The 10 Best Small Towns In Arizona For 2025


The best small towns in Arizona are Rio Verde and Fort Valley for 2025 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: October 1, 2025

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Arizona. Best sururbs in Arizona. Best counties in Arizona.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Grand Canyon State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Arizona based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Arizona ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Arizona For 2025

  1. Rio Verde
  2. Fort Valley
  3. Desert Hills
  4. St. Johns
  5. Kachina Village
  6. Eagar
  7. Carefree
  8. Tubac
  9. Pinetop Country Club
  10. Parks
  11. Wagon Wheel
  12. Pima
  13. Parker
  14. Linden
  15. St. David

Best Small Towns To Live In Arizona Map

What’s the best small town in Arizona? Rio Verde is the best small town in Arizona based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Rio Verde, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Grand Canyon State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Arizona For 2025

1. Rio Verde

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,271
Median Income: $141,020 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $728,300 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

2. Fort Valley

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,803
Median Income: $157,778 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $913,600 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

3. Desert Hills

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,910
Median Income: $68,523 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $239,200 (26th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%

4. St. Johns

St. Johns, AZ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,409
Median Income: $128,920 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $180,900 (40th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

5. Kachina Village

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,212
Median Income: $79,085 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $406,000 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%

6. Eagar

Eagar, AZ

Source: Flickr User Mesa0789 | CC BY-ND 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 4,410
Median Income: $81,667 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $231,100 (30th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

7. Carefree

Carefree, AZ

Source: Wikipedia User Marine 69-71 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,672
Median Income: $141,331 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $1,066,600 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%

8. Tubac

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,247
Median Income: $82,273 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $481,800 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3%

9. Pinetop Country Club

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,915
Median Income: $77,064 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $412,100 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%

10. Parks

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,514
Median Income: $90,625 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $562,900 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

11. Wagon Wheel

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,767
Median Income: $55,506 (39th Best)
Median Home Value: $258,800 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 8.0%

12. Pima

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,910
Median Income: $97,238 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $261,700 (22nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

13. Parker

Parker, AZ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,379
Median Income: $74,643 (19th Best)
Median Home Value: $253,300 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.6%

14. Linden

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,299
Median Income: $91,378 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $398,600 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

15. St. David

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,112
Median Income: $45,417 (67th Best)
Median Home Value: $121,000 (59th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Arizona

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Arizona possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 90 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 90, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Arizona. Top of that list — Rio Verde.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Arizona.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Arizona are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Arizona are Rio Verde, Fort Valley, Desert Hills, St. Johns, Kachina Village, Eagar, Carefree, Tubac, Pinetop Country Club, and Parks.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Arizona:

  1. Lukachukai
  2. Cibecue
  3. Kaibito

For more Arizona reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Arizona

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Rio Verde, AZ 2,271 $141,020 0.0%
2 Fort Valley, AZ 1,803 $157,778 1.4%
3 Desert Hills, AZ 2,910 $68,523 6.5%
4 St. Johns, AZ 3,409 $128,920 2.1%
5 Kachina Village, AZ 3,212 $79,085 1.9%
6 Eagar, AZ 4,410 $81,667 2.1%
7 Carefree, AZ 3,672 $141,331 4.3%
8 Tubac, AZ 1,247 $82,273 6.3%
9 Pinetop Country Club, AZ 1,915 $77,064 6.2%
10 Parks, AZ 1,514 $90,625 0.6%
11 Wagon Wheel, AZ 1,767 $55,506 8.0%
12 Pima, AZ 2,910 $97,238 0.6%
13 Parker, AZ 3,379 $74,643 5.6%
14 Linden, AZ 2,299 $91,378 1.4%
15 St. David, AZ 1,112 $45,417 0.0%
16 Clifton, AZ 3,845 $84,457 1.4%
17 Cornville, AZ 3,356 $70,925 5.6%
18 Springerville, AZ 1,847 $49,886 1.1%
19 Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ 4,103 $52,207 5.9%
20 Lake Montezuma, AZ 4,615 $54,081 2.5%
21 Clarkdale, AZ 4,642 $32,607 1.1%
22 Dewey-Humboldt, AZ 4,428 $64,183 8.6%
23 Mescal, AZ 1,601 $52,465 0.0%
24 Pine, AZ 1,899 $61,964 0.0%
25 Ajo, AZ 3,783 $56,364 6.9%
26 Tombstone, AZ 1,022 $54,792 0.7%
27 Bisbee, AZ 4,963 $46,689 10.1%
28 Oracle, AZ 3,154 $66,729 3.8%
29 Williams, AZ 3,322 $66,183 5.1%
30 Swift Trail Junction, AZ 2,889 $58,105 0.0%
31 Paulden, AZ 4,874 $88,945 3.7%
32 Taylor, AZ 4,091 $69,945 2.6%
33 Cienega Springs, AZ 1,640 $45,871 5.8%
34 Wellton, AZ 2,470 $51,938 0.9%
35 Kearny, AZ 2,245 $49,688 3.7%
36 Holbrook, AZ 4,834 $61,979 4.4%
37 Black Canyon City, AZ 2,297 $69,718 6.1%
38 Cordes Lakes, AZ 3,218 $55,691 5.3%
39 Congress, AZ 1,700 $62,083 0.0%
40 Cactus Flats, AZ 1,550 $75,160 10.7%
41 Joseph City, AZ 1,995 $75,907 6.2%
42 Superior, AZ 2,470 $42,050 7.1%
43 Mesa Del Caballo, AZ 1,188 $55,833 11.8%
44 Claypool, AZ 1,134 $54,010 5.8%
45 Mohave Valley, AZ 2,585 $77,547 9.1%
46 Valle Vista, AZ 2,376 $46,690 9.1%
47 North Fork, AZ 1,454 $89,700 4.4%
48 Bouse, AZ 1,119 $38,242 4.8%
49 Heber-Overgaard, AZ 3,216 $56,667 17.7%
50 Lake Of The Woods, AZ 3,227 $55,531 13.4%
51 Central Heights-Midland City, AZ 2,678 $75,347 13.3%
52 Willcox, AZ 3,236 $40,750 13.0%
53 Whetstone, AZ 2,840 $51,050 8.6%
54 Fredonia, AZ 1,084 $60,476 9.9%
55 Huachuca City, AZ 1,808 $47,621 12.2%
56 Fort Defiance, AZ 3,614 $56,250 10.5%
57 Duncan, AZ 1,063 $38,750 4.6%
58 Window Rock, AZ 2,384 $44,918 8.9%
59 Moenkopi, AZ 1,028 $49,635 12.7%
60 Spring Valley, AZ 1,610 $42,721 1.9%
61 Lechee, AZ 1,307 $65,486 6.8%
62 Miami, AZ 1,436 $44,286 21.2%
63 Mammoth, AZ 1,015 $46,719 13.9%
64 South Tucson, AZ 4,601 $33,734 9.8%
65 Gila Bend, AZ 1,871 $49,786 0.0%
66 Scenic, AZ 1,931 $32,629 13.5%
67 Naco, AZ 1,176 $49,750 5.7%
68 San Manuel, AZ 3,269 $48,333 4.4%
69 White Mountain Lake, AZ 2,678 $47,661 6.7%
70 First Mesa, AZ 1,381 $53,173 5.4%
71 Ak-Chin Village, AZ 1,133 $48,750 14.1%
72 Quartzsite, AZ 1,805 $24,359 55.1%
73 Chinle, AZ 4,395 $46,458 14.6%
74 Tsaile, AZ 1,667 $40,500 2.8%
75 San Carlos, AZ 4,769 $50,814 18.6%
76 Peridot, AZ 1,141 $44,083 16.3%
77 Pinon, AZ 1,183 $42,847 26.9%
78 Wilhoit, AZ 1,027 $48,542 6.6%
79 Canyon Day, AZ 1,426 $36,563 7.3%
80 Pirtleville, AZ 1,869 $49,022 18.0%
81 Summit, AZ 4,410 $43,484 25.7%
82 Dolan Springs, AZ 1,354 $30,795 5.5%
83 Dilkon, AZ 1,267 $38,452 6.2%
84 Whiteriver, AZ 4,308 $38,205 9.7%
85 Bylas, AZ 1,750 $32,214 16.8%
86 Shongopovi, AZ 1,131 $32,708 30.7%
87 Leupp, AZ 1,027 $49,833 15.3%
88 Kaibito, AZ 1,679 $47,692 15.3%
89 Cibecue, AZ 2,300 $21,629 8.9%
90 Lukachukai, AZ 1,876 $34,191 18.8%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns