About

Life in Bullhead City

If you're considering Bullhead City, understand upfront that this is a hot desert community where summers are genuinely brutal—expect 135+ days annually above 100°F, with temperatures sometimes reaching 120°F. That said, winters are mild and pleasant, making the area attractive to retirees, which explains why nearly a third of residents are 65 or older. The economy revolves heavily around Laughlin's casinos across the state line, so many jobs are there rather than locally, though the 5.4% unemployment rate suggests reasonable opportunity.

Bullhead City at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

56.0 yrs

Poverty Rate

18.7%

Foreign-Born

8.9%

Broadband Internet

89.7%

of households

Population Growth

+6.4%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Bullhead City$50,556
Arizona avg$79,964
US$80,734

Demographics8.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico

Who lives in Bullhead City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Bullhead City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (54.4%), and 10.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

14.5%

of residents

65 and Older

34.3%

of residents

Households with Kids

17.1%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

36.1%

of households

Married Couples

39.6%

of households

Avg Household Size

2.02

people

Race & Ethnicity

White68.7%
Hispanic or Latino22.8%
Two or more races4.8%
Black1.6%
Asian1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native0.5%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Mexico54.4%
Philippines7.4%
Canada5.7%
Korea3.0%
United Kingdom2.9%
Other Eastern Europe2.3%
England2.2%
Sri Lanka2.0%
Iran1.9%
Vietnam1.3%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only87.1%
Spanish10.2%
Tagalog/Filipino0.5%
Other0.5%
Other Indo-European0.4%
Other Asian/Pacific0.4%
Korean0.2%
Russian/Slavic0.2%

Cost of Livingrent 30% below AZ average

Rent, home values, and income in Bullhead City

In Bullhead City, rent runs 30% below the AZ average, and home values are 46% below the AZ average.

Median rent (per month)

Bullhead City$1,079
Arizona avg$1,543
US$1,413

Median home value

Bullhead City$211,500
Arizona avg$394,500
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

49.8%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

20.6%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

94.1

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$1,036

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

69.9%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1991

median year built

Vacant Homes

16.9%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$277,435
$311,185
$299,303
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $299,303 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above AZ average

Unemployment in Bullhead City

Unemployment in Bullhead City is 1.1 percentage points higher than the AZ average.

Unemployment rate

Bullhead City5.4%
Arizona avg4.3%
US4.3%

City-level rate · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

7.7%
6.6%
6.4%
6.6%
11.5%
6.8%
5.3%
4.9%
4.7%
5.4%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

City-level (BLS) · Annual averages

What Bullhead City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Arts, hospitality & food service22.7%
Education & health care22.5%
Retail12.3%
Professional & business services10.8%
Finance & real estate6.5%
Transportation & utilities5.9%
Other services5.2%
Construction3.8%

City residents, wherever they work

Commute20.4 min avg

How Bullhead City residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Bullhead City, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone79.9%
Carpool6.3%
Public transit0.1%
Walk1.1%
Work from home8.9%
Other3.8%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min44.7%
15–29 min35.6%
30–44 min10.3%
45–59 min3.7%
60+ min5.7%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Laughlin Bullhead International Airport (IFP)

    Regional airport · few flights76k passengers boarded in 2025

    1 mi
  • Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

    Major hub26.5M passengers boarded in 2025

    73 mi

Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.

Safetyabout average for violent crime

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in Bullhead City is close to the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

315.7

per 100,000 residents

About average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

1,635.4

per 100,000 residents

Above average (1,552 national, 2025)

Bullhead City Police Department

Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 35 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively High

94.8 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Lightning · Very HighHeat wave · HighInland flooding · HighWildfire · HighWinter weather · High

Mohave County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Mohave County, which includes Bullhead City, the most common type is flash flood, with 35 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Flash FloodExcessive HeatThunderstorm WindDust StormHigh Wind

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202535Excessive Heat$1.8M
202429Excessive Heat$271,000
202328Flash Flood$426,000
202255Flash Flood$1.1M
202133Flash Flood$1.1M
202015Excessive Heat$183,000
201934Flash Flood$1.3M
201833Flash Flood$632,000

Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.

1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year

Mohave County, county-wide

Air Quality17 median AQI — Good

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Mohave County, which includes Bullhead City, is typically good — 331 good-air days per year.

Median AQI

17

Good Days

331

per year

Moderate Days

16

per year

Unhealthy Days

2

per year

Mohave County, county-wide

Climate109°F summers, 45°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Bullhead City has hot summers (avg high 109°F) and warm winters (avg low 45°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

87°/58°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

109°/78°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

89°/61°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

66°/45°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

5.4"

Annual Snowfall

0.0"

Hot Days/Year

186

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

2

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

18

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
30°50°70°90°110°1.5"Jan: 1.01" precipitationFeb: 1.15" precipitationMar: 0.76" precipitationApr: 0.14" precipitationMay: 0.08" precipitationJun: 0.01" precipitationJul: 0.23" precipitationAug: 0.48" precipitationSep: 0.18" precipitationOct: 0.50" precipitationNov: 0.39" precipitationDec: 0.47" precipitationJJan: high 65°F, low 45°FFFeb: high 70°F, low 47°FMMar: high 79°F, low 51°FAApr: high 87°F, low 57°FMMay: high 96°F, low 66°FJJun: high 107°F, low 73°F111°JJul: high 111°F, low 81°FAAug: high 109°F, low 81°FSSep: high 103°F, low 73°FOOct: high 89°F, low 61°FNNov: high 74°F, low 51°F44°DDec: high 64°F, low 44°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan65°F45°F1.01"
Feb70°F47°F1.15"
Mar79°F51°F0.76"
Apr87°F57°F0.14"
May96°F66°F0.08"
Jun107°F73°F0.01"
Jul111°F81°F0.23"
Aug109°F81°F0.48"
Sep103°F73°F0.18"
Oct89°F61°F0.50"
Nov74°F51°F0.39"
Dec64°F44°F0.47"

Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bullhead City

Bullhead City has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.

Hospitals

2

within city limits

Uninsured

9.1%

of residents

Avg Hospital Rating

2.0 / 5

Western Arizona Regional Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available

Exceptional Community Hospital Bullhead City

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available

Not rated

Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles

Valley View Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 mi away · Fort Mohave

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity34.4%US 36.8%
Diabetes15.8%US 12.6%
High blood pressure43.8%US 37.1%
Current smoking17.7%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity32.5%US 26.6%
Depression19.4%US 23.0%
Asthma11.2%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year75.4%US 78.2%

Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.

Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.

Education19.2:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Bullhead City

Bullhead City's student/teacher ratio is 19.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

12

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

15.2%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

19.2:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Parks & Recreationclosest: Castle Mountains National Monument, 33 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bullhead City

Bullhead City has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Castle Mountains National Monument (33 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Castle Mountains National Monument

National Monument

33 mi away

Mojave National Preserve

National Preserve

55 mi away

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

59 mi away

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

National Monument

98 mi away

Public Libraries in Bullhead City

Bullhead City Branch Library

1170 E Hancock Rd, Bullhead City

Branch~32 hrs/week

Cities Near Bullhead City

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Bullhead City?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Bullhead City →

Bullhead City FAQ

Is Bullhead City, Arizona affordable?⌄

Bullhead City's median rent is $1,079/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,556/year. Median home value is $211,500.

Is Bullhead City, Arizona safe?⌄

Bullhead City's violent crime rate was 316 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1635 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Bullhead City, Arizona?⌄

Bullhead City has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Bullhead City, Arizona?⌄

The cost of living in Bullhead City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,079/month and median household income is $50,556/year. The median home value is $211,500. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Bullhead City, Arizona?⌄

The average commute in Bullhead City is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from