Median Income
$70,899
household / year
Median Home Value
$215,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,080
gross / month
Cost of Living
95
national avg = 100

Is Sierra Vista, AZ a Good Place to Live?

Sierra Vista is a small city of 45,212 in Arizona, with a median household income of $70,899 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.

Strengths: Sierra Vista stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Sierra Vista is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Sierra Vista 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: 94.6

Sierra Vista's overall cost of living index is 94.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sierra Vista costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.

Metric Sierra Vista, AZ National Avg
Median Home Value $215,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,080 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 61.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $70,899 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Sierra Vista's violent crime rate is 217.6 per 100,000 residents — 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
217.6 /100k
Property Crime
1663.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Sierra Vista is served primarily by Fort Huachuca Accommodation District (4167). The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Sierra Vista, AZ National Avg
School District Fort Huachuca Accommodation District (4167) —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Sierra Vista sees average highs of 61.3°F in January and 91.5°F in July, with 14.8 inches of annual precipitation and 0.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricSierra Vista, AZ
Average High — January61.3°F
Average High — July91.5°F
Annual Precipitation14.8"
Annual Snowfall0.4"

Demographics

MetricSierra Vista, AZNational Avg
Population45,212—
Median Age37.038.9
Unemployment Rate5.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.0%59.3%
Black or African American8.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.9%18.9%
Asian3.9%6.3%
Under 1822.4%22.2%
65 and over19.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Huachuca City, AZ 5 mi Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ 10 mi Whetstone, AZ 11 mi Elgin, AZ 15 mi Miracle Valley, AZ 16 mi

ZIP Codes in Sierra Vista

Sierra Vista, AZ is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

85613 85635

Sierra Vista vs Other Cities

Sierra Vista, AZ vs Huachuca City, AZ Sierra Vista, AZ vs Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ Sierra Vista, AZ vs Whetstone, AZ Sierra Vista, AZ vs Elgin, AZ Sierra Vista, AZ vs Miracle Valley, AZ

Frequently Asked Questions

Sierra Vista's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average. That makes Sierra Vista roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $215,900 and median rent is $1,080/month.
Sierra Vista's violent crime rate is 217.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1663.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Sierra Vista are operated by Fort Huachuca Accommodation District (4167). The district has 3 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.7:1. 33.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sierra Vista, AZ has a population of 45,212, a median household income of $70,899, and an unemployment rate of 5.7%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Sierra Vista averages 61.3°F in January and 91.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 14.8 inches with about 0.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Sierra Vista, AZ is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 85613, 85635.
The population of Sierra Vista, Arizona is 45,212 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Sierra Vista: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $215,900, median household income $70,899, crime index 66 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sierra Vista side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.