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Living in
Prescott.
About
Life in Prescott
Prescott offers a genuinely different Arizona experience compared to the low desert — you're in the mountains at 5,400 feet, so summers stay mild compared to Phoenix, though winters do bring occasional snow and freezing temperatures. The Old West tourism economy is real and visible (especially during rodeo season), but the city functions as an actual community, not a theme park. You'll find a median home value around $564,100 with median household income at $70,874, so it's not cheap, but the job market is solid with 4.6% unemployment and a reasonable 16-minute commute average.
Prescott at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
59.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Foreign-Born
5.1%
Broadband Internet
91.7%
of households
Population Growth
+5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Prescott: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Prescott, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.2%), and 4.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
12.0%
of residents
65 and Older
40.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
12.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.6%
of households
Married Couples
48.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.97
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 10% below AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Prescott
In Prescott, rent runs 10% below the AZ average, and home values are 43% above the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,885
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $592,855 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AZ
Unemployment in Prescott
Unemployment in Prescott is close to the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Prescott Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Prescott residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Prescott, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Prescott Regional Airport - Ernest A. Love Field (PRC)
Regional airport · few flights26k passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 mi
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Major hub25.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 29% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Prescott runs 29% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
426.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,223.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Prescott Police Department
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Yavapai County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Yavapai County, which includes Prescott, the most common type is flash flood, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 19 | Flash Flood | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 33 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 48 | Flash Flood | $198,000 |
| 2021 | 45 | Flash Flood | $110,000 |
| 2020 | 16 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 25 | Flash Flood | $1.6M |
| 2018 | 49 | Flash Flood | $1.5M |
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
Yavapai County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Yavapai County, which includes Prescott, is typically good — 234 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
234
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Yavapai County, county-wide
Climate88°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Prescott has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
16.5"
Annual Snowfall
10.2"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
128
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
63
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 24°F | 1.52" |
| Feb | 55°F | 26°F | 1.78" |
| Mar | 61°F | 32°F | 1.46" |
| Apr | 68°F | 37°F | 0.57" |
| May | 76°F | 45°F | 0.51" |
| Jun | 87°F | 54°F | 0.23" |
| Jul | 90°F | 61°F | 2.69" |
| Aug | 87°F | 60°F | 2.78" |
| Sep | 82°F | 52°F | 1.64" |
| Oct | 73°F | 40°F | 0.96" |
| Nov | 62°F | 30°F | 0.87" |
| Dec | 52°F | 24°F | 1.45" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 3.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Prescott
Prescott has 4 hospitals, averaging 3.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
8.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.5 / 5
VA Northern Arizona Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Yavapai Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Exceptional Community Hospital Prescott
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
The Healing Place
Psychiatric
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
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.
Education18.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Prescott
Prescott's student/teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 39.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
20
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Prescott
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,218 students · in-state tuition $45,941 · 72% graduate · median earnings $92,069 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 219 students · in-state tuition $35,685 · 51% graduate · median earnings $47,260 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Tuzigoot National Monument, 27 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Prescott
Prescott has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Tuzigoot National Monument (27 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
27 mi awayMontezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
36 mi awayWalnut Canyon National Monument
National Monument
67 mi awaySunset Crater Volcano National Monument
National Monument
76 mi awayWupatki National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayGrand Canyon National Park
National Park
99 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Prescott
Prescott Public Library
215 E Goodwin St, Prescott
Yavapai-Prescott Tribal Library
530 E Merritt St, Prescott
Cities Near Prescott
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Prescott?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Prescott FAQ
Is Prescott, Arizona affordable?⌄
Prescott's median rent is $1,395/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $70,874/year. Median home value is $564,100.
Is Prescott, Arizona safe?⌄
Prescott's violent crime rate was 426 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1224 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Prescott, Arizona?⌄
Prescott has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Prescott, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Prescott is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,395/month and median household income is $70,874/year. The median home value is $564,100. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Prescott, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Prescott is 19 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