Two modern community centers are the home base for senior activities and other community programs. A beautiful new 31,000 square foot public library is well-equipped to service the community's information needs.

The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center (SVRHC) and the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center serve the community's health care needs. Medical personnel of all major specialties are available in the area. The SVRHC has completed a new Ambulatory Surgery Center on Highway 90. A medical office building will be added later at the 80-acre site.

The local school district enjoys an excellent academic reputation. The local public school system includes a high school, two middle schools, and six elementary schools. Higher education is available through the University of Arizona South Campus, Cochise Community College, the University of Phoenix, Western International University, and Chapman University.

Sierra Vista is the commercial center for Cochise County and parts of northern Mexico. The Mall at Sierra Vista is a 400,000 square foot mall anchored by Dillards and Sears stores. Major retailers such as J.C. Penney, K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Target are already represented in smaller shopping plazas, as are branches of several major Arizona banks. In addition, there are three well-stocked supermarkets and dozens of smaller specialty shops. Fine dining is available throughout the area.

A new ten-screen movie theater and two three-screen movie theaters offer the latest in cinematic entertainment. Over 70 television channels are available through Cox Communications, the area's cable provider, and local AM and FM radio stations broadcast a variety of formats. Newspapers, including a daily and several weeklies, cover the area's news.

Sierra Vista offers a variety of cultural and family-oriented activities throughout the year. The Winter Arts Festival and Art Discovery Series present an year-round program of plays, concerts, musicals, dances, readings, and recitals. Annual events include the Arizona Junior Rodeo, the Sierra Stampede, the Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the Thunder Mountain Marathon, the Buffalo Soldier Celebration, Festival of the Southwest, the Fourth of July Celebration, the Southwest Wings Birding Festival, the Art in the Park arts and crafts festival, the Family Festival, Cinco de Mayo Festival, the Business & Services Expo, and the largest holiday parade in Arizona, to name a few.

Nicknamed the "Hummingbird Capital of the United States," bird watchers from all over the world flock to the nearby Ramsey Canyon Preserve and other local canyons to observe and photograph hundreds of different species. Other Outdoor sightseeing and recreational opportunities abound at the San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area, the Coronado National Monument in the Huachuca Mountains, Cochise stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains, Chiricahua National Monument, Madera Canyon, and the spectacular Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Sierra Vista is also served by Cochise College and the University of Arizona South.