The 10 Best Small Towns In Arizona For 2024


The best small towns in Arizona are Rio Verde and Fort Valley for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

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

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

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 2024

1. Rio Verde

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,422
Median Income: $135,457 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $830,275 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

2. Fort Valley

Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,651
Median Income: $59,911 (33rd Best)
Median Home Value: $282,554 (34th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 7.6%

4. Morenci

Morenci, AZ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,467
Median Income: $83,144 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $0 (100th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

5. Wagon Wheel

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,406
Median Income: $54,354 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $349,371 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

6. Carefree

Carefree, AZ

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

6
/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

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,057
Median Income: $77,701 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $450,584 (14th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%

8. St. Johns

St. Johns, AZ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,419
Median Income: $83,690 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $214,168 (49th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%

9. Eagar

Eagar, AZ

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

8
/10

Population: 4,425
Median Income: $82,538 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $280,887 (35th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%

10. Tubac

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,375
Median Income: $85,893 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $511,299 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9%

11. Parks

Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,769
Median Income: $86,417 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $462,313 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%

13. Pima

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,847
Median Income: $67,880 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $280,674 (36th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%

14. Oracle

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 3,146
Median Income: $64,247 (28th Best)
Median Home Value: $502,567 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7%

15. Clifton

Clifton, AZ

Source: Wikipedia User Ron Reiring | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 3,869
Median Income: $78,862 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $86,321 (85th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%

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 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:

  1. Cibecue
  2. Peach Springs
  3. 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%
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