You know the count. Seventy-one sunny days a year in Seattle. The grey that sets in October and doesn't lift until May. The rain that's beautiful for the first decade and something else after thirty years.
Goswick Ranch is a private gated community in Arizona's Bradshaw Mountains — 75 miles north of Phoenix, 9 acres minimum per lot, $216 a year in HOA dues, and property taxes that average about $476 a year.
It gets approximately 300 days of sun. The Milky Way is visible from your property on clear nights. You can live here full-time, part-time, or hold it as an investment. No occupancy requirement.
| Location | E Poland Road, Mayer, AZ 86333 |
| Elevation | 4,400–6,000 ft |
| Lot minimum | 9 acres (CC&R covenant) |
| HOA fee | $216/year |
| Gate | Gated; private road |
| Allowed | Horses, cattle, livestock, site-built homes (1,500 sq ft min) |
| Item | Seattle / Portland | Goswick Ranch / Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Annual property taxes | King County avg ~$8,000/yr; Multnomah ~$5,000/yr | ~$476/yr |
| Annual HOA | Seattle HOAs often $4,800–$12,000/yr | $216/year |
| State income tax | WA: none; OR: up to 9.9% | 2.5% flat |
| Sunny days per year | Seattle: ~71; Portland: ~144 | ~300 |
Arizona's 2.5% flat income tax vs. Oregon's up to 9.9% represents a significant annual savings. On $80,000 in retirement income, the difference can exceed $5,000/year.
No income tax advantage — but the property tax savings (~$7,500/yr) and quality-of-life case stand on their own. 300 days of sun vs. 71 is not a small thing.
Numbers are estimates for general comparison. Consult a tax advisor for your specific situation.
You don't have to give up the outdoor life to leave the Pacific Northwest. Goswick Ranch borders Prescott National Forest. Hundreds of miles of maintained equestrian and hiking trails are accessible from the Poland Road corridor. Deer, elk, bears, and eagles are daily companions. The terrain is varied — high desert, ponderosa pine, creek drainages.
The weather through summer peaks in the 80s°F while Phoenix sits at 110°F+. Monsoon season brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms from mid-June through September — intense, brief, and followed by cool air that smells nothing like Seattle rain and everything like it.
In winter: 40s–50s°F days. Occasional snow. And the Milky Way overhead on clear nights — Bortle Class 3–4 dark sky, something most Seattle and Portland residents haven't seen from their own property since childhood, if ever.
Seattle (SEA) and Portland (PDX) both have multiple daily nonstop flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). Flight time: Seattle ~2.5 hours; Portland ~2 hours. From PHX, the community is 74 miles north — approximately 70 minutes via I-17 N and SR 69 E.
Seattle to Mayer is approximately 1,450 miles — a 2–3 day road trip via I-5 South through Portland, south through Nevada to I-40, then I-17 South to SR 69. Portland to Mayer is approximately 1,250 miles. Many buyers make this as a scouting trip.
Prescott, AZ (27 miles from the ranch) is the recommended base — historic downtown, good lodging and restaurants.
Contact the board to ask questions before you make the trip.
The Mayer, AZ area averages approximately 300 days of sun per year — comparable to the broader central Arizona high country. Compare to Seattle's ~71 sunny days and Portland's ~144.
No. Oregon's top income tax rate is 9.9%; Arizona's is 2.5% flat. For Oregon retirees, the savings can be significant — over $5,000/year on $80,000 in income. Washington has no income tax, so WA buyers won't see income tax savings — but the property tax savings still apply.
Daytime highs typically in the 80s°F at elevation, with monsoon season mid-June through September. Dramatically different from Phoenix (110°F+) and milder than most of Arizona's lowlands. Nothing like Seattle's grey, but not the extreme heat of the Phoenix desert either.
Yes. No occupancy requirement. Seasonal, part-time, or investment use all permitted.
Questions about the community or planning a visit — the Goswick Ranch Board of Directors provides direct, timely responses.