Places › Arizona › Lake Havasu City

Living in Lake Havasu City, AZ

Small city in Arizona

Lake Havasu City is a small city in Arizona, home to about 58,000 people, with 72,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Lake Havasu City a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Low taxes: about $755 state income tax per resident, 0.42% property tax
  • Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 72,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Hot summers: highs around 108°F
  • Fewer graduates: 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lake Havasu City ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
58,000
72,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
67°F / 108°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$491k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,900/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
94
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$755
State income tax per resident · 0.42% property tax
Safety
0.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
3 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, heat waves
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
18%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LAS
119 mi away

Living in Lake Havasu City: common questions

What is the cost of living in Lake Havasu City?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $491k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,900 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 94, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Lake Havasu City?

Arizona collects about $755 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.42% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Lake Havasu City safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Lake Havasu City?

Lake Havasu City is warm all year: winter days average around 67°F and summer days around 108°F.

Does Lake Havasu City get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and heat waves: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.6 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Lake Havasu City?

The nearest major airport is LAS, about 119 mi away.

How Lake Havasu City scores

Each bar compares Lake Havasu City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Houses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Poor
✈️Airport Average

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Is Lake Havasu City right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.