Places › Arizona › Yuma

Living in Yuma, AZ

Small city in Arizona

Yuma is a small city in Arizona, home to about 98,000 people, with 187,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Yuma a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Dog-friendly: 2 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $284k and rents for $1,890 a month
  • Low taxes: about $755 state income tax per resident, 0.66% property tax

👎 Cons

  • Hot summers: highs around 105°F
  • Smaller job market: about 187,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 21% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

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

Key facts

Population
98,000
187,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
70°F / 105°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$284k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,890/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$755
State income tax per resident · 0.66% property tax
Safety
1.0× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
0 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
21%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PSP
135 mi away

Living in Yuma: common questions

What is the cost of living in Yuma?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $284k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,890 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Yuma?

Arizona collects about $755 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Yuma safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.0× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Yuma?

Yuma is warm all year: winter days average around 70°F and summer days around 105°F.

Does Yuma get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 0 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.1 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Yuma?

The nearest major airport is PSP, about 135 mi away.

How Yuma scores

Each bar compares Yuma 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 city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep 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 Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Poor
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Poor
✈️Airport Average

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Is Yuma 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.