Embraced by mountain ranges topped by desert skies, Tucson, Arizona’s scenery is a winner. The Spanish founded the 266.7 square-mile city as a military fort in 1775. Today, its distinct neighborhoods lie on what is mainly a grid pattern. Many residents – whose median age is 34 (2022) – work in arts, tourism, manufacturing, technology, and aerospace/defense.

Scottsdale, Arizona, is nestled in the Sonoran Desert, at the foot of the McDowell Mountains. Settled in 1888, the 184.4 square-mile city today draws new residents daily, thanks to its beauty and strong economy. Its median age is 47.7 (2022), with the technology, healthcare, hospitality, and advanced business services industries fuelling its economy.

Young families and outdoor adventure-seekers need look no further than Mesa, Arizona, as a place to call home. The 139.4 square-mile southeastern suburb of Phoenix was settled in 1878. Today, most of its residents work in technology, healthcare, education, tourism, and aerospace/defense. The median age is 36.2 (2022).

Phoenix, Arizona’s largest city, is the hub of the large, multi-city Valley of the Sun metropolitan area. It’s renowned for its year-round sunshine and warm weather. The now-519.2 square-mile area was settled in 1867 near the confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers. Other than the mountains in and around the city, Phoenix is generally flat, with main streets running on a grid. Its median age is 33.9 (2022). Aerospace, electronics, and semi-conductor manufacturing are the main drivers of its economy.