These Arizona cities were named top places to live in 2025. Did yours make the list?

Arizonans know the Grand Canyon State is a great place to live.

New national lists from reputable groups like U.S. News and World Report and WalletHub tend to agree, too. Nearly two dozen Arizona cities and towns were honored as top places to live so far in 2025.

Arizona has seen significant growth in recent years, with many new residents looking for a great place to settle down. Census data showed that Phoenix grew the most out of all cities in Arizona in 2024, followed by Queen Creek, Goodyear, Maricopa and Buckeye.

A morning haze makes it difficult to see the skyline of buildings in downtown Tempe, Arizona on July 1, 2025.

From metro Phoenix to Greenlee County, here's what to know about all the cities and towns ranked as great places to live in or retire to in 2025.

5 Arizona cities among most enviable places to live

The New Jersey Real Estate Network surveyed more than 3,000 people to locate the 170 most envied places to live in the U.S. Cities, suburbs, and neighborhoods from all 50 states made the list.

Five Arizona places, including some of the richest cities in the state, made the list: Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Oro Valley and Ahwatukee Foothills.

3 Arizona cities ranked among best places to live

Several Arizona cities cracked the top 100 in a national ranking of the best places to live, mostly standing out for their strong job markets and safety ratings.

U.S. News and World Report's annual list of the best places to live in the U.S. for 2025-2026 evaluated 250 cities across the country. Only three Arizona areas made it to the top half of the ranking of more than 250 places: Queen Creek at No. 93, Gilbert at No. 94 and Marana at No. 115.

3 Arizona cities named among most up-and-coming places

HGTV put out a list of fast-growing small cities in America, perfect for those yearning for a change of pace. The network used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Milken Institute, a "nonpartisan think tank," to establish its rankings.

Three suburban cities outside of Phoenix were considered up-and-coming by HGTV: Queen Creek, Buckeye and Goodyear.

This county was named the best to live in Arizona

The list evaluated Arizona’s 15 counties based on nearly a dozen factors, including public school ratings, cost of living, job opportunities and access to amenities. 

Greenlee County not only took the No. 1 spot overall, but it also ranked as the best county for families and the best county to buy a home in Arizona.

Tempe is a top US city to move to in 2025

According to study analysts, Tempe's strong job market, vibrant lifestyle and safety also make it an attractive suburb for movers. The city's tech, education and health care industries contribute to its strong economic growth, while its urban-style amenities, safe streets and strong biking culture give Tempe a city feel within a suburban setting, analysts said.

2 Arizona cities named among top 100 cities to live in

Two Arizona cities were named among the top 100 places to live in the United States, according to a newly released study.

Each year, Livability.com publishes its list of top 100 U.S. cities. The study focuses on small- to medium-sized cities as it's a "sweet spot in size for getting plugged in, finding your people and feeling at home fast." Livability also pays extra attention to affordability, only scoring cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less.

Gilbert was the highest-ranked Arizona city. Though the list isn't ranked, it had the 11th highest score overall and the fourth highest in the Southwest. Livability touted the "booming economy, fabulous health care facilities" and cost of living as top reasons to live in Gilbert.

Tempe was the only other Arizona city on Livability's list, though it did have a lower score and landed further down on the list. Livability touted the large number and high quality of amenities in Tempe, in addition to its economy and health status.

9 small towns were named the best places to live in Arizona

World Atlas, a geography website, has named the nine best places to live in Arizona outside of metro Phoenix, highlighting some under-the-radar small towns where nature is just a few steps away and the cost of living is lower.

The towns on the list included:

• Florence
• Green Valley
• Sahuarita
• San Luis
• Sierra Vista
• Snowflake
• Somerton
• Thatcher
• Vail

Scottsdale named best city to raise a family

Scottsdale was named the best city in the nation to raise a family in a new study by home improvement brand and television show "This Old House."

Scottsdale took the top spot for families in the study, primarily because of its education options and community environment. Three more Arizona cities — Gilbert, Chandler and Tempe — also fell into the top 15 cities on the list.

Arizona ranked 30th best state to live in

Arizona may not be the best state to live in, but it's still not the worst, according to the newest best states ranking from U.S. News and World Report.

Arizona came in near the middle of the pack at No. 30, which is up two spots from last year. Though Arizona received higher rankings in the economy, health care and infrastructure categories, it wasn't enough to outweigh lower rankings on crime, environment, education and more.

Arizona cities named best for retirees

Arizona isn't just a top place to raise a family; it's also been named among the best places for retirees.

• Tucson ranked among cheapest U.S. cities for retirement: GOBankingRates ranked Tucson as the 16th most affordable place to retire in the United States.
• 2 Arizona cities were named top spots to retire in the West: Parker and Lake Havasu City made Travel + Leisure magazine's 2025 list of best cities to retire in.
• 2 Arizona cities named among best places to retire: U.S. News & World Report has published its annual ranking of the 150 best places to retire in the United States at the end of 2024. Only two Arizona cities were large enough to make the list — Phoenix and Tucson.

Other notable Arizona rankings from 2025

Arizona cities also received kudos for other things that definitely add to their appeal for residents:

• Scottsdale named happiest Arizona city: Scottsdale ranked No. 8 overall in the WalletHub ranking. Gilbert and Chandler also made it to the top 50, and another six Arizona cities were scattered across the rest of the list.
• Arizona cities named among most boring in U.S.: A study conducted by financial publication FinanceBuzz ranked Phoenix among the top 10 most boring cities in the country. Tucson came in at No. 17.
• Sedona takes title of quirkiest place in Arizona: World Atlas named historic mining community Bisbee the quirkiest town in Arizona, taking the title largely for its history, retro vibe and unusual events.
• Flagstaff is among the most underrated travel spots: Flagstaff was named among the most underrated vacation destinations in the country, according to a ranking by U.S. News & World Report. It was highlighted for its natural attractions, culture and scenery.
• Metro Phoenix cities among the best run: Mesa was named the 11th best-run cities in the nation, by a WalletHub study. Phoenix came in at No. 39 and Tucson at No. 57.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: These Arizona cities were named top places to live in 2025. Did yours make the list?