THE TOP 10 MOST AFFORDABLE PLACES TO LIVE IN ARIZONA

LIVING IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

 

The 10 Most Affordable Places To Live In Arizona

 

The 85635 zip code in Sierra Vista tops our ranking of the most affordable places to live in Arizona.

• To determine the most affordable places to live in Arizona, we looked at 191 zip codes in the state, evaluating home values, rental costs, energy rates, property taxes, and five other affordability indicators. We used the data we gathered to calculate our proprietary Affordability Score for each zip code.
  

  Top 10 most affordable places to live in Arizona

  Rank	City	Affordability Score	Median home value	Rental costs
  1	Sierra Vista	100	$262,579	$1,298
  2	Douglas	99.5	$165,619	$1,873
  3	Globe	96.6	$225,580	$1,873
  4	Sahuarita	92.1	$350,620	$2,005
  5	Safford	89.7	$252,053	$1,873
  6	Winslow	89.0	$191,517	$1,873
  7	Tucson	87.3	$374,859	$2,008
  8	Yuma	86.3	$257,870	$1,222
  9	Vail	85.2	$417,855	$2,058
  10	Rio Rico	84.6	$260,674	$1,873

  1. Sierra Vista

  Here’s why the 85635 zip code in Sierra Vista is ranked No. 1 among the most affordable places to live in Arizona.

  Key data about Sierra Vista

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	100	No. 1	N/A
  Median home value	$262,579	No. 14	-$198,537.93
  Home affordability ratio	4.2	No. 12	-1.7
  Home value five-year change	52.1%	No. 12	-12.9%
  Home value one-year forecast	-0.2%	No. 2	-1.2%
  Rental costs	$1,298	No. 8	-$575
  Rent affordability ratio	2.09%	No. 45	-0.3%
  Median household income	$62,167	No. 134	-$16,286
  Property taxes	$1,302	No. 48	-$561
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 94	$0.00

  Sierra Vista’s 85635 zip code is the cheapest place to live in Arizona, leading the 191 markets we evaluated.

  The median home value is $262,579, making it the 14th-cheapest housing market in the state. Forecasts project a -0.2% change in home values in the next year. Rent in the zip code averages $1,298 per month, which is the 45th cheapest amount in Arizona.

  The median property tax for homeowners in Sierra Vista is $1,302 per household, the No. 48 ranked market in Arizona.

  Residents pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity, which ranks No. 94 among Arizona markets.

  2. Douglas

  The 85607 zip code is the 2nd-cheapest place to live in Arizona.

  Key data about Douglas

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	99.5	No. 2	N/A
  Median home value	$165,619	No. 1	-$295,498.15
  Home affordability ratio	4.0	No. 5	-1.9
  Home value five-year change	32.9%	No. 1	-32.1%
  Home value one-year forecast	-0.2%	No. 2	-1.2%
  Rental costs	$1,873	No. 85	$0
  Rent affordability ratio	2.39%	No. 82	0.0%
  Median household income	$41,369	No. 188	-$37,084
  Property taxes	$925[13]	No. 11	-$938
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 94	$0.00

  Douglas’s 85607 zip code has a median home value of $165,619, which is the 2nd-cheapest housing market in Arizona. You can rent for an average of $1,873 per month. That’s the 85th-cheapest price in the state.

  The average household income in the zip code is $41,369, which ranks 188th-highest in the state.

  Homeowners in Douglas pay a median property tax of $925 per year, making it the 11th-most affordable market in Arizona.

  Douglas ranks No. 94 among Arizona energy markets. You’ll pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity.

  3. Globe

  The 3rd-cheapest place to live in Arizona is Globe’s 85501 zip code.

  Key data about Globe

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	96.6	No. 3	N/A
  Median home value	$225,580	No. 4	-$235,537.04
  Home affordability ratio	3.5	No. 2	-2.4
  Home value five-year change	54.8%	No. 22	-10.2%
  Home value one-year forecast	1.0%	No. 46	0.0%
  Rental costs	$1,873	No. 85	$0
  Rent affordability ratio	2.39%	No. 82	0.0%
  Median household income	$64,447	No. 124	-$14,006
  Property taxes	$1,013	No. 17	-$850
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 94	$0.00

  The No. 4 cheapest housing in Arizona is Globe’s 85501 zip code, with a median home value of $225,580. Rents in the market average $1,873 per month, making it the 85th-most affordable rental market in the state.

  The median property tax for households in Globe is $1,013, which makes it the 17th-cheapest place in Arizona. Globe ranks No. 94 among Arizona markets by energy costs. Residents pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity.

  4. Sahuarita

  The 85629 zip code in Sahuarita comes in at No. 4 on our list of the cheapest places to live in Arizona.

  Key data about Sahuarita

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	92.1	No. 4	N/A
  Median home value	$350,620	No. 45	-$110,496.97
  Home affordability ratio	3.4	No. 1	-2.5
  Home value five-year change	56.6%	No. 32	-8.4%
  Home value one-year forecast	0.6%	No. 13	-0.4%
  Rental costs	$2,005	No. 130	$132
  Rent affordability ratio	1.95%	No. 27	-0.4%
  Median household income	$102,872	No. 36	$24,419
  Property taxes	$2,334	No. 140	$471
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 14	$0.00

  The No. 45 cheapest housing market in Arizona is Sahuarita’s 85629 zip code, where the median home value is $350,620. Renters here pay an average of $2,005 per month.

  When it comes to energy costs, Sahuarita ranks 14th among Arizona markets. Residents pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity.

  The median property tax for households in the zip code is $2,334, which makes it the 140th-cheapest market in Arizona.

  5. Safford

  The 85546 zip code in Safford ranks No. 5 among Arizona’s most affordable places to live.

  Key data about Safford

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	89.7	No. 5	N/A
  Median home value	$252,053	No. 9	-$209,063.43
  Home affordability ratio	4.1	No. 6	-1.8
  Home value five-year change	51.2%	No. 8	-13.9%
  Home value one-year forecast	-0.3%	No. 1	-1.3%
  Rental costs	$1,873	No. 85	$0
  Rent affordability ratio	2.39%	No. 82	0.0%
  Median household income	$61,627	No. 139	-$16,826
  Property taxes	$970	No. 14	-$893
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 42	$0.00

  Safford’s 85546 zip code has a median home value of $252,053, the 9th-cheapest market in the state. Forecasts project a -0.3% change in home values in the next year.

  The median property tax per household in Safford is $970. It’s the 14th-cheapest market by tax rate in Arizona.

  6. Winslow

  The No. 6 most affordable place to live in Arizona is the 86047 zip code.

  Key data about Winslow

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	89.0	No. 6	N/A
  Median home value	$191,517	No. 2	-$269,599.78
  Home affordability ratio	4.2	No. 10	-1.7
  Home value five-year change	59.4%	No. 48	-5.6%
  Home value one-year forecast	1.1%	No. 58	0.1%
  Rental costs	$1,873	No. 85	$0
  Rent affordability ratio	2.39%	No. 82	0.0%
  Median household income	$45,842	No. 182	-$32,611
  Property taxes	$674	No. 1	-$1,189
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 94	$0.00

  The back half of our top 10 kicks off with Winslow’s 86047 zip code, which has the 2nd-cheapest home values in Arizona. The median home value is $191,517. Rents average $1,873 per month, making it the 85th-most affordable rental market in the state.

  Residents pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity. It’s the 94th-cheapest energy market.

  7. Tucson

  Tucson’s 85747 zip code is the 7th-cheapest place to live in Arizona.

  Key data about Tucson

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	87.3	No. 7	N/A
  Median home value	$374,859	No. 60	-$86,257.78
  Home affordability ratio	3.6	No. 3	-2.3
  Home value five-year change	58.8%	No. 45	-6.2%
  Home value one-year forecast	0.6%	No. 13	-0.4%
  Rental costs	$2,008	No. 131	$134
  Rent affordability ratio	1.91%	No. 23	-0.5%
  Median household income	$104,855	No. 35	$26,402
  Property taxes	$2,640	No. 158	$777
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 14	$0.00

  You’ll find the 60th-cheapest home values in Arizona in Tucson’s 85747 zip code. The median value: $374,859. Renters in Tucson pay an average of $2,008 per month.

  Homeowners in Tucson pay a median property tax of $2,640 per year, which is Arizona’s 158th-most affordable market.

  The average household income is $104,855, which ranks 35th-highest in the state.

  8. Yuma

  The 8th-cheapest place to live in Arizona is Yuma’s 85364 zip code.

  Key data about Yuma

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	86.3	No. 8	N/A
  Median home value	$257,870	No. 10	-$203,247.17
  Home affordability ratio	4.8	No. 31	-1.1
  Home value five-year change	71.7%	No. 162	6.6%
  Home value one-year forecast	1.4%	No. 186	0.4%
  Rental costs	$1,222	No. 5	-$651
  Rent affordability ratio	2.27%	No. 64	-0.1%
  Median household income	$53,877	No. 164	-$24,576
  Property taxes	$1,294	No. 45	-$569
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 94	$0.00

  The 10th-cheapest housing market in Arizona is Yuma’s 85364 zip code, with a median home value of $257,870. Renters pay an average of $1,222 per month, the No. 5 rental market in the state.

  The median property tax for households in Yuma is $1,294, which makes it the 45th-cheapest place in Arizona. The average household income of $53,877 ranks 164th.

  9. Vail

  Vail’s 85641 zip code sneaks into the top ten of Arizona’s most affordable places to live.

  Key data about Vail

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	85.2	No. 9	N/A
  Median home value	$417,855	No. 91	-$43,261.42
  Home affordability ratio	3.7	No. 4	-2.2
  Home value five-year change	50.3%	No. 5	-14.7%
  Home value one-year forecast	0.6%	No. 13	-0.4%
  Rental costs	$2,058	No. 138	$185
  Rent affordability ratio	1.80%	No. 9	-0.6%
  Median household income	$114,201	No. 20	$35,748
  Property taxes	$2,865	No. 168	$1,002
  Energy costs	$0.14 kWh	No. 14	$0.00

  The 91st-cheapest housing market in Arizona is Vail’s 85641 zip code, where the median home value is $417,855. Renters pay an average of $2,058 per month. It’s the state’s 138th-cheapest rental market.

  The median property tax for households within the zip code is $2,865, which makes it the 168th-cheapest property tax rate in Arizona.

  10. Rio Rico

  The final spot on our list of the most affordable places to live in Arizona goes to the 85648 zip code in Rio Rico.

  Key data about Rio Rico

  Data point	Value	Rank (out of 191 markets)	Difference from median or average
  Affordability Score	84.6	No. 10	N/A
  Median home value	$260,674	No. 12	-$200,443.27
  Home affordability ratio	4.2	No. 9	-1.7
  Home value five-year change	69.3%	No. 153	4.3%
  Home value one-year forecast	1.3%	No. 177	0.3%
  Rental costs	$1,873	No. 85	$0
  Rent affordability ratio	2.39%	No. 82	0.0%
  Median household income	$62,461	No. 133	-$15,992
  Property taxes	$1,303	No. 49	-$560
  Energy costs	$0.12 kWh	No. 1	-$0.02

  The 12th-most affordable market in Arizona is Rio Rico’s 85648 zip code. The median home value is $260,674. Rent in the market costs $1,873 per month on average, making it the 85th-most affordable rental market in Arizona.

  The median property tax for households in Rio Rico is $1,303, which is the 49th-cheapest property tax rate in the state.

  Rio Rico ranks No. 1 among Arizona markets by energy costs, with households paying $0.12 per kWh of electricity.

  How we ranked the most affordable places in Arizona

  We evaluated 191 zip codes in Arizona with a population over 10,000 on nine metrics. We then assigned each market an Affordability Score based on its weighted and combined rankings.  – more at azbigmedia.com