Prescott Valley-Prescott receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Flagstaff
Prescott Valley-Prescott
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 7%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Growth
31 · Bottom 20%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
56 · Bottom 15%
vs68 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 6%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 4%
vs59 · Bottom 5%
Access
87 · Top 31%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 28%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Flagstaff | Prescott Valley-Prescott | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 144,508 | 245,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,966 | $69,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,920 | $41,784 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8/sq mi | 30/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $448,000 | $425,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,473 | $1,351 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 75.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.8% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 425 | 1,279 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.4% | -35.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 62 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 55.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Flagstaff
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Prescott Valley-Prescott
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Flagstaff
45
Your Score
40
Area Score
Prescott Valley-Prescott
47
Your Score
42
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Flagstaff, AZ Metro Area · Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology