What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In Prescott, Arizona?

Prescott, Arizona quite possibly has the most charming motto for any city in the United States. “Welcome to Everybody’s Hometown,” that’s the motto they proudly call their own. It’s hard not to be enamored with a city that welcomes you with open arms like that.

But is Prescott, Arizona a place that warrants serious consideration if you’re on the hunt for a new hometown? Would you enjoy the experience of living there?

You’ll love Prescott if you enjoy living in a place that has a resort-like feel to it. Prescott also features a more comfortable climate compared to other Arizona cities. Surprisingly though, flooding is an issue in the city and the cost of living expenses there can also pull you under.

Should you move to “Everybody’s Hometown”? Go through the information we’ve provided in this article so you can come up with an answer to that question.

Prescott, Arizona is generally a pretty laid back town. It’s the type of place where you can settle into just about any neighborhood and live a relaxed lifestyle. The distinctive type of atmosphere Prescott features is something many residents have grown to appreciate.

The city featuring a relaxed atmosphere does not mean that it lacks interesting recreational spots. Heading out into the surrounding wilderness is a popular pastime for Prescott residents. You can also find several spots throughout the city that are suitable for picnics or camping.

Going golfing is another option for the people of Prescott. There are four golf courses available in the city, although three of them are private. Make sure you reserve a course ahead of time if you’re planning to play on the weekend together with your friends.

Now, we’re not saying that Prescott’s general ambiance is for everyone. If you’re a younger resident, you may not like the lack of nightlife there. Prescott may also feel somewhat slow for those who have gotten used to big city living.

All that said, Prescott could be exactly what you’re looking for if you want to live in a relaxed environment. Some even head to Prescott for the purpose of enjoying their retirement.

Another notable perk of living in Prescott is the fact that you’re situated close to other major cities in the state. Head out of town on the weekend and pay a visit to those other cities if you so desire.

First off, you can head to the city of Flagstaff easily from Prescott. Check out the historic sites that Flagstaff hosts.

Continue heading northwest from Flagstaff for a while longer and you’ll be at the Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight and you must see it at least once. In all likelihood though, you’ll be paying multiple visits to the Grand Canyon given how close it is.

The drive to Flagstaff from Prescott will take about an hour and 40 minutes. Tack on about 10 minutes to that drive if you’re heading to the Grand Canyon. Driving to Phoenix from Prescott is also an option. Phoenix is home to a wide variety of natural attractions and it also serves as the state’s commercial hub.

Sports fans will love Phoenix. The city is home to MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks and the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Both the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury also call the city home.

Expect the drive to Phoenix from Prescott to be as long as your trip to Flagstaff. Traffic may be worse heading to Phoenix during the weekends though so be prepared for that.

If you’re moving to Arizona, you have to be ready to deal with high temperatures. Hot days are simply baked into the experience of living in the state. In some Arizona cities, temperatures reaching the triple digits is far from unusual.

What separates Prescott from those other cities in the state is that it features a relatively milder climate. July is typically the warmest month for Prescott. Even during that month though, temperatures rarely ever exceed 90 degrees.

The North American Monsoon helps keep temperatures at a relatively low level in Prescott. The monsoon brings problems of its own, but many residents still welcome the cool breezes it brings.

Living in a city that’s constantly getting scorched is not for everyone. That kind of environment can be very difficult to deal with. Those high temperatures may even be detrimental to the health of some individuals.

Prescott offers some relief from the hot Arizona sun. Take up residence there if you don’t want to constantly struggle with that infamous Arizona heat.

Prescott is known for being a kind of resort city or even a resort community. Even so, you shouldn’t overlook the economy the city possesses.

The unemployment rate in Prescott is just a shade under the national average of 6.0 percent. That’s a positive sign for Prescott. However, that’s not the main reason why you should pay attention to its economy.

What you really want to commit to memory is the expected job market growth rate for Prescott. Over the coming decade, the job market there is expected to expand by over 43 percent. Nationwide, the expected growth rate is at 34 percent. The job market in Prescott has a very rosy outlook at the moment. It also doesn’t seem like that outlook is changing anytime soon.

Now may be the best time to set up a business in Prescott. A golden opportunity awaits there and you probably don’t want to miss out on it.

You probably didn’t guess that flooding would be an issue brought up since we are talking about an Arizona city. Prescott is different in that regard.

Flash flooding is a well-known problem in the city. There are even certain areas in the city that are designated as high-risk flood zones. The same monsoon we were discussing earlier plays a role in Prescott having a flooding issue. The city gets most of its rainfall during monsoon season. Do note however that flash floods remain a possibility outside of the aforementioned monsoon season.

If you’re planning on moving to Prescott, you have to be conscious of the flooding risk before purchasing any property. Try to find properties that are not located in the high-risk flood areas.

It’s obviously possible that the home you have your heart set on is located in a flood-prone zone. In that case, you have to take certain precautious to mitigate the potential damage flooding can cause. Speak to a contractor regarding what improvements you can make to safeguard your home better against flooding.

Unfortunately, there’s a chance moving to Prescott will not be feasible for you no matter how much you like the idea. That’s because the cost of living expenses there are quite high.

Are you planning to buy a new home in the city? In that case, you may have to pay something close to $367,000. Even by Arizona standards, that’s pricey for a new home. You can understand why Prescott homes are that expensive. It’s a resort city/retirement community after all.

What’s doubly frustrating though is that you get no relief from the other cost of living expenses. They are well above average too so you cannot look to them for potential opportunities to save money.

It’s easy to argue that living in Prescott is worth those high expenses. Even if that’s the case though, taking on that lifestyle may not be an option for you at the moment.

Related Questions

What Are the Top Outdoor Attractions of Prescott?

After making the move to Prescott, there are two outdoor attractions you will want to visit sooner rather than later. Those are the Granite Dells and Prescott National Forest.Starting with the Granite Dells, that location features some unique rock formations. It’s not quite the Grand Canyon, but it’s still a beautiful place. Follow the trails there to get a closer look at nature’s carvings.Prescott National Forest is where you want to go if you want to see some of the wildlife in the area. It’s also a good spot for camping.

What Events Are Held in Prescott?

The city of Prescott plays host to a fair share of interesting events. There’s an annual Cinco de Mayo event that always turns into a big celebration. The long-running rodeo is also a popular Prescott attraction.Film and music festivals also take place in the city annually. Don’t forget to check them out if you want to immerse yourself further in the city’s culture.