The Town FilesNew River, Arizona
Community in Maricopa County · population 17,290 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $640,600
- Household income
- $134,289
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 103°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 50.7
New River is a community of 17,290 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $640,600, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for families than 100% of Arizona towns, more upscale than 88% of Arizona towns.
How New River 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 New River is worth $640,600, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $134,289, which is more affordable than 28% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,948 a month. 94.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | New River | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $640,600 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,948 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $134,289 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 94.7% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in New River
| People | New River | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.7 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 11.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 26.6% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 88.0% |
Weather in New River
July highs average 103.4°F and January lows 41.6°F. About 12.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 153 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New River since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 23, 2019 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 23, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 25, 1990.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in New River itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in New River
1 public school with 172 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New River Elementary School | PK-6 | 172 | 10.8 |
Towns near New River
- Anthem, AZ3.4 mi · 23,190 people · home $569,900
- Cave Creek, AZ6.8 mi · 4,892 people · home $906,100
- Carefree, AZ10.7 mi · 3,690 people · home $1,088,100
- Black Canyon City, AZ13.2 mi · 2,677 people · home $288,500
- Peoria, AZ14.4 mi · 190,985 people · home $463,600
- Scottsdale, AZ18.8 mi · 241,361 people · home $789,800
- Sun City West, AZ21.3 mi · 25,806 people · home $377,800
- Phoenix, AZ21.5 mi · 1,608,139 people · home $420,700
New River questions
Is New River, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New River scores better for retirees than 60% of Arizona towns and quieter than 67%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.7).
How much does a house cost in New River?
The median owner-occupied home in New River is valued at $640,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $134,289, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,948 a month.
What is the weather like in New River?
July highs average 103.4°F and January lows 41.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does New River get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 23, 2019. 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)