Sun Lakes, AZ

Sun Lakes is a Maricopa County census-designated place south of Chandler, built as an active-adult community rather than a conventional town. It is made up of five country club communities organized under three homeowner associations, so golf, recreation centers, clubs, and HOA structure shape much of daily life. Sun Lakes sits along the southeastern edge of Maricopa County and is served by Chandler Unified School District, though the community itself is largely retirement-oriented. It is residential, planned, and deeply tied to the Phoenix area's snowbird and retiree economy.