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Living in
Safford.
About
Life in Safford
Safford is a community of 10,217 people in Arizona. The median household income is $65,727, median rent runs about $1,048 per month, and median home values are around $199,800. Unemployment is low at 4.0%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Safford at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.1%
Foreign-Born
2.4%
Broadband Internet
86.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.4% foreign-born, most often from Peru
Who lives in Safford: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Safford, the largest foreign-born group is from Peru (41.6%), and 17.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.0%
of residents
65 and Older
15.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.1%
of households
Married Couples
41.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.74
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 32% below AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Safford
In Safford, rent runs 32% below the AZ average, and home values are 49% below the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
34.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
12.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$977
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $285,385 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AZ
Unemployment in Safford
Unemployment in Graham County, which includes Safford, is close to the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
Safford: Graham County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Graham County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Safford Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.6 min avg
How Safford residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Safford, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 139 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 53% below national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Safford runs 53% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
189.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
2,910.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Safford Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 39 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
64.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Graham County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Graham County, which includes Safford, the most common type is drought, with 39 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | Drought | $300 |
| 2024 | 24 | Excessive Heat | $11,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2022 | 21 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 40 | Drought | $765,000 |
| 2020 | 31 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Excessive Heat | $23,500 |
| 2018 | 30 | Drought | $273,000 |
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
Graham County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate99°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Safford has hot summers (avg high 99°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
99°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
8.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
141
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
70
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
49
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 30°F | 0.71" |
| Feb | 67°F | 34°F | 0.66" |
| Mar | 74°F | 39°F | 0.45" |
| Apr | 83°F | 46°F | 0.21" |
| May | 91°F | 54°F | 0.18" |
| Jun | 100°F | 63°F | 0.27" |
| Jul | 99°F | 69°F | 1.35" |
| Aug | 97°F | 68°F | 1.84" |
| Sep | 93°F | 61°F | 1.08" |
| Oct | 84°F | 48°F | 0.75" |
| Nov | 72°F | 37°F | 0.51" |
| Dec | 61°F | 30°F | 0.77" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Safford
Safford has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.2%
of residents
Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education22.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Safford
Safford's student/teacher ratio is 22.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 18.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Bowie National Historic Site, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Safford
Safford has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Bowie National Historic Site (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Bowie National Historic Site
National Historic Site
49 mi awayChiricahua National Monument
National Monument
60 mi awaySaguaro National Park
National Park
75 mi awayGila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
National Monument
87 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Safford
Safford City-Graham County Library
808 S 7th Ave, Safford
Cities Near Safford
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Safford.
Planning a move to Safford?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Safford FAQ
Is Safford, Arizona affordable?⌄
Safford's median rent is $1,048/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,647/year. Median home value is $199,800.
Is Safford, Arizona safe?⌄
Safford's violent crime rate was 189 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2910 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Safford, Arizona?⌄
Graham County, which includes Safford, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Safford, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Safford is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,048/month and median household income is $65,647/year. The median home value is $199,800. About 34% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Safford, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Safford is 23 minutes, which is about 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