Navajo Nation Mule 9-15, 2015
Bitter Springs’s story
Bitter Springs in pictures
Census counts: 547 in 2000, 355 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
Explore the history →
Bitter SpringsAZ
A town of 504.
Photo: Public domain · Public domain
Population
504
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$62K
Census ACS
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
29.9
years
Land area
8 sq mi
Is Bitter Springs a good place to live?
Of the 141 Arizona towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Bitter Springs. Bitter Springs’ trail density is 1.7 miles per square mile, above both Arizona’s towns (1.1) and U.S. towns (0.4). Bitter Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
504 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 13 attractions →Grand Canyon National Park and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bitter Springs. Close and well known come first.
Big draw6 mi National ParkGrand Canyon National Park4.4M visitors a year
Big draw24 mi LakeLake Powell
23 mi Canyon & gorgeAntelope Canyon
24 mi DamGlen Canyon Dam
14 mi Park & preserveVermilion Cliffs National Monument
14 mi National Recreation AreaGlen Canyon National Recreation Area3.7M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Grand Canyon National Park: Marek Ślusarczyk (Tupungato) Photo portfolio, CC BY 3.0 · Lake Powell: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Antelope Canyon: Lucas Löffler, Public domain · Glen Canyon Dam: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vermilion Cliffs National Monument: Lobineau, CC BY 2.5 · Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: User:Moondigger, CC BY-SA 2.5
Getting set up
Moving to Bitter Springs: who provides what
Bitter Springs is unincorporated, so Coconino County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesCoconino CountyCoconino County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Arizona you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCoconino County RecorderCoconino County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes86040, 8603686040 81% · 86036 19%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bitter Springs.
Climate
In Bitter Springs, expect mild winters and hot summers
Bitter Springs has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Bitter Springs’ July high is 94°F, below the Arizona town median (100°F) but above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
3″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–47°
Spring42–69°
Summer63–92°
Fall44–70°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 27
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Bitter Springs stands out in Arizona and nationally: a larger share of its adults say their health is fair or poor
40% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bitter Springs. Among 141 Arizona towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Bitter Springs. 26% of adults report frequent mental distress in Bitter Springs.
| Bitter Springs | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 21% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
2 better5 too close to call25 worse
| What stands out | Bitter Springs | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.6% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.1% | 8.8% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 22.8% | 7.2% |
Page Hospital
13.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Bitter Springs, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 5,439 acres
14 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bitter Springs
15pages on Bitter Springs
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bitter Springs; the nearest are
Indian Bible CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Flagstaff96.4 mi$7,980 tuitionNorthern Arizona UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Flagstaff98.4 mi$13,009 in-state tuitionCoconino Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Flagstaff99.6 mi$2,907 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Bitter Springs residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
About Bitter Springs
Census-designated place in Coconino County, Arizona
Bitter Springs (Navajo: Díchʼíító) is a native village and census-designated place (CDP) on the Navajo Nation in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 364.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 8.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,115 ft
- Area code
- 928
Questions about Bitter Springs
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bitter Springs, AZ a good place to live?
Bitter Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.