According to the financial website GoBankingRates, Somerton is the worst place to retire to in the state of Arizona.
GoBankingRates sourced data from the U.S. Census American Community survey—including each city’s population, number of households, the percentage of the population 65-years and older—to determine the best and worst places to retire to in Arizona. The total number of households that receive Social Security income and Retirement income, as well as the average amount of those incomes, were also factored in.
The average income households with social security income for Sun City, AZ, which GoBankingRates listed as the best place to retire in Arizona, was $25,346, nearly $10,000 less than Somerton’s average of $15,533. The average monthly cost of living in Somerton is $2,044, with an average monthly mortgage cost of $1,577, while Sun City holds a monthly average of $1,870 for cost of living. Somerton also has a higher poverty rate of 13.8%, compared to Sun City’s 11.2%.
Each city’s cost of living index was also sourced by GoBankingRates, as well as calculations for each city’s average expenditure cost. Total monthly living costs were calculated by combining expenditure costs with the average mortgage cost.
With a livability score of 60 out of 100, Somerton offers few amenities and lacks major medical specialists and a full-service hospital. Residents are required to travel to nearby Yuma for major medical services.
In May of 2026, MSN released a list of ‘10 worst Arizona cities retirees should avoid at all costs’. Although Somerton did not make MSN’s list, Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Flagstaff were among a few of the cities that did. High crime rate and heavy traffic were two issues of concern for several of the selected locations, while the high cost of housing and daily living expenses were key factors for most of the cities that made MSN’s ‘10 worst’ list.