Arizona

Moving from Florida to Arizona would LOWER your total state and local tax burden from 9.1% of income to 8.3% of income — a drop of -0.8 pts. On a $100K household budget, that is roughly 800 in annual savings across income, sales, property, and other taxes combined.

Arizona has a state income tax with a top rate of 2.5%, while Florida has NO state income tax. Moving would expose your wage income to state taxation for the first time.

Arizona state sales tax is 5.60%. With average local add-ons, the combined rate is 8.38%. This applies to most retail purchases but rules on groceries, prescriptions, and services vary.

Arizona median effective property tax rate is 0.62% of home value. On a $400,000 home, that is roughly $2,480/year. Property tax typically funds schools, municipalities, and county services — rates vary sharply within a state by school district.

Arizona imposes annual vehicle property or ad valorem tax. Expect a recurring annual assessment based on the vehicle's value or registration class, in addition to one-time sales tax at purchase. Budget for this ongoing cost.

Arizona has NO state estate tax and NO state inheritance tax. Heirs are subject only to federal estate tax (over $13.99M in 2025). This is favorable for wealth transfer.

In Arizona: Social Security is not taxed. Pensions and 401(k)/IRA withdrawals are partially taxed.

Arizona capital gains treatment: Taxed at 2.5% flat rate; 25% subtraction for long-term capital gains on assets acquired after 2011. Compare to federal long-term capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20%) — some states offer preferential treatment for long-term holdings, while others tax capital gains as ordinary income.

Arizona gas tax is 19.0¢/gal — 20.0¢/gal lower than Florida's 39.0¢/gal. For a 15,000 mile/year driver getting 25 mpg, each 1¢/gal of gas tax = about $6/year.

Arizona residency rules: 9-month presumption of residency. Statutory residency via domicile or 9+ months presence. To establish residency for tax purposes, typical steps include: update driver's license and vehicle registration, register to vote, file a homestead declaration, close home-state bank accounts where possible, and spend clearly more than 183 days in your new state. If your former state is aggressive (e.g., CA, NY, NJ, OR), keep documentation of every day spent in each state.

Arizona recent tax law changes: Flat 2.5% income tax rate effective 2023 (down from graduated rates up to 4.5%). No further major changes scheduled.

For the most current tax information in Arizona, visit the official source at https://azdor.gov/. Tax laws change annually; verify rates and rules before making a permanent move. Consult a CPA for advice specific to your situation.