10 Cheapest Places to Buy a House in Arizona

The typical house in Arizona costs over $425,000 according to Zillow. But many towns in The Grand Canyon State offer homes at about half that.

If you’ve been deciding between renting and buying in Arizona, the decision could be an easy one in these affordable spots.

1. Nogales
2. San Luis
3. Somerton
4. Kingman
5. Sierra Vista
6. Yuma
7. Bullhead City
8. Green Valley
9. Sun City
10. Casa Grande

1. Nogales

*Payments include estimated property tax, home insurance, and mortgage insurance. See the methodology at the end of this article for payment assumptions.

The most affordable city on our list is the border town of Nogales. It’s the perfect mix of Mexican and American cultures, offering unique dining and shopping experiences and “warm and hospitable people,” says Visit Arizona.

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2. San Luis

This southern Arizona town is part of the greater Yuma area and a port of entry. The local economy is supported by industry, agriculture, and trade between the U.S. and Mexico, offering residents plenty of employment opportunities to support affordable homeownership in the area.

3. Somerton

Between San Luis and Yuma is Somerton, one of three cities on our list in the Yuma metro area. With the typical house payment under $1,800 according to our estimates, local residents enjoy housing that is about $1,200 cheaper monthly than in the Phoenix metro area.

4. Kingman

Two hours from Las Vegas and five from Los Angeles, Kingman, Arizona is an affordable town that is within a day’s trip to major metros. This “rugged, adventurous, and unafraid” town lies on the historic Route 66, a great place to start any adventure – which you will be able to afford thanks to low home prices.

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5. Sierra Vista

Translated “Mountain View” in English, Sierra Vista offers easy access to hikes up to 9,000 feet in elevation. Thanks in part to the natural surroundings, homes are in high demand here with a 12% increase in home values compared to a year ago, reports Redfin.

6. Yuma

This southwest Arizona town of about 100,000 offers affordable housing, especially considering the employment opportunities in the area. The U.S. Marine Corps Air Station employs over 2,000 civilians and 4,800 active-duty military personnel. Yuma Regional Medical Center, local government, and U.S. Border Patrol employ thousands more.

7. Bullhead City

This town lies on the other side of the Colorado River from Nevada. While not a small town, the entire area is eligible for the zero-down USDA home loan, which offers affordable financing in many areas outside of major metros for those who meet income limits.

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8. Green Valley

While Green Valley home prices dipped below $310,000 in 2023, they are again on their way upward. Still, homebuyers are capturing good deals: 64% of homes sell under list price according to Zillow.

9. Sun City

This suburb of Phoenix offers typical home prices about $100,000 less than the city proper. Yet it’s just 40 minutes from downtown. Those who don’t mind a bit of a commute can save a lot of money by choosing Sun City.

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10. Casa Grande

Visit Arizona boasts of Casa Grande’s golf courses, a historic downtown, an aquatic park, and more. And at home prices below $350,000, even those on a tight budget might afford homeownership.

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Many towns and cities across Arizona are affordable for just about any budget. See what home price you qualify for by requesting your pre-approval from a reputable lender.

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Methodology

To find the 10 most affordable housing markets in Arizona, we used typical home prices as reported on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) Single-Family Home Time Series for August 2024. We assumed a 5% down payment, the typical requirement for first-time buyers. We then calculated the monthly mortgage payment on a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.354%, the 30-day average rate published on Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices for a buyer with less than 20% down and a 700 FICO score. We added PMI costs for this scenario per mortgage insurance provider MGIC. The stated payment includes estimated property taxes of 1.2% of the home price per year, 0.35% per year for homeowner's insurance, and no HOA dues. To increase relevancy, we limited eligible cities to the top 3,000 largest by population nationwide per Zillow’s report.