The Town FilesQuartzsite, Arizona
Town in La Paz County · population 2,413 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 109°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 73.5
Quartzsite is a town of 2,413 people in La Paz County, Arizona. It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Arizona towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Arizona towns, quieter than 91% of Arizona towns.
How Quartzsite 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
Median rent is $836 a month. 71.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Quartzsite | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $836 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | — | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 71.2% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 30.0% | — |
Who lives in Quartzsite
| People | Quartzsite | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 73.5 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 73.8% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.0% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 29.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.4% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 5.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.1% | 88.0% |
Weather in Quartzsite
July highs average 108.7°F and January lows 40.2°F. About 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 176 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 12 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quartzsite since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 31, 1983 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 13, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 1997.
Severe weather in La Paz County since 1996
La Paz County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| November 5, 2014 | Flood | DR-4203: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 18, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1888: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| September 12, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3241: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in La Paz County
La Paz County had 6,359 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,608 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Quartzsite itself the ACS puts it at 46.7%.
Public schools in Quartzsite
1 public school with — students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartzsite Elementary School | K-8 | — | — |
Towns near Quartzsite
- Ehrenberg, AZ15.7 mi · 763 people · home —
- Bouse, AZ20.4 mi · 707 people · home $139,700
- Blythe, CA23.3 mi · 18,317 people · home $225,000
- Parker, AZ25.3 mi · 3,417 people · home $300,000
- Ripley, CA27.0 mi · 538 people · home $205,000
Quartzsite questions
Is Quartzsite, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Quartzsite scores better for retirees than 84% of Arizona towns and quieter than 91%. 73.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 73.5).
What is the weather like in Quartzsite?
July highs average 108.7°F and January lows 40.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 4.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Quartzsite get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quartzsite since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 31, 1983. 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)