Signals
Payson
On Top of the World
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 27%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 9%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 21%
vs64 · Bottom 25%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs63 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Payson | On Top of the World | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,622 | 16,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,710 | $60,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,466 | $46,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 859/sq mi | 914/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $382,400 | $303,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,345 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 92.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 38.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.8" | 43.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 60.9 | 71.4 | 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
Payson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
On Top of the World
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Your best match
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Payson
49
Your Score
47
Area Score
On Top of the World
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Payson, AZ · On Top of the World, FL · How this is calculated: methodology