Arizona to Washington Moving Guide
Updated June 10, 2025

Planning a 1,438 mile interstate move from Arizona to Washington? This moving guide will help you compare living in Arizona vs Washington across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like extreme summer heat vs temperate summer climate), food & health (like Chimichanga vs Salmon), real estate & housing (spanish colonial, pueblo revival vs craftsman, contemporary), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Washington), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Chimichanga and Carne Asada, but get your taste buds ready for Salmon & Dungeness Crab
- Washington housing costs are 37% more expensive than they are in Arizona
- Rent in Washington is 3.03% more expensive than in Arizona
- Moving from Arizona to Washington will cost on average between $2,000 - $7,000
- Our top recommended Arizona to Washington movers is Sterling Interstate LLC
Arizona to Washington Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Arizona to Washington
- Extreme summer heat
- Desert landscape
- Limited winter activities
- Water scarcity
- Temperate summer climate
- Lush greenery
- Great skiing locations
- Ample rainfall
- Higher living expenses
- Frequent overcast days
- Competitive job market
- Heavy traffic
- Lower cost of living
- Sunny year-round
- Strong job market
- Minimal traffic congestion
Pros of moving from Arizona to Washington
- Say goodbye to extreme summer heat and hello to a temperate summer climate
- Look forward to moving away from a desert landscape and moving to Washington with lush greenery
- Swap the limited winter activities of Arizona for great skiing locations in Washington
- Get ready for ample rainfall in Washington
Cons of moving from Arizona to Washington
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from a lower cost of living in Arizona to live with higher living expenses in Washington
- You'll lose out on the pro of sunny year-round weather and have to settle for the con of frequent overcast days
- Time to bid farewell to a strong job market and get used to a competitive job market in Washington
- Swap minimal traffic congestion for heavy traffic
Arizona vs. Washington: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Chimichanga | Salmon |
Most popular meat dish | Carne Asada | Dungeness Crab |
Most popular street food item | Tacos | Fish Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Vegetable Tamales | Mushroom Bao |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Arizona to Washington, you will be trading the iconic Chimichanga of Arizona for the equally delicious Salmon of Washington. And while the locals in Arizona rave about their flavorful Carne Asada and sumptuous Tacos, Washington residents know they have tasty Dungeness Crab and Fish Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegetable Tamales they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Mushroom Bao of Washington. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Arizona eateries like Pizzeria Bianco, Elote Cafe, and Durant's. After the boxes are unpacked in Washington, don't wait too long before making your way to Washington's acclaimed eateries like Canlis, The Herb Farm, and Salumi.
When comparing lifestyles, Washington shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Arizona. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Washington, compared to what you are used to in Arizona. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Washington.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Arizona and Washington
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Spanish Colonial, Pueblo Revival | Craftsman, Contemporary |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Swimming pools, desert landscape | Green spaces, proximity to water |
- The Spanish Colonial and Pueblo Revival architecture that Arizona is known for will be replaced with the Craftsman and Contemporary architecture typical of Washington.
- Compared to Arizona's real estate listings that commonly reference swimming pools and desert landscape, Washington real estate listings often highlight features like green spaces and proximity to water.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Washington is more walkable than Arizona.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Washington is more bike-friendly than Arizona.
- Washington has more of an urban feel than Arizona.
- Washington housing costs are 37% more expensive than they are in Arizona, with a median home price of $591,148 compared to Arizonaβs $430,827.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Washington have increased by 49% compared to a 63% increase in Arizona.
- Rent in Washington is 3.03% more expensive than in Arizona.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Arizona and Washington
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Monsoons, Wildfires | Floods, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 106Β°F / 75Β°F | 79Β°F / 55Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 68Β°F / 43Β°F | 47Β°F / 36Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 12.7 | 38.6 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 0.3 | 48.1 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Arizona to Washington. Washington gets 49% fewer sunshine days than Arizona.
- Washington has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Arizona.
- Say goodbye to the possible monsoons and wildfires in Arizona, but be on the lookout for potential floods and earthquakes in Washington.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Washington is 27 degrees colder than in Arizona.
- The average winter lows are 7 degrees colder than they are in Arizona.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Washington. Washington receives 25.9 more inches of rain compared to Arizona.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Arizona and Washington
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $74,568 | $91,306 |
Cost of Living Index | 101.2 | 104.1 |
State Income Tax | 2.59% - 4.5% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.62% | 0.93% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 8.4% | 9.2% |
Top 3 Industries | Aerospace, mining, tourism | Technology, agriculture, aerospace |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Significant | Moderate |
Homelessness | Moderate | Significant |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Washington tend to earn about 22% more than in Arizona
- The COLI in Washington is 3% higher than what you are used to living in Arizona
- Hooray, moving to WA means you'll no longer have to pay state income taxes
- The affluence in Washington is high compared to moderate in Arizona
- The poverty level is moderate in Washington compared to significant in Arizona
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in Arizona and significant in Washington
Political and Religious Climate in Arizona vs. Washington
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Moderate swing state, recent shifts toward Democratic | Strongly Democratic, especially in urban areas |
Local Politics | Mixture of conservative and liberal localities; significant independent voter presence | Liberal in urban centers (Seattle, Tacoma), conservative in rural areas |
Religion | Largely Christian, but with a rapidly growing non-religious population | Higher percentage of non-religious individuals, diversity of faiths in urban areas |
- Arizona tends to lean moderate swing state, with recent shifts toward Democratic in its political climate
- Washington, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Democratic, especially in urban areas
- Washington's religious environment can be described as having a higher percentage of non-religious individuals and a diversity of faiths in urban areas
- Arizona's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as largely Christian, but with a rapidly growing non-religious population
Education Guide When Moving from Arizona to Washington
Comparison | Arizona | Washington |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Arizona Arizona State University Northern Arizona University | University of Washington Washington State University Western Washington University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Knox Gifted Academy (Chandler) Basis Oro Valley (Oro Valley) Basis Chandler (Chandler) | Cascade K-8 Community School (Shoreline) Challenger Elementary (Issaquah) Tesla STEM High School (Redmond) - though primarily high has integrative programs starting from elementary |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Basis Scottsdale (Scottsdale) Basis Chandler (Chandler) Basis Tucson North (Tucson) | International Community School (Kirkland) Environmental & Adventure School (Kirkland) Washington Middle School (Seattle) |
Top 3 High Schools | Basis Scottsdale (Scottsdale) Basis Oro Valley (Oro Valley) Basis Peoria (Peoria) | International School (Bellevue) Newport High School (Bellevue) Bellevue High School (Bellevue) |
Top 3 private high schools | Brophy College Preparatory (Phoenix) Xavier College Preparatory (Phoenix) The Gregory School (Tucson) | Lakeside School (Seattle) The Overlake School (Redmond) Seattle Academy (Seattle) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Rancho Solano Preparatory School (Scottsdale) Phoenix Country Day School (Paradise Valley) The Gregory School (Tucson) | The Bush School (Seattle) The Northwest School (Seattle) Seattle Waldorf School (Seattle) |
Top 3 School Districts | Scottsdale Unified School District Catalina Foothills Unified District Chandler Unified School District | Bellevue School District Mercer Island School District Lake Washington School District |
How Much Do Arizona to Washington Movers Cost?
Moving 1,438 miles from Arizona to Washington will typically cost between $3,000 and $7,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,000 - $7,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-7 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: John Volken Academy Movers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,018 | 300 ft3 | $6.73 |
1 Bedroom | $3,004 | 450 ft3 | $6.68 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,969 | 750 ft3 | $6.63 |
3 Bedrooms | $7,233 | 1100 ft3 | $6.58 |
4 Bedrooms | $10,441 | 1600 ft3 | $6.53 |
5+ Bedrooms | $11,656 | 1800 ft3 | $6.48 |
Top Arizona to Washington Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Arizona to Washington movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Sterling Interstate LLC
Best moving company overall for Arizona to Washington