Located just under 20 miles west of Phoenix, Goodyear is a classic suburb community that offers easy access to all of the big city amenities nearby, without all of the hustle and bustle that turns many boomers off to city life. While the big city might be only a short drive away, life in Goodyear is miles removed from Phoenix.
Goodyear History
Compared to popular retirement destinations in other parts of the country, Goodyear is a relatively new community. The area that would become this popular suburb of Phoenix was purchased by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company back in 1917 with the intention of growing cotton for vehicle tires.
The town of Goodyear didn’t officially become a city until 1985, but since then the community has seen an astounding amount of growth in a relatively short period of time.
Goodyear Demographics
Rapid growth is the name of the game here in Goodyear. During the 1990 census, there were only 6,258 people who made their homes in the city. That number grew to 18,911 in 2000, and then grew even faster to 65,275 in 2010. There were estimated to be 79,003 residents here in 2015.
With a median household income of $57,492 and a median family income of $60,707, Goodyear could definitely be considered a wealthy community relative to other parts of the country. That is likely driven by the fact that a full 25.1% of the population is between the ages of 45 and 64, with another 9.9% in the 65 and over bracket.
Goodyear Lifestyle
One of the most appealing aspects of enjoying your retirement in Arizona is that the weather is absolutely beautiful just about every single day of the year. For that reason, most of the lifestyle choices here in Goodyear revolve around spending time embracing the great outdoors.
The nearby Estrella Mountain Range offers two different options that comprise the focal point of the traditional Goodyear lifestyle. Visiting Estrella Mountain Regional Park is a great way to get your regular exercise through hiking the vast number of desert trails you will find here.
For a more sophisticated lifestyle experience, you might prefer to enjoy the mountain view from the course at Estrella Mountain Ranch Golf Club, which was originally designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Goodyear Culture
Since the community of Goodyear is relatively new, there isn’t a deep sense of history or culture to be found here. However, that gives residents an opportunity to create whatever type of culture they want for the city.
One of the interesting museums that Goodyear does have is The Bible Museum, which is located in one of the local hotels. Here you will find an amazing collection of old bibles, and unlike most museums it is perfectly fine to pick up the items here and check them out for yourself.
Luckily, no one in Goodyear has to worry about local culture. That’s because there is more than enough cultural attractions of all kinds located less than 30 minutes down the road in Phoenix.
Goodyear Shopping
Shopping in Goodyear is all about strip malls and big box stores, and there are plenty of those to choose from located all over town. Two of the more unique stores that residents enjoy visiting are Southwest Specialty Food and Brass Armadillo Antique Mall.
Much like we saw with the cultural attractions, Goodyear residents are perfectly happy to have easy access to a plethora of amazing shopping destinations located just a short drive away in Phoenix.
Goodyear Dining
Goodyear is also home to quite a few excellent restaurants, so you definitely won’t have to worry about going hungry here. Sal’s Tuscan Oven is known for their amazing brick oven pizza, but the menu also includes some great Italian pasta dishes and sandwiches.
If fried seafood is popular with your family, then Ada’s Fish Fry is going to be your new favorite restaurant. The specialty here is the fried haddock, but you can also get things like lobster rolls and grilled buffalo shrimp. We recommend starting with one of the combo platters!
Any town located in Arizona has to have a few great Mexican restaurants, and Goodyear surely has its share. One of the most authentic is Ramiro’s Mexican Food, where you will actually catch them mashing the refried beans by hand.
Goodyear Developments
With population booming across the entire state of Arizona, there are more than a few retirement communities to choose from in just about every town in the state. Here in Goodyear, one of our favorite options is CantaMia at Estrella by Taylor Morrison.
CantaMia’s active baby boomer lifestyle is the inspiration for this expansive 55-Plus community. With more than 500 acres of parks and open space, including72 acres of lakes for boating and fishing, over 20 miles of paths and hiking trails, and the Nicklaus Design championship golf course, The Golf Club of Estrella, a CantaMia home offers you the freedom you deserve during the best years of your life.
Request more information about CantaMia here.
The retirement lifestyle in Goodyear is all about being close enough to enjoy the amenities of the big city nearby, but far enough away that you can relax and enjoy the desert mountains. If you like to walk that line between urban culture and rural relaxation, this is the perfect hybrid.