United States › Arizona › Payson CITY
Payson Arizona · 16,693 residents (2025 est.) · 19.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Payson is home to 16,622 people in Arizona. At a median age of 60.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 5%. 3,002 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 60.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 71%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,620 in 2000
16,693 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
859 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 784 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 48.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 10K 12K 15K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Payson Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $67,710
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,638 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,513 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.436 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Education & health services 4.3%
Public administration 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$382,400
+71%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $122,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,345
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $671 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.8% in 2000
24.3% rent
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.99 people
−14%since 2009
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.3%(12,438)
Hispanic / Latino 5.2%(708)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82.2%(13,658)
Hispanic / Latino 12.3%(2,050)
from 21 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 48.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 18.8%(1,314)
Women 15+
Never married 15.2%(1,139)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 21.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 39.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.7%(314)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.7%(294)
Share of the 2,004 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Payson, Arizona? Payson, Arizona has about 16,622 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Payson, Arizona? The typical household in Payson, Arizona earns about $67,710 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Payson, Arizona expensive? In Payson, Arizona, the median home is worth about $382,400, and the typical rent is about $1,345 a month.
How educated are people in Payson, Arizona? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Payson, Arizona hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Payson, Arizona? About 11.0% of people in Payson, Arizona live below the federal poverty line.
Has Payson, Arizona grown since 1990? Yes, Payson, Arizona has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,245 residents, a change of about 98 percent over that period.
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