The Town FilesPayson, Arizona
Town in Gila County · population 16,351 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $382,400
- Household income
- $67,710
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 60.9
Payson is a town of 16,351 people in Gila County, Arizona. The median home is worth $382,400, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 77% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 74% of Arizona towns, more walkable than 71% of Arizona towns.
How Payson 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 Payson is worth $382,400, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $67,710, which is more affordable than 16% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,345 a month. 75.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Payson | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,400 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,345 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $67,710 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 75.7% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.9% | — |
Who lives in Payson
| People | Payson | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.9 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.7% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 14.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 88.0% |
Weather in Payson
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 Payson since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on November 19, 2023 about 2.7 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 12 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 Payson itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Payson
6 public schools with 2,218 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payson High School | 9-12 | 748 | 17.8 |
| Julia Randall Elementary School | 2-5 | 571 | 18.4 |
| Rim Country Middle School | 6-8 | 488 | 17.4 |
| Payson Elementary School | K-2 | 411 | 15.2 |
| NAVIT - Gila Community College | 9-12 | — | — |
| NAVIT - Payson High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Payson questions
Is Payson, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Payson scores better for retirees than 66% of Arizona towns and quieter than 64%. 39.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.9).
How much does a house cost in Payson?
The median owner-occupied home in Payson is valued at $382,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,710, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,345 a month.
What is the weather like in Payson?
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 Payson get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Payson 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)