The Town FilesCactus Forest, Arizona
Community in Pinal County · population 606 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,600
- Household income
- $67,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 105°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 68.2
Cactus Forest is a community of 606 people in Pinal County, Arizona. The median home is worth $160,600, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks quieter than 89% of Arizona towns, better for retirees than 82% of Arizona towns, better for cycling than 73% of Arizona towns.
How Cactus Forest ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cactus Forest is worth $160,600, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $67,083, which is more affordable than 78% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $946 a month. 83.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cactus Forest | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,600 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $946 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $67,083 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 83.2% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cactus Forest
| People | Cactus Forest | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 68.2 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 52.0% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.9% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 23.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 21.6% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 50.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 88.0% |
Weather in Cactus Forest
July highs average 104.9°F and January lows 42.2°F. About 8.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 168 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 10 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Cactus Forest since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on September 26, 2025.
Severe weather in Pinal County since 1996
Pinal County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2025 | Fire | FM-5585: Cody Fire |
| July 9, 2024 | Fire | FM-5505: Shake Fire |
| May 29, 2024 | Fire | FM-5493: Simmons Fire |
| June 6, 2021 | Fire | FM-5389: Telegraph Fire |
| April 8, 2021 | Fire | FM-5385: Margo Fire |
Jobs and pay in Pinal County
Pinal County had 77,687 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,158 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Cactus Forest itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Towns near Cactus Forest
- Florence, AZ9.5 mi · 26,785 people · home $346,300
- Coolidge, AZ12.1 mi · 13,218 people · home $255,400
- Blackwater, AZ16.3 mi · 1,190 people · home $256,000
- San Tan Valley, AZ20.9 mi · 99,894 people · home $410,100
- Sacaton Flats Village, AZ21.1 mi · 576 people · home $332,500
- Eloy, AZ22.0 mi · 15,635 people · home $255,300
- Queen Valley, AZ22.5 mi · 967 people · home $223,200
- Superior, AZ24.4 mi · 2,407 people · home $140,400
Cactus Forest questions
Is Cactus Forest, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cactus Forest scores better for retirees than 82% of Arizona towns and quieter than 89%. 52.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 68.2).
How much does a house cost in Cactus Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Cactus Forest is valued at $160,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,083, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $946 a month.
What is the weather like in Cactus Forest?
July highs average 104.9°F and January lows 42.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Cactus Forest get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Cactus Forest in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)