Huachuca Sierra Vista

[w7kkk]

Lived there while in the Army '67-8. Was a small town then. Met my wife there, she was born in Tombstone of all places.
Moved there a few years back so my wife could finish up her career with the Forest Service. We lived in the area called Hereford which adjoins SV.
The town has really grown but it is still remote, Tucson is some 70 miles away. It is greener than most of the area around it.
Can be hot and windy in the summers. We did not like the wind all the time.
Lots of illegals coming over the mountains in the forests and through Fort Huachuca.
Vans pick them up at night just outside city limits to transport them out of the area.
The Border Patrol could not handle all of them the last time we lived there. I used to monitor their communications and hear them tell their agents not to arrest any more as they did not have enough transportation. That was very common by the way.
The town is very heavily influenced by the soldiers at the Fort. If you have never lived in a town with a military mindset it might not be for you.

[CalWorth]

I wanted to bump this thread up as I've been interested in the Sierra Vista area for a few years, the PNW is too crowded now,

We miss doing the remote off-roading & camping that we did all the time when living in SoCal, so that's the attraction for us. However, with all the media coverage of "migrants', I wonder how safe that is now realistically.

I also noticed that property in Sierra Vista area still seems reasonable, unlike other areas of AZ, so I'm curious why.

I grew up in a desert, so desert life is going to feel familiar to me. But this will be our last move (the current one was supposed to be). So, I would like to hear from any current & former residents.

[gemstone1]

Cochise County and Sierra Vista are kind of at the end of the road, thus not high on the relocation list which is reflected in lower real estate prices. While it does have healthcare and a few big box stores, Tucson and major retail is 90 miles away.

As for off roading opportunities, there is not much BLM land available for that...see interactive map. IMO, your best bet for that is Yuma County.

The County does have other positives for outdoor recreation....the Huachuca's to the west, the San Pedro Riperian area, the Chiricahua's, the Dragoon Mountains.....and some of the best sunsets I've ever seen. Along with the sunsets however comes Monsoon humidity levels that IMO, approach mid west levels.

[CalWorth]

^^
Thank you. When you lived there, how many months per year did you need a/c? Are evaporative coolers (swamp coolers) effective? In the high desert where I lived, many people had only swampers, or used them as a backup to a/c on cooler summer days to save on electricity. I am concerned about electric, the kwh price where I live now isn't bad, & usually no need for a/c, though that is changing.

[gemstone1]

The summer we lived there it was in an RV, not particularly known for adequate insulation, so our AC's ran more than a well built home. Also, our power bill was covered as part of a work agreement....so I have no idea of actual usage.
I'd say that a swamp cooler could work to some extent, except during the high humidity period.

The City-Data site on Sierra Vista is a good source for weather stats and demographics. We found the weather agreeable for the most part, the 4600' elevation moderates the AZ heat.

[WiringGuru2]

Originally Posted by CalWorth

^^
Thank you. When you lived there, how many months per year did you need a/c? Are evaporative coolers (swamp coolers) effective? In the high desert where I lived, many people had only swampers, or used them as a backup to a/c on cooler summer days to save on electricity. I am concerned about electric, the kwh price where I live now isn't bad, & usually no need for a/c, though that is changing.

You will want AC. In the past I made it through AZ/NV/CA summers by sitting in front of a swamp cooler but it's not that fun.



For a cost idea my parents have a big house in prescott valley and they run their AC all the time in the summer months. Their electric bill was 250 per month. My cost is about 200 smaller house but older so less insulation.