784 million.”

Following California, the states with the most migration to Arizona were Washington, with 14,392; Illinois, with 13,095; Colorado, with 12,810; Texas, with 12,793.

In fact, more people moved to Arizona than moved away. So, what makes a state with triple digit summers so desirable?

“Yes, it gets very hot in most of Arizona but in contrast that means that during the winter when people in the East and Midwest are hunkering down and buried by several inches and often feet of snow, Arizonans are enjoying beautiful sunny days where they can enjoy the outdoors – golf, bike-riding and even swimming,” Roberts said. “As the baby boomer generation ages, we are seeing more retirees buying second homes in Arizona so that they can enjoy the mild winters. Most winter visitors who rent usually only visit for the months of January, February and March.  When a winter visitor purchases a home, they typically visit for up to 5 months or more. This is good for the local economy as it brings more dollars into a community.”

“Arizona also offers an unmatched quality of life. The state boasts 300+ sunny days a year – the most in the country – four seasons, 22 national parks, 7 pro sports teams, and over 400 golf courses,” the ACA said.

The state also attracted people from foreign countries with 44,793 people moving here from abroad.

Check out an interview with Glenn Hamer and Jack Selby, managing director at Thiel Capital, where they talk about businesses moving from California to Arizona seeking a lighter regulatory touch, lower taxes and more.