The Town FilesLake Montezuma, Arizona
Community in Yavapai County · population 5,111 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $285,200
- Household income
- $64,455
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 101°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 61.5
Lake Montezuma is a community of 5,111 people in Yavapai County, Arizona. The median home is worth $285,200, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Arizona towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Arizona towns, quieter than 81% of Arizona towns.
How Lake Montezuma 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 Lake Montezuma is worth $285,200, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $64,455, which is more affordable than 40% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,238 a month. 65.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Montezuma | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $285,200 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,238 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $64,455 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 65.2% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Lake Montezuma
| People | Lake Montezuma | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.5 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.8% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 6.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 15.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 88.0% |
Weather in Lake Montezuma
July highs average 100.8°F and January lows 25.9°F. About 13.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 135 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lake Montezuma since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 14, 2003 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 6, 2010.
Severe weather in Yavapai County since 1996
Yavapai County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 19, 2022 | Fire | FM-5435: Crooks Fire |
| May 27, 2021 | Fire | FM-5387: Spur Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| May 11, 2018 | Fire | FM-5238: 89 East Fire |
Jobs and pay in Yavapai County
Yavapai County had 71,540 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,666 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Lake Montezuma itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Lake Montezuma
1 public school with 327 students, about 27.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Creek School | PK-8 | 327 | 27.3 |
Towns near Lake Montezuma
- Camp Verde, AZ5.6 mi · 12,147 people · home $318,100
- Cornville, AZ9.3 mi · 3,362 people · home $367,100
- Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), AZ10.2 mi · 6,128 people · home $741,100
- Verde Village, AZ12.1 mi · 12,019 people · home $354,200
- Cottonwood, AZ13.0 mi · 12,029 people · home $324,100
- Sedona, AZ15.3 mi · 9,684 people · home $786,800
- Clarkdale, AZ16.5 mi · 4,424 people · home $373,600
- Dewey-Humboldt, AZ26.8 mi · 4,326 people · home $426,900
Lake Montezuma questions
Is Lake Montezuma, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Montezuma scores better for retirees than 94% of Arizona towns and quieter than 81%. 41.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.5).
How much does a house cost in Lake Montezuma?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Montezuma is valued at $285,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,455, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,238 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Montezuma?
July highs average 100.8°F and January lows 25.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Montezuma get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lake Montezuma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 14, 2003. 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)