Flagstaff receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Flagstaff
Lake Havasu City
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 7%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
40 · Bottom 4%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Flagstaff | Lake Havasu City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,445 | 58,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,512 | $70,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,409 | $44,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,158/sq mi | 1,259/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $552,900 | $455,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,645 | $1,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.3% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 6.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.8% | -5.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.3% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 302 | 145 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.6% | -52.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 111°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.5" | 4.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 17.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.9 | 56.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.50 | 19.48 | 2024-25 school 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.
Lake Havasu City
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
47
Your Score
39
Area Score
Lake Havasu City
44
Your Score
38
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Flagstaff, AZ · Lake Havasu City, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology