What it's like to live in Bullhead City
Bullhead City is a small city in Arizona with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bullhead City deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and hospital ratings below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Growing population
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
How Bullhead City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bullhead City
Based on Bullhead City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,158
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,160 a year
- 50% of Bullhead City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,300
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,150
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,079/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,079 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $211,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $211,500 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 26% above US
5.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.4%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
316 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1635/100k · Bullhead City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 109°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 58% below US
15% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Castle Mountains National Monument (33 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bullhead City's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,079/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up, anyone who doesn't drive, and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Bullhead City
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