The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Arizona
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 68 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Arizona. #1 is Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), AZ.
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25Doney Park, Arizona
Better for retirees than 63% of Arizona towns
5,910 people · Coconino County · median home $613,300 · income $104,967 · Jan low 20°F · 52 in snow
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24Clarkdale, Arizona
Better for retirees than 64% of Arizona towns
4,424 people · Yavapai County · median home $373,600 · income $46,563 · Jan low 30°F · 1 in snow
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23Benson, Arizona
Better for retirees than 66% of Arizona towns
5,355 people · Cochise County · median home $148,900 · income $49,346 · Jan low 27°F · 0 in snow
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22Taylor, Arizona
Better for retirees than 68% of Arizona towns
3,995 people · Navajo County · median home $307,500 · income $90,275 · Jan low 20°F · 13 in snow
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21Paulden, Arizona
Better for retirees than 69% of Arizona towns
5,567 people · Yavapai County · median home $353,700 · income $91,741 · Jan low 26°F · 7 in snow
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20Desert Hills, Arizona
Better for retirees than 71% of Arizona towns
2,764 people · Mohave County · median home $281,600 · income $62,361 · Jan low 43°F · 0 in snow
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19Cornville, Arizona
Better for retirees than 72% of Arizona towns
3,362 people · Yavapai County · median home $367,100 · income $72,596 · Jan low 30°F · 1 in snow
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18Rincon Valley, Arizona
Better for retirees than 75% of Arizona towns
5,612 people · Pima County · median home $547,300 · income $132,098 · Jan low 41°F · 0 in snow
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17Cave Creek, Arizona
Better for retirees than 76% of Arizona towns
4,892 people · Maricopa County · median home $906,100 · income $107,067 · Jan low 42°F · 0 in snow
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16Linden, Arizona
Better for retirees than 77% of Arizona towns
2,760 people · Navajo County · median home $411,300 · income $98,038 · Jan low 24°F · 19 in snow
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15Eagar, Arizona
Better for retirees than 77% of Arizona towns
4,395 people · Apache County · median home $247,800 · income $82,839 · Jan low 16°F · 45 in snow
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14Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona
Better for retirees than 79% of Arizona towns
4,326 people · Yavapai County · median home $426,900 · income $66,535 · Jan low 24°F · 6 in snow
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13Bisbee, Arizona
Better for retirees than 79% of Arizona towns
4,923 people · Cochise County · median home $216,700 · income $47,613 · Jan low 32°F · 3 in snow
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12Black Canyon City, Arizona
Better for retirees than 82% of Arizona towns
2,677 people · Yavapai County · median home $288,500 · income $47,465 · Jan low 43°F · 0 in snow
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11Ajo, Arizona
Better for retirees than 82% of Arizona towns
3,039 people · Pima County · median home $124,400 · income $53,958 · Jan low 45°F · 0 in snow
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10Heber-Overgaard, Arizona
Better for retirees than 88% of Arizona towns
2,898 people · Navajo County · median home $271,200 · income $58,542 · Jan low 20°F
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9Oracle, Arizona
Better for retirees than 89% of Arizona towns
3,051 people · Pinal County · median home $239,900 · income $63,774 · Jan low 35°F · 11 in snow
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8Kachina Village, Arizona
Better for retirees than 91% of Arizona towns
2,502 people · Coconino County · median home $413,500 · income $90,375 · Jan low 18°F · 90 in snow
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7Wickenburg, Arizona
Better for retirees than 91% of Arizona towns
7,474 people · Maricopa County · median home $470,300 · income $67,600 · Jan low 34°F · 0 in snow
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6Whetstone, Arizona
Better for retirees than 92% of Arizona towns
3,236 people · Cochise County · median home $213,900 · income $51,625 · Jan low 33°F · 1 in snow
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5Lake Montezuma, Arizona
Better for retirees than 94% of Arizona towns
5,111 people · Yavapai County · median home $285,200 · income $64,455 · Jan low 26°F · 0 in snow
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4Williamson, Arizona
Better for retirees than 95% of Arizona towns
6,196 people · Yavapai County · median home $732,300 · income $89,398 · Jan low 26°F · 9 in snow
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3Sedona, Arizona
Better for retirees than 95% of Arizona towns
9,684 people · Yavapai County · median home $786,800 · income $73,738 · Jan low 34°F · 38 in snow
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2Carefree, Arizona
Better for retirees than 97% of Arizona towns
3,690 people · Maricopa County · median home $1,088,100 · income $147,165 · Jan low 42°F · 0 in snow
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1Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), Arizona
Better for retirees than 100% of Arizona towns
6,128 people · Yavapai County · median home $741,100 · income $80,878 · Jan low 34°F · 26 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Arizona rankings
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Arizona
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Arizona
- 24 Small Towns in Arizona With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Arizona
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Arizona
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Ohio
- 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)