Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Mesa
You think about retiring in Mesa but want to get additional information on the city, senior life, housing situation, living costs, entertainment, public transport, walkability, medical infrastructure and much more before making your final decision in this regard?
Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Mesa in the following chapters.
Retire in Mesa – Overview
Living Costs | Living costs in Mesa are significantly less compared to what you are used to from many other big cities in the US and pensioners in Mesa therefore don’t need a pretty good pension to live a decent lifestyle. |
Housing | Mesa is a pretty popular place where rents have increased substantially over the past decades and many retirees in Mesa therefore struggle to find a decent place to stay. |
Climate | People who retire in Mesa can experience pretty hot summers and relatively mild winters. |
Crime | Crime rates in Mesa are pretty low compared to many other big cities in the US. |
Opportunities to Socialize | You will have many bars and senior centers where you can hang out with other people of your age. |
Entertainment | While you can go to the movies, visit a museum and do many things you may be used to from other big cities, you should still know that Mesa is not the most exciting city and entertainment options may be rather limited compared to bigger metropolitan regions. |
Public Transport | Public transport in Mesa is not great and you may therefore need a car to get around as a retiree in Mesa. |
Walkability & Bicycling | While Mesa is a pretty bicycle-friendly city, you may still have a hard time getting around by bike in summer since it may simply be too hot and Mesa is also not the most walkable city, especially outside the city center. |
Medical Infrastructure | While you will find decent doctors and hospitals, you may have a hard time finding a specialist in case you suffer from some kind of exotic health condition. |
Supply of Material Goods | Thanks to decent public infrastructure, pensioners in Mesa never have to worry about running out of important material goods. |

Reasons to Retire in Mesa
- Living costs in Mesa are still affordable compared to other bigger cities
- Mesa is a rather relaxed place
- Traffic is not a big problem in Mesa yet
- Mesa is a bicycle-friendly city
- Retirees in Mesa can enjoy sunny summers
- Mild winters are attractive to many retirees in Mesa
- Pensioners in Mesa can spend lots of time outdoors
- You can stay fit in the Mesa region
- Many recreational spaces in Mesa
- Decent bars and restaurants in Mesa
- Decent medical infrastructure in Mesa
- Decent senior centers in Mesa
- Mesa is close to other big cities
- Easy to get from and to Mesa
- Retirees in Mesa have decent internet connection
- Mesa is a pretty safe city
- Retiring in Mesa may be underrated
- Mesa is one of the biggest cities in Arizona
Living costs in Mesa are still affordable compared to other bigger cities
One advantage of retiring in Mesa is that living costs in this city are still fairly low compared to many other big cities in the US and while people who retire in Los Angeles or other fancier places often have to spend lots of money on various things of daily life, you will have to spend less in Mesa and can afford more nice things for the same budget.
Mesa is a rather relaxed place
You should also know that Mesa is a rather relaxed place where people are not as career-focused as in many other big metropolitan cities and are therefore more likely to help you out on various occasions of daily life.
Traffic is not a big problem in Mesa yet
Since traffic is not a big problem in Mesa yet, you can get around by car in a pretty efficient manner without getting stuck in traffic jams as often as people who retire in NYC or other more crowded cities and can therefore enjoy your senior life in Mesa much more.
Mesa is a bicycle-friendly city
Another upside to retiring in Mesa is that it is also a pretty bicycle-friendly city and you can therefore get around by bike in a pretty efficient manner so you may be able to save lots of money on gas in the long run and also do good for our environment at the same time.
Retirees in Mesa can enjoy sunny summers
Many people also consider retiring in Mesa due to the great summers you can experience.
In fact, during summer, you will have more than enough hours of sun and can also get in a pretty good mood compared to people who retire in Chicago or other rainier places.
Mild winters are attractive to many retirees in Mesa
Not only summers are great, but also mild winters are attractive to many retirees in Mesa and while people who retire in Philadelphia or other colder regions have to wear heavy coats when they spend time outdoors in winter, you will be able to go outdoors with just a thin shirt in the Mesa region most of the time.
Pensioners in Mesa can spend lots of time outdoors
Thanks to the great weather, retirees in Mesa can also spend lots of time outdoors and can get lots of fresh air and may just have a bigger incentive to go outdoors in general compared to retirees who live in rainier regions.
You can stay fit in the Mesa region
Since you can get around by bicycle and will also have many things to do outdoors in the Mesa region, you can also stay fit in the long run while many retirees in other regions may get out of shape pretty quickly.
Many recreational spaces in Mesa
There are also many parks and other recreational spaces where you can spend your time as a pensioner in Mesa and can just relax in a quiet atmosphere without being distracted by unpleasant noises.
Decent bars and restaurants in Mesa
Another benefit of retiring in Mesa is that you will also find many decent bars and restaurants where you can meet up with other people of your age and can also have delicious meals so you can really enjoy your senior life in Mesa in the long run.
Decent medical infrastructure in Mesa
You also don’t have to worry about running out of good doctors and hospitals in Mesa since overall medical infrastructure is pretty decent and in case you get sick, you will find many experts who will be able to treat your health condition in the most efficient manner.
Decent senior centers in Mesa
You also find many decent senior centers in Mesa where you can hang out with other retirees and make plans on future events and can also share useful and valuable insights about senior life in Mesa in general so everyone can benefit from those tips and tricks.
Mesa is close to other big cities
Since Mesa is closely located to Phoenix and other big cities, you can also make nice day trips during times you may get fed up or bored with your life in Mesa and just want to experience something different.
Easy to get from and to Mesa
Since you will find a big airport in the Mesa region, you can also get to various places of our planet in a pretty efficient manner and once you may no longer be able to travel due to your age or health conditions, your loved ones will still have a rather easy time visiting you and chances are that you will have more than enough company.
Retirees in Mesa have decent internet connection
Since you will have a decent internet connection, you can also make video calls or stay in touch with your family and friends via social media and you can also stay up-to-date with latest developments so you can adjust important decisions accordingly.
Mesa is a pretty safe city
Compared to other big cities, Mesa is also a pretty safe region and this is great since you don’t have to worry about your safety as much as retirees in Detroit or other regions where crime is a much bigger problem.
Retiring in Mesa may be underrated
You should also know that Mesa may still be underrated since living costs are still rather affordable while you can enjoy pretty decent public infrastructure and will find most things you need to live a happy and convenient senior life in this region.
Mesa is one of the biggest cities in Arizona
Since Mesa is one of the biggest cities in Arizona, it will most likely stay an important place to work, live and retire for many decades and you therefore don’t have to worry about too many people leaving this region or public infrastructure becoming worse anytime soon.
As you can see, there are many reasons for retiring in Mesa.
Yet, there are also some drawbacks of retiring in Mesa that I want to address in the following so you can better decide whether you still want to retire in Mesa or rather want to retire in Phoenix or a different city instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Mesa
- Rents are barely affordable for many retirees in Mesa
- Many retirees no longer know how to pay their bills
- Some pensioners in Mesa still have to work at retirement age
- Retirees in Mesa can’t enjoy the beach
- Entertainment options in Mesa are rather limited
- Mesa is not the most popular city
- You may end up in a dodgy neighborhood in Mesa
- Mesa may be too hot for many retirees
- Public transport is not great in the Mesa region
- You may need a car to get around in an efficient manner
- Air quality in Mesa is not great
- You may get bored with your senior life in Mesa sooner or later
Rents are barely affordable for many retirees in Mesa
One downside to retiring in Mesa is that rents have increased significantly over the past decades and many retirees in Mesa are no longer able to pay rent in a reliable manner and may therefore get evicted sooner or later.
Many retirees no longer know how to pay their bills
In general, while Mesa is not as expensive as other big cities in the US, many pensioners in Mesa have to worry about money quite a lot since they no longer know how to pay their bills and therefore become increasingly frustrated due to that.
Some pensioners in Mesa still have to work at retirement age
Since housing costs are about to increase significantly, many people who retire in Mesa still have to work at retirement age, especially if they don’t receive a really good pension but still want to afford many nice things.
Retirees in Mesa can’t enjoy the beach
While retirees in Washington D.C. and other places that are located at the coast can enjoy the beach, you will not have the same luxury in Mesa and may envy many people who are able to retire in coastal towns quite a lot in the long run.
Entertainment options in Mesa are rather limited
Another downside to retiring in Mesa is that entertainment options are not as great as in many other big metropolitan regions and if you love big city life and want to have action all day and night long, you may be better off retiring in Las Vegas or other more vibrant cities instead.
Mesa is not the most popular city
You should also know that Mesa is not the most popular city and many of your friends may therefore not understand your decision of retiring in Mesa and you may therefore have to justify quite a lot in this regard.
You may end up in a dodgy neighborhood in Mesa
While Mesa is a rather safe place to retire, there are still some rather dodgy neighborhoods that you might want to avoid so you don’t run into trouble and can enjoy your retirement life in Mesa to its fullest.
Mesa may be too hot for many retirees
Another disadvantage of retiring in Mesa is that it may also simply be too hot for you.
In fact, the older you get, the more sensitive you will be to the heat and your body may therefore just no longer work property with high temperatures during summers in Mesa and if you can’t stand the heat, you may be better off retiring in Indianapolis or other cooler places instead.
Public transport is not great in the Mesa region
You should also know that public transport is not great in the Mesa region at all and this will take away some of your mobility, especially if you live in the suburbs of Mesa where public transport is usually pretty poor.
You may need a car to get around in an efficient manner
Due to rather poor public transport, you may also need a car to get around and this can be bad news for you since once you get older, you may no longer be able to operate a car in a safe and efficient manner and may therefore lack proper alternatives to get around.
Air quality in Mesa is not great
You also have to keep in mind that air quality is not great in the Mesa region and in case you already suffer from pulmonary problems, you may want to avoid moving to regions where your health conditions may get worse due to bad air quality.
You may get bored with your senior life in Mesa sooner or later
Since Mesa is not the most exciting city, you may also run out of ideas regarding what to do with your leisure sooner or later and may get bored with your senior life in Mesa in the long run.

Top 10 Retiring in Mesa Pros & Cons – Summary List
Retire in Mesa Pros | Retire in Mesa Cons |
---|---|
Living costs in Mesa are affordable for many retirees | Retirees in Mesa cannot enjoy the beach |
Great weather is attractive to many pensioners in Mesa | Rents in Mesa have skyrocketed over the past decades |
You can spend lots of time outdoors | Some pensioners in Mesa still have to work to pay their bills |
Retirees in Mesa can get around by bicycle | Air quality in Mesa is rather poor |
Decent medical infrastructure in Mesa | Mesa is not the most exciting city |
Mesa is a relaxed and tolerant city | You may get bored with senior life in Mesa in the long run |
Retiring in Mesa may still be underrated | Not as many entertainment options as in other big cities |
Decent bars and restaurants in Mesa | Mesa may be too hot for many retirees |
Decent supply of material goods | Social inequality may become a problem |
Mesa is a pretty safe place | You may end up in dodgy neighborhoods |
Is Mesa A Good Place To Retire?
While Mesa can be a great place to retire since living costs are still moderately low, it is a safe city and you will find everything you need to live a happy and convenient life, you should also know that Mesa is not the most exciting city and you may get bored with your senior life in Mesa in the long run.
Alternative Cities To Retire
If you don’t want to retire in Mesa, you should also have a look at the following articles:
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Albuquerque
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Tucson
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Kansas City
Sources
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/mesacityarizona
Own research.

About the author
This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.
My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.
Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.
In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.