The area that is now known as Sun City was formerly a cotton farm about 35 minutes northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. The Del Webb Corporation bought the land in the late 1950's and began the master plan for future development of the area.

Sun City became a reality on January 1, 1960 when the Del Webb Development Company opened a shopping center, motel, golf course, recreation center and 5 model homes.

Since it was planned to be a retirement community, at least one member of each household had to be fifty-five years of age and no permanent resident could be under nineteen years of age.

Since then, Sun City has continued to grow and evolve into one of the most accepted adult communities of its kind in the entire world.

Sun City is now home to over 45,000 people, eleven golf courses, seven shopping centers and seven recreation centers. Each center has its own Olympic-size swimming pool. You can also enjoy bowling, billiards, tennis, handball, racquetball, shuffleboard, boccie, miniature golf, a fitness gym, slowpitch softball and horseshoes. In addition, there is the Sundial Auditorium where round, square and ballroom dancing takes place every week, along with bingo and other weekly activities. There are arts & crafts rooms for ceramics, stained glass, sivercraft, photography, sewing, woodworking, painting and weaving as well as two libraries and a picnic area. There are also many recreational, social and craft clubs that relate to a particular hobby, vocation or special field of interest. The residents can use all of the above facilities for any annual cost no matter where you live in the community. For a current fee schedule, please click on Recreation Centers of Sun City.

Sun Citizens have all the facilities needed to enjoy retirement living. They discover new interests, make new friends, think new thoughts and discover talents they never realized they had when they enter the Sun City environment.

All residents live within bicycle, golf cart, or walking distance of these facilities designed to satisfy every daily need or desire.

The city is a self-contained community with abundant opportunity and facilities for continued education, volunteer work, enjoyment of crafts, sports, exercise, hobbies and recreation of all sorts. This creates interested, active and involved citizens.

Sun City has more than 350 civic, service, church, charitable and cultural groups. Known as the "City of Volunteers," residents are active in Habitat for Humanity, assistant teaching in nearby communities, hospitals, "meals on wheels," and many additional volunteer activities.

It's ideal, with approximately 312 clear, sunny days each year. It only rains about 7 1/2 inches per year. Yes, it does get hot in the summer, but with low humidity-perhaps ten or twenty percent-it's quite tolerable. Besides, everything is air-conditioned. Many retired residents leave in the summer to visit more moderate climates up north. Numerous towns and ski resorts avidly seek out Sun City residents with attractive summer rates and specially scheduled activities. Some residents hop in their RVs and head back to their old stomping grounds to see friends and relatives or they explore new and exciting places now that they have the time to travel. Howeve, most of us stay right here all summer long. Many residents play golf 12 months of the year.

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.

The Sundome Center for the Performing Arts in Sun City West seats 7,000 - and is the world's largest single-level theater. The Symphony of the West Valley's 85-piece Orchestra plays nine concerts per year, all of which are in the Sundome, and is considered to be the world's only symphony orchestra located in an over 55 community. The Sundome hosts numerous professional shows and plays, having featured such stars as Wayne Newton, Victor Borge, Barbara Mandrell, Waylon Jennings, Roger Whittaker, Dolly Parton, Tom Jones and many, many others.

Sun City also has a 7,000 seat Sunbowl Amphitheater for outdoor shows and events. The Sun Cities' Art Museum is located between Sun City and Sun City West.

The Sun City Concert Band's annual schedule consists of about twelve formal appearances at various locations. The band is a charter club open to area members. They play a wide variety of music.

In addition to the seven recreation centers, residents enjoy eleven golf courses. Three of these, Sun City, Palmbrook and Union Hills, are private country clubs. The other eight feature five full-length regulation courses, namely the North and South courses, Willowcreek, Riverview and The Lakes West course. Two are executive-length courses, Lakes East and Willowbrook, and the last course is Quailrun, a nine-hole course. All three country clubs offer excellent food with elegant dining rooms and the normal array of other club activities and functions.

For a current fee schedule, please click on Recreation Centers of Sun City.

Prices start from around $45,000 on the smaller condominiums. House prices begin at approximately $55,000 and continue up to over $225,000. Living areas start at around 800 suare feet for a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment-style unit, and run up to 2,300 square feet with a few homes at 3,000 plus square feet.

Many homes are built on golf course lots which give the owners open views of the course and the fairways. There are two man-made lakes in Sun City which are surrounded by homes and duplex units offering the owners excellent views across the lake. Both lakes are stocked with fish and allow fishing and small boats. Pontoon boats are very popular on the lakes.

The Walter O. Boswell Memorial Hospital, a 351-bed facility, is located in Sun City. The Del Webb Memorial Hospital, a 208-bed facility, is located in Sun City West. Both hospitals feature some of the latest state-of-the-art equipment. Within these two communities, there are also many medical clinics, private practices, and nursing and rehabilitation centers. The Mayo Clinic of Arizona is approximately 40 miles east of Sun City in Scottsdale and the Mayo Arrowhead Primary Care Center in Glendale is approximately 5 miles northeast of Sun City. There are many medical and dental facilities available to the Sun Cities' residents without leaving the community.

The Sun City Posse has approximately 200 volunteers and is part of the nations's largest active posse. Sun City has one of the lowest crime rates of any community its size in the United States, perhaps the World!

There are three fully equipped fire stations and fire fighting units centrally located in Sun City. There are 60 full-time firefighters on duty 24 hours per day. The Sun City Fire Department features three first line engine companies and one ladder company. There are 36 certified paramedics with two serving on each fire engine and ladder truck. The Sun City Fire Department is a member of Valleywide Mutual Aide, wherein the nearest engine is always sent to the scene when they are needed in nearby communities. There are three ambulances dedicated to Sun City with two emergency medical technicians on each ambulance. The Sun City Fire Department also serves Youngtown. The Sun City Fire Department has established a fire prevention bureau staffed by ten Sun City residents with previous experience in inspection and fire prevention to serve the community.

In Sun City, property taxes on most homes run from approximately $320 to $1,300 per year. Prices of many of these homes range from $70,000 to $350,000 and higher. Real estate taxes on these more expensive homes would range from approximately $350 to $1,900 per year. The sales tax in Sun City is currently 6.3% and in Phoenix it's 8.1%. There is no sales tax on food in Sun City.

Trips to the Grand Canyon, Laughlin, or Las Vegas, Nevada head the list. How about heading south of the border to Nogales or Rocky Point, Mexico? Replay the saga of the O.K. Corral in Tombstone-or cross the London Bridge at Lake Havasu. Take a week off and float the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon-or relax on a houseboat on Lake Powell. Skiing is just hours away in the winter at Flagstaff. A target-shooting range lies just to the north. Lake Pleasant is terrific for sail boating, fishing, waterskiing, camping or picnicking. Hiking and camping areas abound with desert or mountain sites within easy reach. We also have the Fiesta Bowl, NBA Phoenix Suns, NFL Arizona Cardinals, NHL Phoenix Coyotes, Major League Baseball's 2001 World Series Champs-the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the WNBA Phoenix Mercury. Major League Baseball's Spring Training facilites feature the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, 15 mintues away, and of course the Chicago Cubs are in Mesa. Many other National and American League teams have their Spring Training in nearby communities here in Arizona. There are other semipro and minor Cactus League teams for winter baseball.

Sky Harbor International Airport is 50 minutes away. Taking off on a trip? Never worry. Several shuttle services provide transportation to and from the airpoort at a reasonable cost. Our area is suburban, but not in the "boonies." It is only about 45 minutes to downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale, Arizona. Within the Sun City area we have SCAT (Sun City Area Transit), for those who don't drive. SCAT provides inexpensive door-to-door service to anywhere in the area for appointments, shopping, etc. Another mode of transportation in Sun City is the golf cart. The golf cart is used for shopping and various errands, as well as for golf. Bicycles are also a common sight; both two and three-wheelers.

These are actual living expenses for 2000, both monthly and yearly, on one of our most popular two-bedroom, two-bath homes in Sun City. This home is called the Annapolis model. The living space is 1,588 square feet.

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(1.) Taxes cover real property tax, school taxes, etc. There are no extra special assessments.

(2.) Insurance is complete homeowner's coverage.

(3.) This is typical for water & sewer. Sewer is a fixed monthly charge.

(4.) Trash collection is twice weekly and the service is excellent.

(5.) The recreation fee covers the use of swimming pools, shuffleboard, tennis, mini-golf, all craft rooms, etc.

(6.) Electricity is an actual charge and covers heating, cooling (air conditioning), hot water, cooking, etc.

(7.) Qwest provides our local telephone service. This rate provides local calls all across the Phoenix metropolitan area, excluding taxes, without additional charges. Long distance calls would be extra.

(8.) Cable television is available at a basic cost of $37.95 per month for 32 channels.

(9.) The above example is an all-electric home, featuring an electric heat pump. Some of the older homes have gas heat and gas hot water, which are even a little more economical to operate.

(10.) The sales tax is currently 6.3% on most purchases. There is no tax on food.

Sun City Grand located across Grand Avenue from Sun City West, is within minutes of 80 local businesses, including stores, restaurants and the Sundome Center for the Performing Arts. Sun City Grand residents are just a few miles from the nearest health care facilities, including Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital and Walter O. Boswell Memorial Hospital.

The 5,000-acre community in Surprise currently has 7,000 homes and is projected to contain 9,800 homes. It currently has 4 Golf Courses, recreation villages, outdoor pools, Olympic size indoor pool, spa, fitness centers, indoor walking track, tennis courts, bocce court, artisans village and a computer lab.

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.

The area that is now known as Sun City West was formerly a working cattle ranch 45 minutes northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. The Del Webb Corporation bought the land in 1971 and began the master plan for future development of the area. Sun City West is two and one half miles west of Sun City. The first Sun City West homes were built in the summer of 1978 and the first residents moved into their new homes in October of 1978. Since then, Sun City West has continued to grow and evolve into one of the foremost communities of its kind in the whole world.

Sun City West is home to approximately 30,000 people and four recreation centers. Each center has its own Olympic-size swimming pool. You can also enjoy bowling, billiards, tennis, handball, racquetball, shuffleboard, boccie, miniature golf, a fitness gym, running track, slow-pitch softball and horseshoes. In addition, there are video games and a 1,200 seat social hall where round, square and ballroom dancing take place every week, along with bingo and other weekly activites. There are arts & crafts rooms for ceramics, stained glass, silvercraft, photography, sewing, woodworking, painting and weaving as well as a 300 seat theater, a library, picnic area and a playground for chilren. There are also many recreational, social and craft clubs that relate to a particular hobby, vocation or special field of interest. An annual recreation fee per person covers the use of these facilities and no matter where you live in the community, you are permitted to use all of the facilities. For a current fee schedule, please click on Recreation Centers of Sun City West.

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.

The Sundome Center for the Performing Arts seats 7,000 and is the world's largest single-level theater. The Symphony of the West Valley's 85-piece Orchestra plays nine concerts per year, all of which are at the Sundome Center. The Sundome hosts numerous professional shows and plays, featuring such stars as Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, Mark Russell, Captain & Tenille, Roger Whittaker, Geogory Hines, Engelbert Humperdink and many, many others. The Sun Cities have their own Art Museum, which sits conveniently between the two Sun Cities.

In addition to the recreation centers, residents own seven of the nine golf courses in Sun City West. Four of the seven-Pebblebrook, Grandview, Deer Valley and Trail Ridge are championship courses, while Stardust, Echo Mesa, and Desert Trails are executive-length courses. Hillcrest Golf Club is owned by John Jacobs School of Golf and is open to all residents and the public. Briarwood Golf Course and Country Club, an elegant expression for taste and quality, is Sun City West's only country club, featuring golf, swimming and tennis. With its warmth and charm, the club offers members and their guests the opportunity to enjoy country club living at its best.

Prices range from the low $70,000 level on the smaller homes to over $400,000. Living areas start at around 800 square feet for a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment-style unit, and run up to 3,000 plus square fee on the larger homes. Many homes are built on golf course lots which give the owners open views of the course and the fairways.

It's casual, southwestern and relaxed. Nowhere else does the "ENJOY LIFE" attitude flourish as it does here. Everyone living in the Sun Cities has moved here from somewhere else. They have come from every state in the union and some foreign countries as well. They're usually more adventuresome, more independent, more curious, and more positive than the friends they left behind. Suddenly, they discover new interests, hobbies and talents, make new friends and enjoy life to its fullest. You'll find many here riding bikes, walking, playing golf or tennis, even jogging-it's somewhat like being young again! You owe it to yourself to come to Arizona, look us over, visit the Northwest Valley of the Sun and the Sun City West area. You'll be glad you did. You may even want to move here afterall, we did!

The Del Webb Memorial Hospital, a 208-bed facility, is located in Sun City West, and the Walter O. Boswell Memorial Hospital, a 351-bed facility, is located in neighboring Sun City. Both hospitals feature some of the latest state-of-the-art equipment. Within these two communities, there are also many medical clinics, private practices, and nursing and rehabilitation centers. The Mayo Clinic of Arizona is approximately 45 miles east of Sun City West in Scottsdale and the Mayo Arrowhead Primary Care Center in Glendale is approximately 10 miles northeast of Sun City West.

The community has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. The Sun City West Posse has over 200 volunteers who patrol 24 hours a day and assist the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. There are three Sun City West firefighting units, which operate 24 hours a day and are fully equipped. There are 57 full-time firefighters, many of them are state certified paramedics. There are three full time ambulances and three fire engines with a paramedic on each. Emergency ambulance service is available to all residents with no out of pocket charge to the residents.

Real estate taxes in Sun City West are very reasonable compared to other areas of the country. While taxes vary depending on the area, year built and size, it is common for annual taxes to range between $450 and $1,900 for most homes.

Sky Harbor International Airport is 50 minutes away. Taking off on a trip? No need to worry. Several shuttle services provide transportation to and from the airport at a reasonable cost. Our area is suburban, but not in the "boonies." It is only about 45 minutes to downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale, Arizona. Within the Sun City West area, we have SCAT (Sun City Area Transit), which provides inexpensive door-to-door service to anywhere in the area for appointments, shopping, etc. Another mode of transportation in Sun City West is the golf cart. The golf cart is used for shopping and various errands, as well as for golf. Bicycles are also a common sight.

These are actual living expenses for 2000, both monthly and yearly, on one of our most popular two-bedroom, two-bath homes in Sun City West. The Safford model with 1,669 square feet of living space.

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(1.) Taxes cover real property tax, school taxes, etc. There are no extra special assessments.

(2.) Insurance is complete homeowner's coverage.

(3.) This is typical for water & sewer. Sewer is a fixed monthly charge.

(4.) Trash collection is twice weekly and the service is excellent.

(5.) The Recreation Fee covers the use of swimming pools, shufflegboard, tennis, mini-golf, all craft rooms, etc. for each card holder.

(6.) Electricity is an actual charge and covers heating, cooling (air conditioning), hot water, cooking, etc. Gas is an actual charge and covers heat and hot water.

(7.) Qwest provides our local telephone service. This rate provides local calls all across the Phoenix metropolitan area, excluding taxes, without additional charges. Long distance calls would be extra.

(8.) Cable television is available at a basic cost of $37.95 per month for Basic Plus.

(9.) The Safford has heat and hot water, which may be little more economical to operate. Some properties are 'all-electric', and utilize an electric heat pump.

(10.) The sales tax is currently 5.75% on most purchases. There is no tax on food.

The age-restricted community of Sun Village, located in Surprise, has approximately 5,000 residents. The 47,000 square foot recreation center offers facilities for cards, billards, table tennis, sewing, woodworking, arts and crafts, as well as a fitness center, library, and beauty/barber shop. Free movies, dancing, parties and other activities are available in the spacious Kachina Ballroom. Sun Village boasts one of Arizona's largest heated swimming pools, a whirlpool spa, an 18 hole executive golf course, a pro-shop, tennis courst and a restaurant.

There is a guard at the entrance 24 hours a day for security. Housing options include single family homes, detached patio homes and condominiums.

The square footage starts around 936 and goes to 2,094 plus. Prices range from $90,000 to over $200,000.

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.

Ventana Lakes, located directly north of Sun City, is built around 26 acres of lakes. It is an age-restricted community, requiring one resident to be at least age 55 and no children under age 19.

The clubhouse has a pool, spa, fitness center, library, sauna, steam bath, lockers, showers and a ramada with a picnic-barbecue area. The game room offers pool tables, card tables and electronic golf. The craft center is available for painting, ceramics and other crafts. Tennis courts, houseshoe pits and a racquetball court are also available. The lakes are stocked with a variety of fish for residents who enjoy fishing.

Ventana Lakes, started in the late 1980's, has single family homes and patio homes. All homes have tile roofs. The square footage runs between 1,200 and 2,000. The prices start around $90,000 and exceed $165,000 on some of the larger models.

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.

Westbrook Village, home to almost 6,300 people, is also an age-restricted community located in the Northwest Valley of the Sun next to Sun City.

Your first impression of Westbrook Village is very special. As you enter the community, you drive alongside one of the most beautiful golf courses in the area. There are two 18-hole championship courses in the community, two multi-million dollar beautiful recreatin centers, an Olympic-size pool, several other pools, lighted tennis courts, a crafts/social center and exercise facilities

Westbrook Village is designed with a "village concept-neighborhoods are clustered around a central amenity core"- and Westbrook Village has its own restaurant. While next to Sun City, Westbrook Village is in the city of Peoria.

Many of the homes have tile roofs and, if your lifestyle demands an easy care Casita or a luxurious home, Westbrook Village may be the answer!

For a current community fee schedule, please click on COMMUNITY FEE SCHEDULE.