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
Prescott Valley-Prescott
Flagstaff
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 6%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
53 · Top 46%
vs31 · Bottom 20%
Climate
68 · Top 43%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 6%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 5%
vs57 · Bottom 4%
Access
66 · Bottom 31%
vs87 · Top 31%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 33%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Prescott Valley-Prescott | Flagstaff | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 245,480 | 144,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,613 | $72,966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,784 | $38,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 30/sq mi | 8/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $425,200 | $448,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,351 | $1,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -7.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 40.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,279 | 425 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.2 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.0% | -42.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.8" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 55.1 | 32.8 | 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
Prescott Valley-Prescott
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Flagstaff
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Prescott Valley-Prescott
47
Your Score
42
Area Score
Flagstaff
45
Your Score
40
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ Metro Area · Flagstaff, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology