The Town FilesFort Defiance, Arizona
Community in Apache County · population 3,541 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $37,400
- Household income
- $56,045
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.3
Fort Defiance is a community of 3,541 people in Apache County, Arizona. The median home is worth $37,400, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better transit than 81% of Arizona towns, easier by car than 79% of Arizona towns, better for young professionals than 72% of Arizona towns.
How Fort Defiance 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 Fort Defiance is worth $37,400, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 0.7 times the median household income of $56,045, which is more affordable than 99% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $856 a month. 51.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Defiance | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $37,400 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $856 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $56,045 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 51.8% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Fort Defiance
| People | Fort Defiance | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.6% | 88.0% |
Weather in Fort Defiance
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 11.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.8 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 196 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Fort Defiance since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 1, 2018.
Severe weather in Apache County since 1996
Apache County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5584: Greer Fire |
| September 13, 2021 | Flood | DR-4620: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| June 2, 2011 | Fire | FM-2915: Wallow Fire |
Jobs and pay in Apache County
Apache County had 16,611 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,805 a year. Unemployment was 7.9% in 2023; in Fort Defiance itself the ACS puts it at 11.2%.
Public schools in Fort Defiance
6 public schools with 1,637 students, about 17.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window Rock High School | 9-12 | 566 | 18.3 |
| Tsehootsooi Primary Learning Center | K-3 | 433 | 19.7 |
| Tsehootsooi Intermediate Learning Center | 4-6 | 319 | 16.0 |
| Tsehootsooi Middle School | 7-8 | 273 | 15.2 |
| Integrated Preschool | PK-PK | 46 | 15.3 |
| NATIVE - Window Rock High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Fort Defiance
- Window Rock, AZ5.3 mi · 2,500 people · home $84,900
- Gallup, NM24.3 mi · 21,899 people · home $165,200
Fort Defiance questions
Is Fort Defiance, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Defiance scores better for retirees than 23% of Arizona towns and quieter than 39%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Fort Defiance?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Defiance is valued at $37,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,045, so homes cost about 0.7 times income. Median rent is $856 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Defiance?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.3 inches of precipitation a year and 33.8 inches of snow.
Does Fort Defiance get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Fort Defiance 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)