Payson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Payson
Prescott Valley
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 27%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 9%
vs16 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 21%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Payson | Prescott Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,622 | 49,179 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,710 | $74,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,466 | $37,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 859/sq mi | 1,216/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $382,400 | $413,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,345 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 72.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 240 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.1% | -11.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.8" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 60.9 | 49.2 | 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.
Prescott Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Payson
49
Your Score
47
Area Score
Prescott Valley
49
Your Score
44
Area Score
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Full profiles: Payson, AZ · Prescott Valley, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology