City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

Payson, AZ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Payson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

16,494
Residents
$65,175
Median income
$343,200
Median home
$1,479
Median rent (state)

Payson - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Payson places in the 43rd percentile for household income and the 46th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

43rd
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
46th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Payson, AZ

16,494 people live in Payson, Arizona - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Payson households earn a median of $65,175 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.3%. Payson's housing stock carries a median value of $343,200, and the median resident age is 58.9 years. Educational attainment runs 26.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 40.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 78 residential building permits were authorized in Payson (Stable), up 3% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Payson reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1484.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Payson's yearly average temperature at 57.0°F with 19.8 inches of precipitation per year and 18.5 inches of snowfall.

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,479 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Arizona run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

16,494 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$65,175 /yr

Poverty 4.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does Payson compare to other US cities?

Payson measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 46% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Arizona, Payson ranks #26 of 61 Arizona cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Payson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arizona, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

43rdIncome percentile
46thSafety percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income · 46th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Payson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Payson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Payson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Payson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$343,200 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Payson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Payson, AZ Payson, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Payson, AZ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Payson, AZ median $65,175/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Payson, AZ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Payson, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 40.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
16,494
Median Income
$65,175
Median Home Value
$343,200
Median Age
58.9
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Labor force participation
40.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1484.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
261.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1222.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.0°F
Annual Precipitation
19.8"
Annual Snowfall
18.5"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,200 residents16,400 residents16,600 residents16,800 residents17,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,393 residents 16,693 residents ▲ +1.8%
Payson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
78
housing units authorized
Single-Family
78
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 76
2020 90
2021 107
2022 103
2023 73
2024 78

Permit volume increased 3% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.5%
Carpool
17.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
10.1%

Based on 5,628 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arizona - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$34
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arizona state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arizona state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Payson sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.7
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,479/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

Eloy
16,671 people
Douglas
16,118 people
Flowing Wells
16,989 people
Vail
15,722 people
Fort Mohave
15,716 people
Tanque Verde
15,531 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Payson's 16,494 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Stallings, NC
16,495 people
Kerman, CA
16,492 people
Humble, TX
16,489 people
Morton, IL
16,503 people
Hanover, PA
16,483 people
Radford, VA
16,505 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Payson's $65,175 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Warrensburg, NY
$65,176 median income
Elmo, MO
$65,179 median income
Ohkay Owingeh, NM
$65,179 median income
Piney Green, NC
$65,179 median income
Green Meadows, OH
$65,179 median income
Emlenton, PA
$65,179 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Payson, AZ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Payson, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.6% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.5% White 87.6% Black or African American 0.4% Asian 0.7% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 6.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Payson compares to nearby Arizona cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Payson (this city) 16,494 $65,175
Eloy 16,671 $54,080
Douglas 16,118 $39,350
Flowing Wells 16,989 $40,769
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Payson, AZ?

What is the population of Payson, AZ? +

Payson, AZ has a population of 16,494 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Payson, AZ? +

Median annual household income in Payson runs $65,175, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Payson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Payson; the closest available measure is the Arizona state average, a cost of living index of 100.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arizona vary by metro area.

Is Payson, AZ safe? +

Payson has a total crime rate of 1484.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Payson, AZ? +

A typical home in Payson is worth $343,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Payson? +

The average annual temperature in Payson runs 57.0°F, 19.8 inches of precipitation, and 18.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.