Best Counties in Arizona — 2026 Rankings
15 of 15 counties scored across 12 dimensions
15
15 scored
40/100
composite score
70.1/100
26.9—70.1
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Arizona
Arizona Trails the National Livability Median
With a state average composite score of 40.1, Arizona falls nearly 10 points below the national median of 50.0. This score reflects a landscape of extremes where favorable tax policies struggle to offset lower scores in health and environmental risk.
Tax Advantages Lead Arizona’s Strengths
Arizona shines in its fiscal environment, boasting a strong tax score of 76.4. Residents benefit from a tax structure that is significantly more favorable than many other states, helping to preserve household purchasing power.
Environmental Risk and Health Pose Hurdles
The state’s lowest marks come from a risk score of 15.6 and a health score of 34.5. These figures indicate significant geographic and wellness challenges that weigh down the state's overall livability average compared to national peers.
Greenlee County Leads the State Standouts
Greenlee County dominates with a score of 70.1, fueled by an exceptional cost score of 98.6 and strong income at 77.7. Apache and Graham counties follow, outperforming the state average through superior affordability and lower local tax burdens.
A Fit for Tax-Savvy, Cost-Conscious Residents
Arizona is best suited for individuals who prioritize low taxes and can navigate environmental risks for a unique desert lifestyle. While major hubs like Maricopa score lower at 32.6 due to high costs, rural pockets offer high-value living for those seeking deep affordability.
All County Rankings in Arizona
Search, sort, and filter all 15 ranked counties
Showing 1–15 of 15 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenlee County | 70.1 | 95.9 | 98.6 | 77.7 | 90.1 | 47.8 | 14.8 | 87.7 | 5.2 | 35.5 | 5.3 | ||
| 2 | Apache County | 51.9 | 49.9 | 96.2 | 3.1 | 81.8 | 9.2 | 27.2 | 21.2 | 34.3 | 42.5 | 29.6 | ||
| 3 | Graham County | 47.6 | 81.7 | 38.6 | 59.8 | 64.1 | 33.1 | 19.9 | 35.4 | 37 | 43.8 | 10 | ||
| 4 | Yavapai County | 40.7 | 91.3 | 22.1 | 57.2 | 45.1 | 48.1 | 7.3 | 6.3 | 18.6 | 53 | 17.6 | ||
| 5 | Cochise County | 39.9 | 69.9 | 46.5 | 35.4 | 32.6 | 47.6 | 15.4 | 7.2 | 21.7 | 48.5 | 14.4 | ||
| 6 | Navajo County | 39.9 | 73.7 | 74.6 | 20.2 | 39.2 | 9 | 7.5 | 11.9 | 24.7 | 47.3 | 33.1 | ||
| 7 | Santa Cruz County | 39.9 | 69.4 | 51.4 | 22 | 27.8 | 36.3 | 27.5 | 11.7 | 34.5 | 49.8 | 16.6 | ||
| 8 | Pinal County | 37.5 | 84.1 | 13.8 | 81 | 41.5 | 49.6 | 4.3 | 6.2 | 30.4 | 16.8 | 5.2 | ||
| 9 | La Paz County | 37.2 | 62.4 | 88.3 | 13.4 | 19.1 | 8.9 | 20.1 | 16.5 | 9.8 | 11.9 | 6.4 | ||
| 10 | Coconino County | 35.2 | 87.3 | 20.9 | 65.7 | 12.9 | 46.5 | 16.6 | 5.8 | 33.6 | 43.8 | 31.9 | ||
| 11 | Yuma County | 34.8 | 68 | 38.8 | 40.6 | 27.1 | 34 | 21.6 | 7.4 | 15.2 | 8.5 | 6.4 | ||
| 12 | Gila County | 34.3 | 82 | 44.4 | 36.1 | 22.9 | 15.7 | 14.6 | 9.8 | 16.6 | 43.6 | 12.6 | ||
| 13 | Mohave County | 32.9 | 87.4 | 40 | 27.2 | 17.7 | 26 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 26.2 | 30 | 5.3 | ||
| 14 | Maricopa County | 32.6 | 88.5 | 7.7 | 88.9 | 8.5 | 56.3 | 4.9 | 0.1 | 68 | 13.4 | 5.1 | ||
| 15 | Pima County | 26.9 | 54.6 | 19.9 | 61.6 | 8.5 | 49.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 53.4 | 23.1 | 5.3 |
Greenlee County
Apache County
Graham County
Yavapai County
Cochise County
Navajo County
Santa Cruz County
Pinal County
La Paz County
Coconino County
Yuma County
Gila County
Mohave County
Maricopa County
Pima County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Arizona
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Arizona.
What is the best county in Arizona?
Greenlee County is the top-ranked county in Arizona with a CountyScore of 70.1/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Arizona?
Arizona has 15 counties in total. Of those, 15 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Arizona?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Arizona is 40/100. The national average is 50/100, so Arizona counties score 10 points below the national average.
How does Arizona compare to other states?
Arizona's average county score of 40/100 is 10 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Arizona counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Arizona.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.