Rural Arizona vs rural California – living costs compared

Most families nowadays are choosing to live outside of the big city crowds. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. When you think about it – it’s only natural. Overpopulation, violence, fear of being alone on the street at night – are just why individuals choose rural environment over metropolitan life. Of course, this is a very pessimistic and non-objective way to look at big cities. Most of them are not that scary, and folks love the countryside regardless of it being opposed to urban settlements. So, let’s cut to the chase. What’s going on here? In the article below, we’ll try to pinpoint some differences between rural Arizona and rural California. It’s a rural Arizona vs rural California battle time. We’ll stay focused on the living costs, but we may hit some other areas also, so don’t expect only boring finance talk. Stay tuned.

The overall cost of living compared

Let’s get a glimpse of the big picture. First, is the overall cost of living much higher in one of these two states? Well, the answer is yes. The average cost of living in California is about 30% higher than in Arizona. Do you want some details? Housing is about 35% higher in California. On the other hand, rent prices are much lower in Arizona. So if you’re dreaming of a family, you might as well choose Arizona for your home. Why? Childcare is about 70% pricier in California. Also, you’ll pay more for groceries and transportation. To sum it all up – California is definitively more expensive. There’s no doubt about it. Both states have a big urban population, so don’t take this for granted. We’re soon about to see if anything changes when we move to the rural parts of both states.

Rural life in both California and Arizona

Let’s see what kind of community should a person expect if he or she was to move to rural areas of both states. One thing’s for sure – it’s a lot cheaper. Even California is somehow affordable. You can find a small house for about $30k. The larger ones go for about $150k. Compared to the other parts of the state, that’s pretty cheap. In addition, there’s practically no crime, local folks say. In Arizona, there’s a trend going on in the past year or so. The so-called baby boomers are leaving big cities faster than ever thanks to the covid19 pandemic, of course. Also, long-time residents of these little settlements are pretty proud of the fact they’ve grown up in rural Arizona. Rural Californians will tell you the same if you’d ask them. Both groups state that life outside the big city gates is much healthier. Who can disprove them?

Life in Modoc County, California

With 0,89 residents per square meter, Modoc County can surely be defined as rural. But, listen to this: the median price for a home in Modoc County is about %150k. Do you know the median price for a home in San Francisco? Take a wild guess. Anything below 1,3 million dollars would be modest. So, that’s about a nine to one ratio. Property crime rates are a bit higher than in rural Arizona but pretty tame when compared to the rest of California. If, by any chance, you end up moving to Modoc County, and if it happens that you need help, you can absolutely count on professional movers in the area. Californian moving crews have a pretty good reputation and are seen by many as the national moving champions. Modoc County residents enjoy an affordable, peaceful life. Joining them was never easier. If you’re a family-oriented person, this county might be just the place for you.

Tax rates

Rural California vs rural Arizona tax rates? The second contender is yet again the more affordable option. Although it wouldn’t be far from the truth if we were to say rural parts of California are somewhat close. In a certain sense, that is. The thing is: residents of the coastal part of Cali pay twice the state income tax. But, they’re not the topic of today’s article. Individual income tax in Cali is 9,3%, while Arizona’s individual income tax is 4,9%. State sale tax is lower in Arizona, and so is property tax. Even though rural Californians live less expensive than the coastal folks, they still don’t live as cheap as the people of rural Arizona. These numbers sometimes don’t make much of a difference to some. If you find yourself in that group and still find rural California attractive, which it undoubtedly is, then you should check out Mod Movers Monterey CA, Cali professional movers. They’ll make sure your relocation to rural California goes as smoothly as possible. Don’t think twice; it’s alright.

Conclusion to the debate

So, who wins in the famous match called “rural California vs rural Arizona”. Well, it depends. But it’s probably rural Arizona. The goal of this article was to compare the cost of living between those two. We’ve seen cheaper houses, lower state income taxes, and cheaper childcare. It should be enough to settle a score. Of course, both states have much in common. They both have amazing nature and a climate that sometimes isn’t so human-friendly. But people love it out there, as we can tell by some resident opinions. Arizona is cheap but not poor, and California’s got some pretty amazing moving crews. Now you know some cool info. What’s there else to say? Well, nothing. Hopefully, this article has helped you in one way or another. Thanks for reading. If you’re moving to either rural California or rural Arizona – we wish you the best of luck.