20 Safest and Most Affordable Cities in Arizona
If you want to direct your feet to the sunny side of the street and want to feel like you won’t get mugged doing so, Arizona is home to some of the safest and most affordable cities in the Southwest. If your real estate checklist includes low mortgage payments and crime rates, then you may want to explore the variety of budget-friendly towns throughout the state.
Get ready to get a crash course in the Arizona housing market as MoneyLion has found the 20 safest and cheapest cities to live in the Grand Canyon State, using key data on everything from crime rates to median household incomes and cost‑of‑living trends. If you’re searching for the best affordable places to live in Arizona, this list will help you find a city that fits your budget and lifestyle.
Also See: Income Needed To Crack the Top 10% in Every State
Check Out: This One Low-Effort Money Move Could Change Your Finances in 2026
Key Findings
Four of the cities on this list have an average cost of living of less than $3,000 a month. This includes Bisbee, Nogales, Douglas and Superior.
The average home value for this list falls just under $400,000, with the lowest at $167,244 in Douglas and the highest at about $627,158 in Queen Creek.
If Arizona is on your list of places to retire, the good news is that cities like Superior, Payson and Bisbee have populations of retirement-aged people (65 and older) of over 35%. You’ll find the highest percentage of retirees in Wickenburg, with a whopping 49.5% of its population being 65 or older.
1. Sahuarita
Annual cost of living: $42,821
Median household income: $100,719
Livability: 69
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.77
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.92
2. Bisbee
Annual cost of living: $34,394
Median household income: $46,689
Livability: 59
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.38
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.0
3. Thatcher
Annual cost of living: $42,416
Median household income: $77,455
Livability: 64
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.49
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.72
4. Nogales
Annual cost of living: $32,424
Median household income: $40,745
Livability: 66
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 36.02
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.29
5. Florence
Annual cost of living: $42,011
Median household income: $76,259
Livability: 61
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.48
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.2
6. Douglas
Annual cost of living: $31,126
Median household income: $39,350
Livability: 69
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 15.69
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.78
7. Fredonia
Annual cost of living: $39,869
Median household income: $60,476
Livability: 63
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 0.77
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.0
8. Oro Valley
Annual cost of living: $54,003
Median household income: $105,342
Livability: 81
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 11.48
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.51
9. Marana
Annual cost of living: $48,493
Median household income: $108,256
Livability: 66
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 13.50
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.16
10. Surprise
Annual cost of living: $47,955
Median household income: $93,371
Livability: 74
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.76
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.09
11. Sierra Vista
Annual cost of living: $39,828
Median household income: $69,783
Livability: 78
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 16.64
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.18
12. Wickenburg
Annual cost of living: $54,851
Median household income: $65,253
Livability: 69
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.63
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.08
13. Gilbert
Annual cost of living: $57,790
Median household income: $121,351
Livability: 89
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.68
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.32
14. Payson
Annual cost of living: $49,428
Median household income: $65,175
Livability: 66
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.23
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.61
15. Queen Creek
Annual cost of living: $61,781
Median household income: $134,719
Livability: 74
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.22
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.2
16. Chandler
Annual cost of living: $54,941
Median household income: $103,691
Livability: 79
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 15.04
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.33
17. Maricopa
Annual cost of living: $43,571
Median household income: $94,208
Livability: 74
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.69
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.25
18. Buckeye
Annual cost of living: $46,917
Median household income: $98,778
Livability: 69
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.71
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.67
19. Superior
Annual cost of living: $32,062
Median household income: $42,050
Livability: 55
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 31.29
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.67
20. Coolidge
Annual cost of living: $38,058
Median household income: $57,161
Livability: 55
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 15.29
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 3.06
Methodology: For this study, MoneyLion analyzed cities in Arizona to find the safest and cheapest places to live. Using crime data from the FBI's 2024 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement, cities in Arizona were identified along with the number of violent crimes, property crimes and the populations. Using the crime and population data, the property crime rate per 1,000 residents and the violent crime rate per 1,000 were calculated. Median household income was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. The cost of living was determined using Sperling's BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the Zillow Home Value Index for November 2025 and Federal Reserve Economic Data. The ranking was determined by scoring the average mortgage, average expenditure cost, property crime rate and violent crime rate. All data is up to date as of Jan. 20, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion:
Discover Side Hustles To Grow Your Earnings and Make More Money
3 Mistakes People Make When Trying To Build Wealth, According to Dave Ramsey