The 7 Best Places to Live in Northern Arizona for 2024
Northern Arizona’s beautiful scenery and affordability makes it a great place to settle, so we found the best places to live in Northern Arizona for 2023. What makes Northern Arizona so attractive is its expansive spaces that feature unique national forests, breathtaking mountains, natural lakes, beautiful red deserts, and of course, the Grand Canyon.
It’s also a lot less crowded than the rest of the state. Less than 1 million people live in Northern Arizona compared to the over 6 million that live in the rest of the state.
Its location is also ideal for those who want to experience the great outdoors. Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico are directly adjacent to Northern Arizona, giving residents a chance to see all that the West has to offer.
Additionally, large cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles are all a short drive or plane ride away from The Grand Canyon State.
So, let’s take a look at the 7 best places to live in Northern Arizona in 2024 to get you inspired for your next move.
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Best Places to Live in Northern Arizona
Before we start our list, we need to understand how to define the area of Northern Arizona. The majority of the northern part of the state is pretty desolate, so many people consider Northern Arizona as the whole area of the state that is north of Phoenix.
Since that is pretty broad, we narrowed down our search to only include the mid part of Arizona and up, which consists of Apache, Coconino, Mohave, and Navajo counties.
7. Williams, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Williams is a small town of 3,000 residents that is located right on the legendary Route 66. It was founded in 1881 and is known as “The Gateway to the Grand Canyon” as it sits just south of the massive national park, making it a top choice of Northern Arizona cities to live in for nature lovers.
There is also a charming Historic Downtown District in Williams as well as access to countless outdoor adventures, such as fishing, skiing, and hiking that are all nearby.
6. Holbrook, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Holbrook, Arizona is located in the northeastern part of the state about an hour from the border with New Mexico.
There are about 5,000 people who live in this quaint town that is also located on Route 66. It attracts many tourists each year as it is just 20 minutes away from the Petrified Forest National Park.
Additionally, housing prices make Holbrook quite attractive, as the average home here costs almost half of the state average.
5. Flagstaff, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Flagstaff is the largest city on this list of the best places to live in Northern Arizona, with a population of about 75,000 people. It is located right in the central part of Northern Arizona.
Its central location close to the Grand Canyon and Route 66 makes it a prime tourist location, which in turn helps boost the local economy and lets the wide-range of local restaurants and shops thrive. Flagstaff is also home to Northern Arizona University, giving the city a young, vibrant college town energy.
Just like its neighbor in Williams, Flagstaff offers its residents an unlimited number of outdoor activities to partake in. It also has four distinct seasons throughout the year, which can be a welcomed relief from the never ending heat in the south of the state, making it one of the best cities to live in Northern Arizona.
4. Kachina Village, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Right down the road from Flagstaff is Kachina Village, which has a population of just 2,600 people. This residential community is located in mountainous terrain, which also gives its residents direct access to many hiking and biking trails nearby.
There aren’t any stores in Kachina Village, so people need to make the 15 minute drive to Flagstaff to stock up. But, that is also what makes the village so attractive as it is an extremely quiet and one of the most peaceful Northern Arizona cities to live in.
3. Kingman, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Kingman, Arizona is located in the northwestern corner of the state. This city of over 30,000 residents is quite large, yet still retains a small town feel. It is also close to major cities as it is about a 2 hour drive from Las Vegas and Flagstaff, giving it an ideal balance between quietness and access to more amenities.
Kingman is also the closest city in Northern Arizona to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
You can find virtually everything in this city. There are a bunch of cool restaurants and breweries where Route 66 passes through Kingman as well as a larger commercial district in the center of the city, making it one of the best places to live in Northern Arizona that has access to everything.
2. Prescott, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Prescott is located pretty much in the middle of Arizona, which gives its residents great flexibility to reach all parts of the state.
However, its elevated terrain in the mountains makes it a lot cooler than the oppressively hot climate of the cities in the south.
This sizable city of 45,000 can enjoy quiet, suburban neighborhoods as well as the historic downtown area that is filled with lively restaurants and bars, especially on Whiskey Row. The heart of the city is situated near Courthouse Plaza, which features live music and community celebrations all year round.
We ranked Prescott in 2nd place on our latest list of the best places to live in Arizona.
1. Sedona, Arizona
Location: Check on Google Maps
Sedona tops our list as the best place to live in Northern Arizona. It calls itself “The Most Beautiful Place on Earth” and it’s hard to argue with them. The landscape of this desert town is filled with natural beauty.
Sedona is best known for its majestic red rocks and soaring stone formations that are a dream for hiking and biking lovers.
Only 10,000 people live in this picturesque city, yet it offers more amenities than many other places. There are many unique restaurants and boutiques that line the streets of Sedona and the city hosts numerous annual events, which makes it one of the most well-rounded Northern Arizona cities to live in as well.
It also is home to a thriving arts scene and is well-known for its world-class spas.
Summary – Best Places to Live in Northern Arizona
We hope this list of the best places to live in Northern Arizona will help you identify all of the great communities in this part of the state and eventually choose the right one for you. There really is no wrong choice here, as they all offer something a bit different. It will really depend on your personal preferences, but we think that they are all top options for you.
