Moving to Phoenix From Chicago: Winter, Heat, Cubs and What to Know

Moving to Phoenix from Chicago mostly means trading snow shovels for sunscreen. Chicago's O'Hare averages about 38 inches of snow a year and January highs near 32 degrees, while Phoenix averages January highs near 68 degrees. The tradeoff is summer: Phoenix now averages about 111 days a year at 100 degrees or hotter.

I get a lot of calls from people in Chicago and the suburbs, and the timing is almost always the same. The first real cold snap hits, somebody scrapes ice off a windshield one too many times, and they start looking at homes in the Valley. If that is you, here is what I tell Chicago folks before they make the move.

Winter Is the Reason, and It Lives Up to the Hype

The numbers tell the story. Using the 1991 to 2020 climate normals, Chicago O'Hare averages a January high of about 31.6 degrees and a low of about 18.8, with around 11 inches of snow in January alone and roughly 38 inches for the year. Phoenix Sky Harbor averages a January high of about 67.6 degrees and a low of about 46.

Snow in Phoenix itself is rare enough to make the news. Measurable snow has only shown up within city limits a handful of times on record. If you find you miss it, you can drive north and find it. I wrote about that in where to see snow near Phoenix this winter.

What surprises Chicago people is how much they use their yard in winter. November through March is patio season here: grilling, hiking, golf, outdoor dining and walking the dog at noon without a parka.

Summer Is the Real Adjustment

Here is the honest part. The National Weather Service in Phoenix says that for 1991 to 2020, the city averaged about 111 days a year at 100 degrees or more, and about 21 days at 110 or more. The average first 100-degree day was May 2 and the average last one was October 5.

Chicago summers are humid and sticky. Phoenix summers are dry and intense. Most people tell me the heat is manageable once they change their routine: errands early, pool or gym in the afternoon, shade for the car, and a good AC system in the house. When I help Chicago buyers, we look hard at the age of the air conditioner, the roof and the windows, because those matter more here than a furnace does.

Your Clocks Stop Changing

Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time. According to NIST, the state of Arizona stays on standard time all year, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, which does observe it. In practice that means Phoenix lines up with Chicago differently depending on the season, so double-check those calls back home. There is more on this in does Arizona observe Daylight Saving Time.

You Can Still Watch the Cubs and the White Sox

This is my favorite thing to tell Chicago buyers. Both of your teams train here every spring in the Cactus League.

• Cubs: Sloan Park in Mesa, at 2330 W. Rio Salado Parkway, opened in 2014 as the Cubs' spring home. It holds about 15,000 people, the largest spring training ballpark in Major League Baseball. Before that, the Cubs played at nearby Hohokam Stadium in Mesa for decades.
• White Sox: Camelback Ranch-Glendale, on W. Camelback Road, opened in 2009 and is shared by the White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Camelback Ranch has already posted its 2027 dates. Opening day there is Friday, February 19, 2027, with the White Sox and Dodgers, and the park's schedule includes a Cubs and White Sox matchup on Friday, March 12, 2027. First-pitch times had not been announced yet, so check the team sites before you buy tickets.

A lot of Cubs fans end up house hunting in the East Valley, and I have a full guide to moving to Mesa. If the Sox are your team, take a look at moving to Glendale on the West Valley side.

Different Houses, Different Checklist

Chicago buyers are used to basements, gutters full of leaves and furnace inspections. In the Valley, the checklist shifts toward:

• Air conditioning age and service history
• Roof condition, especially tile roofs and their underlayment
• Pool equipment, if the home has a pool
• Hard water and water heaters
• Shade, window orientation and garage space for keeping a car cool

Neighborhoods are laid out differently too. Instead of the city grid and the suburbs off the Kennedy or the Eisenhower, the Valley is a set of cities connected by freeways, and many neighborhoods are master-planned with their own parks and HOAs. My cost of living in Phoenix page is a good place to compare everyday costs.

The Paperwork After You Land

Once you arrive, you will need an Arizona driver license, Arizona plates and new utility accounts. Electric service in much of the Valley comes from either APS or SRP depending on the address, and gas and water depend on your city. I walked through the steps in getting your Arizona driver license and registering your car and setting up utilities in Phoenix. If you are coming from the West Coast instead, my post on moving to Phoenix from California covers that angle.

Coming from farther north? See moving to Arizona from Minnesota.

Questions People Ask

Is Phoenix warmer than Chicago in winter?
Yes, by a lot. Based on 1991 to 2020 normals, Phoenix averages January highs near 68 degrees, while Chicago O'Hare averages January highs near 32 degrees and about 38 inches of snow a year.

Where do the Cubs and White Sox have spring training?
The Cubs train at Sloan Park in Mesa, and the White Sox train at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, which they share with the Dodgers. Both are part of the Cactus League, which runs from late February into March.

Is the Phoenix heat really that bad?
It is hot, but most people adjust. The National Weather Service says Phoenix averaged about 111 days a year at 100 degrees or more from 1991 to 2020, mostly from May through early October, so locals plan outdoor time for mornings and evenings.

Does Phoenix change its clocks like Chicago does?
No. Arizona stays on standard time all year, except the Navajo Nation, so the time difference with Chicago changes when Illinois springs forward and falls back.

Terry Day, REALTOR®, DeLex Realty, 10115 E Bell Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.