Best overall
Greenlee County
Overall score 76.3
Economy 82.7 / Affordability 77.4
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Arizona
Compare counties in Arizona by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 15 Arizona counties
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Compare counties in Arizona
Put Arizona counties side by side.
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Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Arizona rankings
Open the full Arizona ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Arizona county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Greenlee County
Family score 71.1
Schools 41.2 / Safety 93
Best value
Greenlee County
Value score 86.4
Affordability 77.4 / Taxes 95.7
Most affordable
Greenlee County
Affordability 77.4
Typical home $167,947
Best schools
Maricopa County
Schools 47.3
Safety 95.4 / Economy 81
Safest
Santa Cruz County
Safety 97.2
Schools 26.6 / Peace 87.3
Low taxes
Greenlee County
Taxes 95.7
Affordability 77.4 / Typical home $167,947
Peace & quiet
Graham County
Peace & Quiet 91.6
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Arizona
View full- 1Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
76.3
Overall
- 2Maricopa County
Typical home $462,589
63.3
Overall
- 3Graham County
Typical home $305,491
62.4
Overall
- 4Pinal County
Typical home $364,989
61.2
Overall
- 5Yavapai County
Typical home $506,656
57.6
Overall
Best counties for families in Arizona
View full- 1Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
71.1
Family
- 2Maricopa County
Typical home $462,589
60.7
Family
- 3Graham County
Typical home $305,491
59.5
Family
- 4Yavapai County
Typical home $506,656
58.1
Family
- 5Santa Cruz County
Typical home $279,579
56.3
Family
Best value counties in Arizona
View full- 1Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
86.4
Value
- 2Pinal County
Typical home $364,989
71.8
Value
- 3Graham County
Typical home $305,491
70.1
Value
- 4Cochise County
Typical home $260,844
68.3
Value
- 5Maricopa County
Typical home $462,589
64.3
Value
Most affordable counties in Arizona
View full- 1Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
77.4
Afford.
- 2Cochise County
Typical home $260,844
51.7
Afford.
- 3Pinal County
Typical home $364,989
50.5
Afford.
- 4Graham County
Typical home $305,491
48.7
Afford.
- 5Yuma County
Typical home $284,272
47.8
Afford.
Best school counties in Arizona
View full- 1Maricopa County
Typical home $462,589
47.3
Schools
- 2Yavapai County
Typical home $506,656
45.3
Schools
- 3Graham County
Typical home $305,491
43.1
Schools
- 4Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
41.2
Schools
- 5Mohave County
Typical home $350,643
35
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Arizona
View full- 1Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
95.7
Taxes
- 2Apache County
Typical home $315,108
94.3
Taxes
- 3Graham County
Typical home $305,491
92.1
Taxes
- 4La Paz County
Typical home $266,470
90.7
Taxes
- 5Navajo County
Typical home $395,263
89.5
Taxes
Quietest counties in Arizona
View full- 1Graham County
Typical home $305,491
91.6
Quiet
- 2Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
90.4
Quiet
- 3Mohave County
Typical home $350,643
90.1
Quiet
- 4Coconino County
Typical home $623,163
88.6
Quiet
- 5Yavapai County
Typical home $506,656
88.5
Quiet
Safest counties in Arizona
View full- 1Santa Cruz County
Typical home $279,579
97.2
Safety
- 2Maricopa County
Typical home $462,589
95.4
Safety
- 3Greenlee County
Typical home $167,947
93
Safety
- 4Pinal County
Typical home $364,989
92.7
Safety
- 5Cochise County
Typical home $260,844
91.5
Safety
Popular Arizona county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Arizona
The best county in Arizona depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Arizona
For best overall counties in Arizona, Greenlee County, Maricopa County, and Graham County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Arizona
For families, Greenlee County, Maricopa County, and Graham County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Arizona
For affordability-focused movers, Greenlee County, Cochise County, and Pinal County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Arizona
For school-first households, Maricopa County, Yavapai County, and Graham County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Arizona
For lower tax-pressure searches, Greenlee County, Apache County, and Graham County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Arizona
For quieter-living searches, Graham County, Greenlee County, and Mohave County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Arizona
Compare county scale carefully in Arizona; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Arizona
What is the best county to live in Arizona?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Greenlee County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Arizona for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Greenlee County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Arizona?
Greenlee County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Arizona counties score well for schools or taxes?
Maricopa County currently leads the school-score view, while Greenlee County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Arizona counties
Showing all 15 Arizona counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenlee County FIPS 04011 | 76.3 | 82.7 | 77.4 | 41.2 | 93 | 95.7 | 90.4 | $167,947 | $71,164 |
| 2 | Maricopa County FIPS 04013 | 63.3 | 81 | 32.9 | 47.3 | 95.4 | 83.4 | 54.6 | $462,589 | $89,300 |
| 3 | Graham County FIPS 04009 | 62.4 | 69.5 | 48.7 | 43.1 | 69.7 | 92.1 | 91.6 | $305,491 | $67,325 |
| 4 | Pinal County FIPS 04021 | 61.2 | 77.5 | 50.5 | 15.2 | 92.7 | 83.6 | 77.4 | $364,989 | $80,266 |
| 5 | Yavapai County FIPS 04025 | 57.6 | 71.4 | 18.4 | 45.3 | 87.6 | 85.7 | 88.5 | $506,656 | $69,613 |
| 6 | Cochise County FIPS 04003 | 56.1 | 50.9 | 51.7 | 21.3 | 91.5 | 80.1 | 88.1 | $260,844 | $59,742 |
| 7 | Pima County FIPS 04019 | 55.5 | 62.1 | 42.4 | 29.8 | 84 | 66.5 | 83.2 | $342,047 | $70,315 |
| 8 | Mohave County FIPS 04015 | 53.3 | 57 | 26.4 | 35 | 81.6 | 87.4 | 90.1 | $350,643 | $57,684 |
| 9 | Santa Cruz County FIPS 04023 | 50.4 | 30.9 | 42.5 | 26.6 | 97.2 | 77.7 | 87.3 | $279,579 | $55,217 |
| 10 | Yuma County FIPS 04027 | 48.6 | 34.7 | 47.8 | 13.2 | 85 | 82.1 | 87.3 | $284,272 | $62,876 |
| 11 | Coconino County FIPS 04005 | 46 | 55.6 | 8.1 | 22.8 | 83.8 | 84.7 | 88.6 | $623,163 | $72,966 |
| 12 | Gila County FIPS 04007 | 42.6 | 57.8 | 21.2 | 3.3 | 62.6 | 86.6 | 83.7 | $386,396 | $61,986 |
| 13 | Navajo County FIPS 04017 | 40.7 | 33.9 | 16.6 | 8.2 | 90.1 | 89.5 | 80.3 | $395,263 | $54,606 |
| 14 | La Paz County FIPS 04012 | 36.4 | 29 | 32.4 | 3.7 | 45.9 | 90.7 | 86.1 | $266,470 | $49,478 |
| 15 | Apache County FIPS 04001 | 27.9 | 9.8 | 23.9 | 4 | 35 | 94.3 | 79.6 | $315,108 | $41,438 |