Queen Creek, AZ 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Overview 

Queen Creek is a small city located in Central Arizona. It’s year-round warm weather, local parks and trails, and continuing development make it an attractive destination for retirees. Residents can enjoy the charm of a quaint, tight-knit community with all the amenities of nearby Phoenix.

Climate & Geography 

A southeastern suburb of Phoenix, Queen Creek experiences a similar hot desert climate. Summers are long, very hot and dry, while winters are mild and pleasant. There is little rain, no snow, and about 300 days of sunshine a year. The southern tip of the city borders the San Tan Mountain Regional Park, and located just north is the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

As Phoenix has grown rapidly over the past few decades and more businesses and companies have moved there from California, the surrounding suburbs have experienced quick expansion and suburban sprawl. Much of Queen Creek is divided into subdivisions and individual neighborhoods.

Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment 

Queen Creek has many quaint, local amenities for retirees looking for a sense of community. Queen Creek Olive Mill and Schnepf Farms are two popular farm destinations for local produce, and are also part of the Arizona Fresh Foodie Trail. The Queen Creek Marketplace offers larger, brand-name shopping as well as local boutiques. Recently, the city has focused on revamping its Town Center, including facade improvements, increased pedestrian centers, and new businesses. 

Residents can also enjoy golfing at the Las Colinas Golf Club and traveling the 11 miles of multi-use trails along the Queen Creek and Sonoqui Washes.

Cost of Living & Taxes 

Queen Creek’s cost of living is higher than the national average, which is mainly caused by large costs for housing and transportation. Other indexes like groceries and utilities are below average, whereas health care matches the national average.

Arizona is moderately tax friendly for retirees. One big advantage is that Social Security is not taxed, but other forms of retirement income are fully taxed. Also, while property taxes are fairly low, Queen Creek’s 8.5 percent sales tax is much higher than average. Two major expenses, groceries and medication, are exempt from this sales tax.

Health Care

The Phoenix metro area scores well on Gallup’s Well-Being Index, ranking in the top 50 communities. Arizona as a whole also ranks highly, especially in the community index.

Although there are no hospitals in Queen Creek, there are several high performing hospitals nearby according to U.S. News. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is the closest, and is the No. 8 hospital in Arizona. Banner Baywood Medical Center, the No. 10 hospital in the state, and Banner Gateway Medical Center are both within 10 miles. In Mesa, there are two specialized hospitals: Banner Heart Hospital and Arizona Spine and Joint Hospital, both high performing in their specialties.