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Community Profile

Everybody’s hometown: A home for your business

Photo of downtown Prescott, looking down Whiskey Row.
Downtown Prescott
Photo taken by Franz Rosenberger

People are drawn to Prescott not only by its surroundings, but also by its small town atmosphere. “Everybody’s Hometown” is an easygoing place where making friends comes naturally. The friendly atmosphere demonstrates the legacy of its pioneer past, when words were few and actions mattered. Prescottonians cherish their history. With a population of more than 40,000 there are 637 buildings and more than 60 objects in Prescott listed in the National Register of Historic Places, more than any other community its size in Arizona.

With its quality of life, near perfect four-season climate and small-town atmosphere, Prescott is a highly desirable place to live and work. Residents enjoy the benefits of small-town living while taking advantage of many positive amenities of large metropolitan areas. Very low crime rates, easy commuting a full range of house types and prices, excellent air quality and a variety of recreational choices all combine to create a low-stress lifestyle.

Yavapai County is the second fastest growing county in Arizona. The City of Prescott is the largest urban area within the county. The city's growth has been a steady 4 percent per year for the past decade and is expected to continue at that rate. More than 95,600 people reside within the tri-city area, which includes Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley. The majority of these residents live within a 10-mile radius of downtown Prescott.



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Climate

Located in Arizona’s central mountains, four mild seasons offer just enough variation to make the weather interesting. With occasional light snows in winter, Prescott becomes a picture postcard setting that fits perfectly in a holiday season filled with a variety of celebrations.

Typical, changeable spring weather ranges from rain to sun in a few hours. Summers are warm and sunny, with occasional cooling thunderstorms. Autumns are cool, crisp and golden. Typical of its southwestern location, Prescott's moderate year-round climate adds up to more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

Demographics

July 1, 2009 Population estimate of 43,573 a 28% increase over the 2000 Census of 33,938.

Education

The Prescott Unified School District (PUSD)
Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) is a learning community of 5,300 students, spanning a preschool, five elementary schools, two middle schools, three alternative schools, one high school and a family resource center. Built on a foundation of excellence that is more than a century old, the District provides the basic tools needed to become a strong citizen, valued employee, entrepreneur or leader of tomorrow, as well as a full menu of music, arts, athletics, special needs services, extracurricular activities, transportation and food services.

There are private and church-affiliated schools as well as a fully accredited college preparatory day school with boarding facilities serving ninth through twelfth grades. There are also a number of new charter schools in the area.

Yavapai College
Yavapai College offers 49 programs of study and thousands of classes available. Consider the possibility of earning a degree or certificate. Through an arrangement with Northern Arizona University (see below), credits can be earned toward bachelor's and master's degrees. A popular non-credit retirement college hosts 900 students over the age of 62. The college has instituted the Small Business Development Center to assist in the establishment and administration of new ventures.
Northern Arizona University
In cooperation with Yavapai College, Northern Arizona University offers degree programs in classrooms in Prescott. To accommodate students who want even more flexibility, NAU's Statewide Academic Programs offer courses in other formats, including web-based, satellite delivery to your home, and interactive instructional television. Students who never travel to Flagstaff can still benefit from NAU's tradition and innovation.
Prescott College
Prescott College is a four-year, private, innovative, liberal arts college. It specializes in self-direction, experiential learning, and inter-disciplinary study. Main areas of study include Environmental Studies, Arts and Letters, Social and Cultural Studies, Adventure Education, Human Development, and Management and Education. The college provides a popular Adult Degree Program, as well as the unique Center for Bilingual Teacher Training.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU)
Embry-Riddle is located on a 520-acre campus. ERAU is the world's preeminent institution of higher education specializing in the fields of aviation and aerospace. The curriculum at ERAU covers the entire spectrum of engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing, and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them. The university operates a multimillion-dollar flight-training center at Prescott Municipal Airport.

Health

The medical needs of Prescott residents are met by a full spectrum of health services. There are over 150 practicing physicians in the area, more than 40 dentists, 30 chiropractic physicians and a large number of opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists.

Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), located on Willow Creek Road, is a full service regional health care facility offering the warmth and comfort of a community hospital along with superior care and state-of-the-art technology. YRMC’s staff includes doctors representing most medical specialties.

Quality health care is also provided by the staff of the Veterans Administration Medical Center located in Prescott at historic Fort Whipple on Highway 89. In addition, fine nursing homes, personal care homes and adult day care are also available.

Air quality data for Prescott is available through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Website- Data for Prescott

Housing

Prescott’s diverse character is exemplified by the many neighborhoods that offer a unique blend of housing and lifestyle options, from historic and stately Victorians, to apartment complexes along major arterials, to new single-family homes in the city’s rural periphery.

Relatively inexpensive land and housing is available within easy commuting distance to any employer within the tri-city area (Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley). Single-family detached homes in the area typically range from $75,000 to several hundred thousand dollars, depending upon size, acreage and location. Condominiums, townhomes and patio homes begin at around $75,000 and manufactured homes average around $50,000.

Rental units begin at around $500 a month and range up to more than $1,000 a month for larger single-family homes. There are several property management agencies in the area, and most real estate agents handle residential properties.

History is important to Prescottonians and several National Register historic districts encompass residential areas. Preservation incentives are available to assist owners in defraying the cost of restoration and maintenance. Beautiful period homes can be found among mature shade trees throughout the community. Some of the finest examples of Victorian homes in the West are located in Prescott.

Media

Newspapers
  • Prescott Newspapers Inc.
    1958 Commerce Center Circle
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-771-7532
  • Prescott eNews
Radio
  • KYCA Radio
    500 Henry Street
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-445-1700
    928-778-5171
  • Arizona's Hometown Radio Group
    KPPV 106.7 FM
    KQNA 1130 AM
    KDDL 94.3 FM
    3755 Karicio Lane
    Prescott, Arizona 86303
    928-445-8289
    1-800-264-5449
  • KNOT Radio
    116 S. Alto St.
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-445-6880
  • EAGLE/KFLX-FM (97.1/105.1FM)
    141 W. Navajo Drive
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-776-7005
  • KOLT Country/KSED-FM (92.5/107.5FM)
    141 W. Navajo Drive
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-776-7005
  • COOL Oldies/KWMX-FM (96.7FM)
    141 W. Navajo Drive
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-776-7005
  • KAHM Radio
    510 Henry St.
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-445-7800
  • KKLD Radio
    8028 E. Highway 89
    Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
    928-775-5200
Television
  • AZTV
    3211 Tower Rd.
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    928-778-6770

Prescott Arts & Culture

See the Visitor’s section for links to events, museums, and recreation in Prescott.

Golf