The Town Files

First Mesa, Arizona

Community in Navajo County · population 1,352 (2020 Census)

Map: where First Mesa is in ArizonaFirst Mesa
Median home
$48,300
Household income
$57,889
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
34.3

First Mesa is a community of 1,352 people in Navajo County, Arizona. The median home is worth $48,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 87% of Arizona towns, hipper than 81% of Arizona towns.

First Mesa in our rankings:

How First Mesa 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.

First Mesa lifestyle rankings vs other Arizona townsRetirement66th pctFamilies15th pctQuiet42nd pctWalkability58th pctFirst-time buyers87th pctYoung professionals63rd pctVibrancy22nd pctHip & trendy81st pctCollege town39th pctUpscale47th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving2nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in First Mesa is worth $48,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 0.8 times the median household income of $57,889, which is more affordable than 98% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 76.2% of households own their home.

First Mesa vs Navajo County vs typical Arizona townFirst MesaNavajo CountyTypical Arizona townHome value$48,300$201,500$248,600Household income$57,889$54,606$60,835Monthly rent$756$858$1,050
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Arizona towns with 500+ people.
HousingFirst MesaTypical Arizona town
Median home value$48,300$248,600
Median rent$756$1,050
Median household income$57,889$60,835
Home value ÷ income0.8×4.0×
Homeownership76.2%78.6%
Median year built19901990
Seasonal / vacation homes13.3%—

Who lives in First Mesa

PeopleFirst MesaTypical Arizona town
Median age34.342.5
Age 65 and over25.4%21.8%
Under 1835.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher10.6%18.1%
Below the poverty line17.3%13.8%
Veterans13.7%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home13.8%10.2%
Average commute24.8 min24.7 min
Homes with broadband63.6%88.0%

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of First Mesa since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 8, 2006.

Severe weather in Navajo County since 1996

Storm events in Navajo County since 1996 by typeHail53Flood31Tornado22Wildfire41High Wind356Dust Storm82Heavy Rain53Heavy Snow271
NOAA Storm Events Database, Navajo County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 17 deaths recorded.

Navajo County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 13, 2021FloodDR-4620: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3442: Covid-19
March 18, 2010Severe StormDR-1888: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding
January 24, 2010Severe StormEM-3307: Severe Winter Storm

Jobs and pay in Navajo County

Navajo County had 28,615 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,447 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in First Mesa itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.

Largest industries in Navajo CountyHealth care & social assistan…4,256 jobs · $63,258Retail4,073 jobs · $35,104Hotels & restaurants3,876 jobs · $24,052Construction1,513 jobs · $52,680Administrative & support589 jobs · $44,325Agriculture, forestry & fishi…526 jobs · $45,714
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Navajo County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Navajo 5.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near First Mesa

First Mesa questions

Is First Mesa, Arizona a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, First Mesa scores better for retirees than 66% of Arizona towns and quieter than 42%. 25.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).

How much does a house cost in First Mesa?

The median owner-occupied home in First Mesa is valued at $48,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,889, so homes cost about 0.8 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.

Does First Mesa get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of First Mesa in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to First Mesa's Census boundary (GEOID 0423512). Comparisons use the median of Arizona towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.