City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

Safford, AZ

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

10,217
Residents
$65,727
Median income
$191,600
Median home
$1,244
Median rent (state)

Safford - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Safford places in the 44th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

44th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
40th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Safford, AZ

Arizona's Safford is a small town, with 10,217 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Safford brings in $65,727 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.6%. Home values in Safford run a median of $191,600, and the median resident age is 31.3 years. About 19.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 10 residential building permits were authorized in Safford (Construction Slowdown), down 77% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Arizona at 100.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,244 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arizona's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 64.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

10,217 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$65,727 /yr

Poverty 10.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does Safford compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 40% pricier than other cities

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

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 Safford'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.

44thIncome percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Safford's home value compares nationally

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

$191,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Safford $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 - Safford, AZ Safford, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Safford, 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 Safford, AZ median $65,727/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%
Safford, 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 Safford, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

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

Population
10,217
Median Income
$65,727
Median Home Value
$191,600
Median Age
31.3
Poverty Rate
10.6%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.3%

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,100 residents10,150 residents10,200 residents10,250 residents10,300 residents10,350 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,146 residents 10,279 residents ▲ +1.3%
Safford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 44
2020 66
2021 30
2022 23
2023 23
2024 10

Permit volume decreased 77% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.3%
Carpool
12.5%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.8%
Other
2.1%

Based on 4,387 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 Safford sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.7
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,244/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
64.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

Sedona
9,770 people
Picture Rocks
9,665 people
Corona de Tucson
9,039 people
Tucson Mountains
11,428 people
Winslow
8,831 people
Arizona
8,681 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Safford's 10,217 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Columbia, PA
10,217 people
Independent Hill, VA
10,217 people
Heath, TX
10,218 people
Sellersburg, IN
10,215 people
Blackwells Mills, NJ
10,220 people
Rainbow City, AL
10,213 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Safford's $65,727 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Siloam Springs, AR
$65,725 median income
Gilman, IL
$65,729 median income
Mapleton, IL
$65,729 median income
Montevideo, MN
$65,724 median income
Slayton, MN
$65,724 median income
Hillview, KY
$65,732 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Safford, 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 Safford, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.3% 7.0% 19.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 46.7% White 69.3% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 1.6% Some other race 7.0% Two or more races 19.6% 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 Safford 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
Safford (this city) 10,217 $65,727
Sedona 9,770 $67,374
Picture Rocks 9,665 $59,745
Corona de Tucson 9,039 $127,743
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Safford, AZ?

What is the population of Safford, AZ? +

10,217 people live in Safford, AZ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Safford households earn a median of $65,727 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Safford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Safford; 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.

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

A typical home in Safford is worth $191,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.