CongressLoco, 1900
Congress’s story
137 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and a map from 1969 on.
- 1889Congress is settled
CongressAZ
A town of 1,491, settled in 1889.
Population
1,491
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$339K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
69.2
years
Jobs based here
115
A commuter town
Is Congress a good place to live?
Congress’ best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for walkability. 58% of the land in Congress is conserved, where Arizona’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Congress has 1 place on the National Register. Congress has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Congress stand out
Where Congress beats most towns.
Small town
1,491 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Congress grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Congress is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.6 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Jobs & income$57K median household incomeDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsBOpen →HealthWickenburg Community Hospital 14.1 miles awayBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 100° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 69.2; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Congress: who provides what
Congress is unincorporated, so Yavapai County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAPS17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCongress Dwid water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesYavapai CountyYavapai 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 hereYavapai County RecorderYavapai County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8533285332 100%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 Congress.
SchoolsB
Public schools in Congress beat 63% of Arizona districts
Public schools: the Congress Elementary District. Its one school is below. 122 students attend the town’s public school.
63%of AZ districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congress Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 122 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests
OutdoorsC+
Conservation land takes up nearly a third of Congress
Congress’ density of trails is 0.6 miles per square mile. 22 miles of trail.
58.3%conserved
58.3%
conserved · 14,043 of 24,068 acres
22 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Congress stands out in Arizona and nationally, with the average trip to work longer than most
In Congress, 3% of working residents work locally. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in the town rose by 30, to 115. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in the town, against 12% in Arizona’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Phoenix (28%), Wickenburg (8%) and Prescott (6%).
3%work in town
| Congress | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 42 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Congress3%
Phoenix28%
Wickenburg8%
Prescott6%
Scottsdale4%
57 mi
median commute distance
115
jobs based in Congress
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 2% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Congress faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
67% of Congress’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by wildfires at 25%. Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Congress: mild winters and hot summers
For Congress, the peak summer temperature is 100°F. July afternoons reach 100°, January nights drop to 36° and snow is almost unheard of.
100°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–63°
Spring48–78°
Summer68–98°
Fall52–82°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 7
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
100°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Congress is valued at about $339K
The share of households in Congress who live in a home they own: 94%.
$339KZillow home value
Typical home value
Congress$339K
Arizona$417K
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB
Residents of Congress are healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Among 141 Arizona towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Congress. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Congress is ahead of Arizona on 15 and behind on 10. 26% of adults feel lonely in the town.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Congress | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
15 better7 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Congress | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.9% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.5% | 7.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 17.2% | 8.8% |
Wickenburg Community Hospital
14.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Congress
17pages on Congress
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Congress; the nearest are
Prescott CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Prescott35 mi$35,685 tuitionEstrella Mountain Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Avondale55.3 mi$2,358 in-state tuitionArizona State University Campus ImmersionUniversity or college · Public · Tempe73.8 mi$12,223 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Congress residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Congress for work
Where Congress’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
115jobs based in Congress
3%of working residents work in town
57 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Congress
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Congress, AZ expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.