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
median household income $67,710, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Payson
What changed most since 1990
Population8,377 → 16,622(+98%)US over the same years: +35%
Median home value (2024 dollars)$187,925 → $382,400(+103%)US over the same years: +67%
Median age50.7 → 60.9(+10.2 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Payson's population equals 31% of Gila County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 20% of the county's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 43% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.7%(294)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era48%(962)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.8%(156)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(24)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Payson, decade by decade
Payson population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
8,377
$51,109
$187,925
10.7%
9.5
2000
13,620
$61,277
$223,699
17.6%
20.3
2010
15,301
$62,962
$323,535
20.4%
31.8
2020
16,351
$67,029
$306,282
25.1%
41.1
2024
16,622
$67,710
$382,400
24.5%
38.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
