23 Safest and Cheapest Cities To Live in Arizona

Thinking about making a move to Arizona? Whether you’re planning to relocate your family for a new job opportunity or want to downsize and move out of state to enjoy your retirement years, ideally the Arizona city you call home should be affordable and safe.

Which cities are among the safest and cheapest in Arizona? To find out, GOBankingRates found the total population, total household and median household income from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Additional factors sourced include the average single family home value, cost-of-living indexes, the livability index and each city’s property and violent crime statistics. The average mortgage cost was also calculated along with the total monthly cost of living and the crime rates per 1,000 residents. For the purposes of this article, each city ranked has a total cost of living under $4,000 per month.

In order from the highest to lowest total monthly cost of living, keep reading for the 23 safest and cheapest cities to live in Arizona.

• Population total: 541,033
• Household total: 220,769
• Median household income: $52,049
• Average home value: $341,273
• Livability index: 73
• Violent crimes: 109
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 24.02
• Property crimes: 603
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 132.91
• Average household mortgage cost: $2,031
• Average expenditure cost: $1,900
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,931

• Population total: 55,186
• Household total: 20,027
• Median household income: $64,535
• Average home value: $334,091
• Livability index: 56
• Violent crimes: 353
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 5.76
• Property crimes: 1,635
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 26.68
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,988
• Average expenditure cost: $1,921
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,910

• Population total: 96,314
• Household total: 36,290
• Median household income: $59,312
• Average home value: $298,976
• Livability index: 70
• Violent crimes: 551
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 5.61
• Property crimes: 1,657
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 16.88
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,779
• Average expenditure cost: $2,095
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,874

• Population total: 4,425
• Household total: 1,539
• Median household income: $82,538
• Average home value: $289,825
• Livability index: 66
• Violent crimes: 1
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.22
• Property crimes: 19
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.27
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,725
• Average expenditure cost: $2,057
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,782

• Population total: 5,281
• Household total: 1,790
• Median household income: $71,591
• Average home value: $310,287
• Livability index: 64
• Violent crimes: 2
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.37
• Property crimes: 34
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.33
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,847
• Average expenditure cost: $1,859
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,706

• Population total: 14,175
• Household total: 4,378
• Median household income: $60,682
• Average home value: $295,127
• Livability index: 55
• Violent crimes: 89
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 5.55
• Property crimes: 403
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 25.15
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,756
• Average expenditure cost: $1,946
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,703

• Population total: 14,278
• Household total: 4,345
• Median household income: $64,180
• Average home value: $259,981
• Livability index: 60
• Violent crimes: 9
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.62
• Property crimes: 80
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.52
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,547
• Average expenditure cost: $2,120
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,668

• Population total: 45,212
• Household total: 18,382
• Median household income: $70,899
• Average home value: $295,597
• Livability index: 78
• Violent crimes: 128
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.81
• Property crimes: 738
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 16.18
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,759
• Average expenditure cost: $1,882
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,641

• Population total: 2,447
• Household total: 1,237
• Median household income: $52,654
• Average home value: $260,860
• Livability index: 68
• Violent crimes: 2
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.79
• Property crimes: 18
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.12
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,553
• Average expenditure cost: $2,069
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,621

• Population total: 2,847
• Household total: 981
• Median household income: $67,880
• Average home value: $290,657
• Livability index: 61
• Violent crimes: n/a
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.00
• Property crimes: 16
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.41
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,730
• Average expenditure cost: $1,856
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,586

• Population total: 33,052
• Household total: 14,029
• Median household income: $56,360
• Average home value: $271,873
• Livability index: 80
• Violent crimes: 133
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 3.82
• Property crimes: 1,100
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 31.61
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,618
• Average expenditure cost: $1,966
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,584

• Population total: 35,189
• Household total: 8,846
• Median household income: $46,747
• Average home value: $238,866
• Livability index: 76
• Violent crimes: 20
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.52
• Property crimes: 212
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.50
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,422
• Average expenditure cost: $2,161
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,583

• Population total: 16,075
• Household total: 3,611
• Median household income: $57,364
• Average home value: $269,661
• Livability index: 63
• Violent crimes: 109
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 6.94
• Property crimes: 304
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 19.34
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,605
• Average expenditure cost: $1,925
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,530

• Population total: 2,006
• Household total: 823
• Median household income: $48,475
• Average home value: $249,410
• Livability index: 58
• Violent crimes: 8
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 4.69
• Property crimes: 4
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.34
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,484
• Average expenditure cost: $1,925
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,409

• Population total: 4,972
• Household total: 2,602
• Median household income: $43,512
• Average home value: $228,470
• Livability index: 59
• Violent crimes: 12
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.44
• Property crimes: 34
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.93
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,360
• Average expenditure cost: $1,888
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,248

• Population total: 7,230
• Household total: 3,004
• Median household income: $64,516
• Average home value: $226,777
• Livability index: 59
• Violent crimes: 114
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 15.93
• Property crimes: 359
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 50.17
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,350
• Average expenditure cost: $1,868
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,217

• Population total: 1,046 
• Household total: 526
• Median household income: $46,667
• Average home value: $225,118
• Livability index: 63
• Violent crimes: 4
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 3.06
• Property crimes: 41
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 31.35
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,340
• Average expenditure cost: $1,862
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,202

• Population total: 1,865
• Household total: 832
• Median household income: $44,360
• Average home value: $206,992
• Livability index: 63
• Violent crimes: 1
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.62
• Property crimes: 21
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.95
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,232
• Average expenditure cost: $1,901
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,133

• Population total: 3,232
• Household total: 1,109
• Median household income: $40,884
• Average home value: $190,184
• Livability index: 58
• Violent crimes: 8
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.50
• Property crimes: 114
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 35.60
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,132
• Average expenditure cost: $1,924
• Total monthly cost of living: $3,056

• Population total: 2,639
• Household total: 1,324
• Median household income: $39,600
• Average home value: $184,342
• Livability index: 55
• Violent crimes: 12
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 4.75
• Property crimes: 91
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 36.00
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,097
• Average expenditure cost: $1,902
• Total monthly cost of living: $2,999

• Population total: 19,761
• Household total:  6,783
• Median household income: $36,682
• Average home value: $211,917
• Livability index: 66
• Violent crimes: 48
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.43
• Property crimes: 701
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 35.54
• Average household mortgage cost: $1,261
• Average expenditure cost: $1,721
• Total monthly cost of living: $2,982

• Population total: 16,301
• Household total: 4,476
• Median household income: $41,594
• Average home value: $164,118
• Livability index: 69
• Violent crimes: 19
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.15
• Property crimes: 209
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.64
• Average household mortgage cost: $977
• Average expenditure cost: $1,861
• Total monthly cost of living: $2,838

• Population total: 1,353
• Household total: 632
• Median household income: $30,417
• Average home value: $141,701
• Livability index: 44
• Violent crimes: 24
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 15.58
• Property crimes: 59
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 38.31
• Average household mortgage cost: $843
• Average expenditure cost: $1,855
• Total monthly cost of living: $2,698

Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned in the article was used.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in Arizona to find the safest and cheapest cities to live in. First, GOBankingRates found the total population, total household, and household median income as sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, the average single family home value from April 2024 as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index, the cost-of-living indexes as sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, property crime and violent crime stats as sourced from the FBI’s crime data explorer, and the livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. Using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from Federal Reserve Economic Data and assuming a 10% down payment, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the average expenditure and average mortgage costs, the total monthly cost of living can be calculated. Using the total population and crime counts, the crime rates per 1000 residents can be calculated. The cities with any data missing were removed to accurately compare cities. The household median income was scored and weighted at 1.00, the livability index was scored and weighted at 1.00, the property crime rate per 1000 residents was scored and weighted at 2.00, the violent crime rate per 1000 residents was scored and weighted at 2.00, the total monthly cost of living was scored and weighted at 4.00. All the scores were combined and sorted to show the safest and cheapest cities in Arizona. All data was collected and is up-to-date as of May 3rd, 2024.