The Town FilesKayenta, Arizona
Community in Navajo County · population 4,670 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $37,400
- Household income
- $58,423
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 29.3
Kayenta is a community of 4,670 people in Navajo County, Arizona. The median home is worth $37,400, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Arizona towns, better transit than 93% of Arizona towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Arizona towns.
- #2 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Arizona
- #3 in The 50 Most Affordable Small Towns in America
- #3 in The 50 Most Affordable Places in America
- #4 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Arizona
- #5 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #5 in 50 Places in America With the Cheapest Homes
How Kayenta 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 Kayenta is worth $37,400, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 0.6 times the median household income of $58,423, which is more affordable than 99% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $772 a month. 53.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kayenta | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $37,400 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $772 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $58,423 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.6× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 53.8% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Kayenta
| People | Kayenta | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.6% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 33.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 37.7% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.1% | 88.0% |
Weather in Kayenta
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 22.0°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.5 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kayenta since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 25, 1996 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 1996.
Severe weather in Navajo County since 1996
Navajo County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 18, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1888: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| January 24, 2010 | Severe Storm | EM-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 Kayenta itself the ACS puts it at 13.5%.
Public schools in Kayenta
6 public schools with 1,611 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monument Valley High School | 9-12 | 668 | 15.9 |
| Debbie Braff Elementary School | PK-4 | 458 | 12.1 |
| Baker Middle School | 5-8 | 444 | 12.7 |
| K.U.S.D.#27 - A B C Preschool | PK-K | 41 | — |
| NATIVE - Monument Valley High School | 9-12 | — | — |
| NATIVE Central Campus | 10-12 | — | — |
Kayenta questions
Is Kayenta, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kayenta scores better for retirees than 39% of Arizona towns and quieter than 16%. 6.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Kayenta?
The median owner-occupied home in Kayenta is valued at $37,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,423, so homes cost about 0.6 times income. Median rent is $772 a month.
What is the weather like in Kayenta?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 22.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year and 35.5 inches of snow.
Does Kayenta get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kayenta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 25, 1996. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- 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)