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 2024
- Rio Verde
- Fort Valley
- Desert Hills
- Morenci
- Wagon Wheel
- Carefree
- Kachina Village
- St. Johns
- Eagar
- Tubac
- Parks
- Pinetop Country Club
- Pima
- Oracle
- Clifton
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 2024
1. Rio Verde
/10
Population: 2,422
Median Income: $135,457 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $830,275 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%
2. Fort Valley
/10
Population: 1,734
Median Income: $138,824 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,124,551 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%
3. Desert Hills
/10
Population: 2,651
Median Income: $59,911 (33rd Best)
Median Home Value: $282,554 (34th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 7.6%
4. Morenci
/10
Population: 1,467
Median Income: $83,144 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $0 (100th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
5. Wagon Wheel
/10
Population: 1,406
Median Income: $54,354 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $349,371 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%
6. Carefree
/10
Population: 3,671
Median Income: $122,328 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $1,227,970 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%
7. Kachina Village
/10
Population: 3,057
Median Income: $77,701 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $450,584 (14th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%
8. St. Johns
/10
Population: 3,419
Median Income: $83,690 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $214,168 (49th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
9. Eagar
/10
Population: 4,425
Median Income: $82,538 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $280,887 (35th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%
10. Tubac
/10
Population: 1,375
Median Income: $85,893 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $511,299 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9%
11. Parks
/10
Population: 1,352
Median Income: $93,854 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $638,083 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.1%
12. Pinetop Country Club
/10
Population: 1,769
Median Income: $86,417 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $462,313 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%
13. Pima
/10
Population: 2,847
Median Income: $67,880 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $280,674 (36th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%
14. Oracle
/10
Population: 3,146
Median Income: $64,247 (28th Best)
Median Home Value: $502,567 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7%
15. Clifton
/10
Population: 3,869
Median Income: $78,862 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $86,321 (85th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%
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 2018-2022 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 – 103 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 103, 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, Morenci, Wagon Wheel, Carefree, Kachina Village, St. Johns, Eagar, and Tubac.
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Arizona:
- Cibecue
- Peach Springs
- Leupp
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 | 2,422 | $135,457 | 0.0% | |
| 2 | Fort Valley, AZ | 1,734 | $138,824 | 3.1% | |
| 3 | Desert Hills, AZ | 2,651 | $59,911 | 7.6% | |
| 4 | Morenci, AZ | 1,467 | $83,144 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Wagon Wheel, AZ | 1,406 | $54,354 | 3.1% | |
| 6 | Carefree, AZ | 3,671 | $122,328 | 2.0% | |
| 7 | Kachina Village, AZ | 3,057 | $77,701 | 0.8% | |
| 8 | St. Johns, AZ | 3,419 | $83,690 | 2.2% | |
| 9 | Eagar, AZ | 4,425 | $82,538 | 0.9% | |
| 10 | Tubac, AZ | 1,375 | $85,893 | 3.9% | |
| 11 | Parks, AZ | 1,352 | $93,854 | 1.1% | |
| 12 | Pinetop Country Club, AZ | 1,769 | $86,417 | 8.3% | |
| 13 | Pima, AZ | 2,847 | $67,880 | 1.8% | |
| 14 | Oracle, AZ | 3,146 | $64,247 | 1.7% | |
| 15 | Clifton, AZ | 3,869 | $78,862 | 1.2% | |
| 16 | Pine, AZ | 1,526 | $54,720 | 0.0% | |
| 17 | Clarkdale, AZ | 4,528 | $40,313 | 0.2% | |
| 18 | Star Valley, AZ | 2,490 | $62,603 | 2.2% | |
| 19 | Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ | 4,080 | $57,125 | 4.9% | |
| 20 | St. David, AZ | 1,300 | $51,705 | 0.0% | |
| 21 | Six Shooter Canyon, AZ | 1,325 | $57,292 | 2.3% | |
| 22 | Linden, AZ | 2,452 | $79,531 | 4.1% | |
| 23 | Lake Montezuma, AZ | 4,526 | $57,575 | 2.8% | |
| 24 | Parker, AZ | 3,357 | $67,566 | 4.3% | |
| 25 | Mescal, AZ | 1,468 | $52,969 | 0.0% | |
| 26 | Mesa Del Caballo, AZ | 1,194 | $65,313 | 4.9% | |
| 27 | Bisbee, AZ | 4,972 | $43,512 | 4.3% | |
| 28 | Centennial Park, AZ | 1,490 | $68,882 | 6.1% | |
| 29 | Springerville, AZ | 2,006 | $48,475 | 1.9% | |
| 30 | Strawberry, AZ | 1,003 | $43,083 | 0.0% | |
| 31 | Cienega Springs, AZ | 1,441 | $47,438 | 2.3% | |
| 32 | Cave Creek, AZ | 4,966 | $90,824 | 4.5% | |
| 33 | Swift Trail Junction, AZ | 2,907 | $68,775 | 0.0% | |
| 34 | Cornville, AZ | 3,582 | $68,929 | 10.2% | |
| 35 | Wellton, AZ | 2,447 | $52,654 | 1.0% | |
| 36 | Bagdad, AZ | 2,661 | $81,417 | 0.0% | |
| 37 | Mohave Valley, AZ | 2,724 | $69,313 | 4.8% | |
| 38 | Fredonia, AZ | 1,009 | $57,762 | 2.7% | |
| 39 | Kearny, AZ | 2,327 | $58,026 | 4.3% | |
| 40 | Joseph City, AZ | 2,058 | $69,643 | 5.2% | |
| 41 | Tombstone, AZ | 1,046 | $46,667 | 2.9% | |
| 42 | Taylor, AZ | 4,062 | $75,125 | 4.9% | |
| 43 | Holbrook, AZ | 4,842 | $58,856 | 3.9% | |
| 44 | Dewey-Humboldt, AZ | 4,363 | $56,604 | 8.1% | |
| 45 | Williams, AZ | 3,275 | $63,141 | 5.5% | |
| 46 | Grand Canyon Village, AZ | 1,914 | $67,256 | 0.0% | |
| 47 | Cactus Flats, AZ | 1,238 | $56,111 | 1.8% | |
| 48 | Congress, AZ | 1,512 | $61,563 | 0.0% | |
| 49 | Tonto Basin, AZ | 1,380 | $49,567 | 0.0% | |
| 50 | Superior, AZ | 2,639 | $39,600 | 6.9% | |
| 51 | Claypool, AZ | 1,252 | $53,450 | 10.8% | |
| 52 | Whetstone, AZ | 2,724 | $50,967 | 5.6% | |
| 53 | Paulden, AZ | 4,518 | $65,417 | 6.3% | |
| 54 | Ajo, AZ | 2,922 | $46,250 | 7.5% | |
| 55 | Central Heights-Midland City, AZ | 2,380 | $68,250 | 10.6% | |
| 56 | Lake Of The Woods, AZ | 3,426 | $52,480 | 13.4% | |
| 57 | North Fork, AZ | 1,689 | $78,942 | 9.9% | |
| 58 | Valle Vista, AZ | 2,633 | $44,929 | 11.4% | |
| 59 | Willcox, AZ | 3,232 | $40,884 | 16.8% | |
| 60 | Huachuca City, AZ | 1,865 | $44,360 | 11.0% | |
| 61 | Cordes Lakes, AZ | 3,308 | $51,285 | 20.0% | |
| 62 | Moenkopi, AZ | 1,064 | $51,518 | 11.3% | |
| 63 | Miami, AZ | 1,353 | $30,417 | 15.9% | |
| 64 | Spring Valley, AZ | 1,514 | $41,429 | 2.2% | |
| 65 | Fort Defiance, AZ | 3,528 | $50,320 | 9.2% | |
| 66 | Window Rock, AZ | 2,056 | $40,242 | 10.8% | |
| 67 | Beaver Dam, AZ | 2,013 | $45,550 | 7.7% | |
| 68 | Gila Bend, AZ | 1,783 | $52,879 | 0.0% | |
| 69 | South Tucson, AZ | 4,642 | $34,014 | 14.2% | |
| 70 | Heber-Overgaard, AZ | 2,651 | $39,779 | 26.7% | |
| 71 | Lechee, AZ | 1,453 | $61,354 | 9.6% | |
| 72 | Naco, AZ | 1,189 | $42,500 | 5.0% | |
| 73 | Black Canyon City, AZ | 2,408 | $48,468 | 12.8% | |
| 74 | Wilhoit, AZ | 1,009 | $43,882 | 0.0% | |
| 75 | First Mesa, AZ | 1,454 | $53,229 | 5.6% | |
| 76 | Mammoth, AZ | 1,014 | $42,650 | 17.2% | |
| 77 | Sells, AZ | 2,422 | $44,038 | 15.5% | |
| 78 | Quartzsite, AZ | 2,141 | $19,017 | 38.9% | |
| 79 | Chinle, AZ | 3,888 | $44,821 | 11.4% | |
| 80 | Tsaile, AZ | 1,482 | $39,625 | 4.8% | |
| 81 | Ak-Chin Village, AZ | 1,178 | $47,917 | 14.3% | |
| 82 | San Manuel, AZ | 3,535 | $45,625 | 9.9% | |
| 83 | Dolan Springs, AZ | 1,397 | $36,274 | 2.4% | |
| 84 | San Carlos, AZ | 4,405 | $38,125 | 19.6% | |
| 85 | Pirtleville, AZ | 1,483 | $48,594 | 21.1% | |
| 86 | Pinon, AZ | 1,018 | $42,750 | 17.9% | |
| 87 | Sacaton, AZ | 2,713 | $29,347 | 9.4% | |
| 88 | Whiteriver, AZ | 4,284 | $37,165 | 9.3% | |
| 89 | Avenue B And C, AZ | 3,850 | $37,346 | 21.5% | |
| 90 | Casa Blanca, AZ | 1,137 | $33,372 | 8.6% | |
| 91 | Dilkon, AZ | 1,326 | $40,288 | 7.1% | |
| 92 | White Mountain Lake, AZ | 2,817 | $36,719 | 12.1% | |
| 93 | Canyon Day, AZ | 1,621 | $33,284 | 13.1% | |
| 94 | Blackwater, AZ | 2,128 | $25,917 | 6.1% | |
| 95 | Seven Mile, AZ | 1,032 | $50,956 | 22.4% | |
| 96 | Bylas, AZ | 1,552 | $39,688 | 12.2% | |
| 97 | Peridot, AZ | 1,465 | $40,074 | 40.6% | |
| 98 | Lukachukai, AZ | 1,706 | $28,750 | 19.7% | |
| 99 | Kaibito, AZ | 1,718 | $47,212 | 16.0% | |
| 100 | Shongopovi, AZ | 1,151 | $27,353 | 28.3% |
