Discover the 5 Most Educated Places in Arizona

37% of Americans have earned at least a bachelor’s degree while 14% have earned a master’s degree or higher. In Arizona, the percentage of bachelor’s degree earners is a bit lower at slightly over 32%. However, a few locations in Arizona boast an incredibly high level of college education. Let’s discover the five most educated places in Arizona.

5. Summerhaven

In southern Arizona in Pima County, Summerhaven boasts 65.4% of its population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. That percentage is more than double the rate of Arizona as a whole. At an elevation of 8,200 feet, Summerhaven is a small-town tourist destination that was rebuilt after the catastrophic Aspen fire of 2003.

Interestingly, the town’s median age is 63.5, with almost 100% of its population above 50 years old. The 2020 Census puts Summerhaven’s population at a mere 35 residents, and that number has dwindled a little in the past three years. Its population is 65% male, and its veteran status is 30.8%, more than double the number of the state.

Fun Fact: Nearby Mt. Lemmon General Store and Gift Shop is the only store within 30 miles of Summerhaven. Famous for its fudge, the general store stocks outdoor gear, firewood, camping supplies, snacks, and even an ATM. The store also provides a weather alert hotline to let patrons know if the roads are closed, and they have a webcam that provides real-time conditions.

4. Shumway

In Navajo County, Shumway’s population is 146 residents. 65.8% of these have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, more than double that of Show Low to its south. Its median household income is $49,769, and its median home price is 549,632.

As with Summerhaven, Shumway’s population is older, with an average age of 66.1. The town is 70% male, with an average of 1.5 people per household.

Fun fact: The town was named after Charles Shumway, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints patron who first settled the town.

3. Rio Verde

In Maricopa County, Rio Verde lies in the far northeast region of the Phoenix area. 66.8% of its population of 2,404 have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, about double the rate of the Phoenix area. The per capita income here is $89,015, and the average home costs $127,073.

This most educated town gives a slight population edge to women, at 51% of the population. Rio Verde’s median age is 70.5, and a whopping 77% of its residents are 65 and over.

Fun fact: Rio Verde is a member-owned and governed golfing community. The Rio Verde Golf Community offers much more than golf. Recreational activities include pickelball, weights, tennis, bocce ball, cycling, pool, and art.

2. Haigler Creek

With a population of 35, Haigler Creek lies in Gila County at an elevation of 5,240. 68.6% of its residents (more than double the amount of Payson) have at least a bachelor’s degree in this town of only 1.6 square miles. The median household income is low at $16,161, which goes along with a large number of residents living below the poverty line: 31.4%.

The town’s median age is 65.3, and almost 100% of them are male. 60% of the town is 65 or over.

Fum fact: Haigler Creek is named after Jacob Russel “Jake” Haigler, a pioneer from Missouri who traveled west in the 1800s. He owned a cattle ranch along a creek, and after he was thrown from his mule in 1905, he died from his head trauma wounds. Since that date, the town has been called Haigler Creek in honor of this settler.

1. Tonopah

Tonopah is an anomoly in several ways. For starters, an astonishing 100% of its residents have earned at least a bachelor’s degree! In Maricopa County, the town is 52 miles west of Phoenix off of Interstate 10. It is 1.4 square miles, and only has a popuation of 13 residents.

The Census Reporter lists that 100% of Tonopah residents are male and 65 and over, as well. The city is near the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, the largest nuclear energy in the U.S. The plant is the sole “desert” nuclear plant in the western hemisphere, reclaiming wastewater from local municipalities for condenser cooling water.

Fun fact:  Tonopah’s name is mostly likely a derivative from the Shoshone or Northern Paiute languages. It means “grasswood water.”

Summary of the 5 Most Educated Places in Arizona