The Town FilesMesa del Caballo, Arizona
Community in Gila County · population 781 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $255,400
- Household income
- $57,475
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.7
Mesa del Caballo is a community of 781 people in Gila County, Arizona. The median home is worth $255,400, close to the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Arizona towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Arizona towns, better for retirees than 83% of Arizona towns.
How Mesa del Caballo 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 Mesa del Caballo is worth $255,400, close to the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $57,475, which is more affordable than 40% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,198 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mesa del Caballo | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,400 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,198 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $57,475 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Mesa del Caballo
| People | Mesa del Caballo | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.0% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 13.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.0% | 88.0% |
Weather in Mesa del Caballo
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 26.0°F. About 19.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.5 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mesa del Caballo since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on November 19, 2023 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 19, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 13, 1955.
Severe weather in Gila County since 1996
Gila County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 6, 2021 | Fire | FM-5389: Telegraph Fire |
| August 26, 2020 | Fire | FM-5340: Griffin Fire |
| June 20, 2020 | Fire | FM-5313: Bush Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Gila County
Gila County had 15,973 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,684 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Mesa del Caballo itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Towns near Mesa del Caballo
- Payson, AZ3.2 mi · 16,351 people · home $382,400
- Star Valley, AZ4.8 mi · 2,484 people · home $176,400
- Pine, AZ11.5 mi · 1,953 people · home $468,700
- Gisela, AZ12.7 mi · 536 people · home $186,100
- Strawberry, AZ13.9 mi · 943 people · home $370,300
- Young, AZ23.3 mi · 588 people · home $228,300
- Blue Ridge, AZ26.8 mi · 594 people · home $533,200
Mesa del Caballo questions
Is Mesa del Caballo, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mesa del Caballo scores better for retirees than 83% of Arizona towns and quieter than 81%. 29.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Mesa del Caballo?
The median owner-occupied home in Mesa del Caballo is valued at $255,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,475, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,198 a month.
What is the weather like in Mesa del Caballo?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 26.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.8 inches of precipitation a year and 18.5 inches of snow.
Does Mesa del Caballo get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mesa del Caballo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on November 19, 2023. 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)