Moving to Tucson from Seattle

The Pacific Northwest sends Tucson a steady stream of the sun-deprived. Alaska Airlines flies it nonstop in about 3½ hours — close enough for a scouting weekend, far enough to change your weather entirely.

The trade you're making

Seattle's median home price runs more than double Tucson's ~$370K. In exchange for the rain you give up, you accept one honest cost: Washington has no state income tax and Arizona's is a flat 2.5% — price it in. Property taxes land in a similar band, and everyday costs drop with the housing.

What surprises Northwesterners

The light. Not just more sun — a different quality of it; February in Tucson rewires people. The dryness is real. Humidifiers, lotion, and a water bottle become furniture. Green is a choice here. Desert landscaping is the norm; if you need lawn, you'll pay the water bill for the privilege. Summer inverts your year. Seattle summers are the reward for gray winters; Tucson flips it — winter is the reward, summer is the season you schedule around or escape to Mt. Lemmon.

Where PNW movers land

Remote tech workers spread across the Foothills, Oro Valley, and central Tucson's historic pockets (Sam Hughes has a distinctly Portland-adjacent feel). Retirees follow the snowbird trail first. Everyone argues about the coffee for six months, then stops.