Is Sedona, AZ a Good Place to Live?
Sedona is a small town of 9,739 in Arizona, with a median household income of $62,901 and a 7.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.
Strengths: Sedona stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Sedona is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Sedona city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 102.1Sedona's overall cost of living index is 102.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sedona costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Sedona, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $664,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,377 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $62,901 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSedona's violent crime rate is 314.4 per 100,000 residents — 17% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Sedona is served primarily by Sedona-Oak Creek JUSD #9 (4467). The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Sedona, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Sedona-Oak Creek JUSD #9 (4467) | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Sedona sees average highs of 58.3°F in January and 96.9°F in July, with 17.1 inches of annual precipitation and 77.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Sedona, AZ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.3°F |
| Average High — July | 96.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 77.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Sedona, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,739 | — |
| Median Age | 58.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 36.5% | 16.8% |