City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

Show Low, AZ

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

11,913
Residents
$63,376
Median income
$275,000
Median home
$1,479
Median rent (state)

Show Low - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Show Low places in the 40th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

40th
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
16th
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: Show Low, AZ

Arizona's Show Low is a small town, with 11,913 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Show Low households earn a median of $63,376 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.4%. Show Low's housing stock carries a median value of $275,000, and the median resident age is 44.7 years. 29.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 46.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 113 residential building permits were authorized in Show Low (Stable), down 2% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Show Low's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2998.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 53.1°F with 15.7 inches of precipitation per year and 19.4 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,479 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arizona's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

11,913 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$63,376 /yr

Poverty 6.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does Show Low compare to other US cities?

Where Show Low sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 40% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% 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, Show Low ranks #47 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

Each percentile compares Show Low against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Arizona only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Arizona-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Show Low toward the top of Arizona's cities

Among the 394 Arizona cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Show Low ranks #85 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Show Low only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#135 of 333
59th percentile in Arizona
Median Gross Rent
#142 of 394
49th percentile in Arizona
Median Home Value
#101 of 327
69th percentile in Arizona
Poverty Rate
#230 of 393
41st percentile in Arizona
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#85 of 394
78th percentile in Arizona

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Arizona only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

40thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

40th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Show Low's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Show Low'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Show Low'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 Show Low's home value compares nationally

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

$275,000 39th percentile more affordable than 39% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Show Low $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 - Show Low, AZ Show Low, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Show Low, 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 Show Low, AZ median $63,376/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%
Show Low, 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 Show Low, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.3%

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

Population
11,913
Median Income
$63,376
Median Home Value
$275,000
Median Age
44.7
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Labor force participation
46.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2998.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
737.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2260.8
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
53.1°F
Annual Precipitation
15.7"
Annual Snowfall
19.4"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,500 residents12,000 residents12,500 residents13,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,765 residents 12,471 residents ▲ +6.0%
Show Low's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
113
housing units authorized
Single-Family
113
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 115
2020 167
2021 200
2022 174
2023 100
2024 113

Permit volume decreased 2% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.7%
Carpool
15.8%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
8.7%

Based on 4,482 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 Show Low 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

Camp Verde
12,282 people
Tucson Mountains
11,428 people
Gold Canyon
12,488 people
Saddlebrooke
12,616 people
Paradise Valley
12,621 people
Verde
12,662 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Show Low's 11,913 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Martinsville, IN
11,913 people
Middleburg, FL
11,911 people
Arkansas City, KS
11,909 people
Stuarts Draft, VA
11,920 people
South Miami, FL
11,926 people
Little Chute, WI
11,930 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Show Low's $63,376 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Montezuma, IA
$63,375 median income
Blanche, TN
$63,375 median income
Rochelle, IL
$63,373 median income
Anchor Point, AK
$63,382 median income
Auburn, KS
$63,382 median income
Benton, KY
$63,368 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Show Low, 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 Show Low, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.0% 11.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.0% White 82.0% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 1.0% American Indian 2.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.0% Two or more races 11.2% 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 Show Low 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
Show Low (this city) 11,913 $63,376
Camp Verde 12,282 $58,383
Tucson Mountains 11,428 $132,946
Gold Canyon 12,488 $85,833
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Show Low, AZ?

What is the population of Show Low, AZ? +

Show Low, AZ has a population of 11,913 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Show Low, AZ? +

Median annual household income in Show Low runs $63,376, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Show Low? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Show Low; 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 Show Low, AZ safe? +

Show Low has a total crime rate of 2998.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Show Low, AZ? +

A typical home in Show Low is worth $275,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Show Low? +

Show Low has an average annual temperature of 53.1°F, 15.7 inches of precipitation, and 19.4 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

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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.