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Yuma, Arizona. Just the Facts!

Yuma is right on the California and Arizona border at the Colorado River just minutes from Mexico and; is home to the Yuma Scorpions baseball team. The population of the city itself is 85,000, but the metro area has 122,000. Most of our population is Hispanic and White, but we also have a small Black population. There are two Indian reservations in Yuma for the Quechans and the Cocopahs.

We were rated in 2001 by Farmers Almanac as having the best weather in the United States. Weve also been listed as the sunniest city in the United States. We get 100 degree temperatures during the summer quite often with very low humidity. Our average February temperature is 73 degrees. We usually get less than 4 inches of rain per year. We get a little humidity off the Sea of Cortez, but in general we have a very low humidity climate.

Yuma is in many ways a retirement community. We have a military base here with 5000 marines, a number of whom are retired. We are starting to get a lot of development and industry here, though changing the face of our work force. Our average population has started to decrease little bit, but statistics show that we get around 90,000 winter visitors every year. About 10 percent of those end up buying a retirement home. I would say October to May is our biggest tourism season; however we also get a lot of Europeans in the summertime because many do not have access to deserts. They are looking for value when they travel. Many stay for six weeks or longer.

Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 84,688.

History

The areas first settlers were Native American Tribes, whose descendants occupy the Cocopah and Quechan reservations near the city. In 1540, expeditions under Hernando de Alarcon and Melchior Diaz visited here and immediately saw the natural crossing of the Colorado River was an ideal spot for a city.

From the 1850s through the 1870s, the Yuma Crossing was known for its steamboat crossing, and spot for them to stop on the way up and down the river. The steamboats transported passengers and equipment for the various mines and military outposts. Yuma served as the gateway to the new western territory of California, as it was one of the few natural spots to cross the very wide Colorado River. The Southern Pacific Railroad bridged the river in 1870 and helped continue Yuma as a major hub in the desert southwest. Yuma became the county seat for the area in 1864. Famous farm labor organizer Cesar Chavez was born and spent much of his life in Yuma.

In 1997, the desert city sustained a full tropical storm after Hurricane Nora made landfall at the mouth of the Colorado River and quickly moved due north along it. The extraordinarily rare event cut power to 12,000 customers in Yuma, and dropped 3.59 inches or over 90mm of rain at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.

Climate

Yuma is one of the hottest cities of any size in the United States, with average July high temperatures of 107 degrees Fahrenheit. (By way of comparison, the corresponding figure for Death Valley is 115 degrees.) Average January highs are around 69 degrees. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Yuma is the sunniest place on earth. Of the possible 4,456 hours of daylight each year, the sun shines in Yuma for roughly 4,050 hours, or about 90 percent of the time. The near perfect flying weather year round attracts military interest in training their pilots here. On average Yuma only receives around 4in. of rain annually.

On July 28, 1995 Yuma reached its all time high at 124 degrees. The lowest temperature for Yuma to fall to was 13 degrees on the Yuma mesa in January of 2007. The temperature fell to 13 degrees for approximately 2 hours and was detrimental to the many crops grown in and around Yuma. The crop that suffered the most damage was the citrus on the Yuma mesa, most notably the Lemon crop which suffered a 75 to 95 percent loss of not only crop, but trees and stated by the Arizona Department of Agriculture in a February 2007 report.

Places of interest

Yuma contains the historical Yuma Territorial Prison, the Yuma Crossing Historic Park, and a historic downtown area. Yuma is an Arizona Main Street City. Near Yuma are the Kofa Mountain Range and wildlife refuge, Martinez and Mittry Lakes, and the Algodones Dunes, which draw tens of thousands of visitors every year especially during thanksgiving.
There are many hunting and fishing opportunities in Yuma, as uninhabited areas of the county offer a home for a variety of game and fish. Mule Deer and Desert Bighorn Sheep can be found in surrounding areas. Coyotes can be found throughout the area and even within city limits. Dove and quail seasons are popular sporting occasions each autumn, the Mourning dove being a byproduct of the extensive Colorado river–irrigated agriculture lands.
The city is also the location of the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, which conducts an annual air show and many large scale military exercises. There is also the Yuma Proving Ground, a Army base which test new military equipment.
Another point of interest in Yuma is the Colorado River which runs along the west side of town dividing Arizona and California. Yuma is an important station for trucking industry movement of goods between California, Arizona, and Mexico.
Nearby is the town of Los Algodones, Baja California which has become a very popular spot for tourists to shop and eat and sleep.
What are you looking for in a retirement location?

1. If its a mild winter climate where you can golf, play tennis, and bicycle year round, then Yuma may be for you.
2. If close proximity to the Mexican border intrigues you, then Yuma may be for you.
3. If its rapid population growth and the company of other retirees, then Yuma may be for you.
4. If you enjoy casinos and gaming, then Yuma may be for you.
5. If its access to quality health care, then Yuma may be for you.
6. If you are looking for all of these things, then its time to plan a visit. You just might decide to become our next neighbor.

Real Estate in Yuma, Arizona

Yuma has hundreds of competent real estate agents who can assist you in finding your dream home. There is a wide range of properties available, from modest modular units to homes valued in the millions of dollars.

Whatever your preferences, you can find something to your liking.

Average Housing Costs

Average cost for a new single family home with 2,400 square feet, 8,000 square foot lot, four bedrooms, and two baths: $297,428
Average rent for a two bedroom apartment, 950 square feet, unfurnished, no utilities but water, 1 1/2 or 2 baths: $733 per month

Home Price Appreciation

For 2006, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight reported that the Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a one year home price appreciation rate of 11.71 percent and a five year rate of 99.48 percent.
Yuma State Jobs
The City employs approximately 1,050 full and part time employees in eleven departments.  Public services include police, fire, water and wastewater utilities, solid waste services, parks, recreation, and arts & culture services.

Yuma Statistics