First MesaAZ
A town of 1,459.
Is First Mesa a good place to live?
The best of First Mesa’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for health. 36% of residents are under 18 in First Mesa, where Arizona’s towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 22%. On health, just 13 of Arizona’s 207 towns do worse. First Mesa's public schools trail 96% of Arizona towns on state tests and graduation. First Mesa’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both the Arizona town median (1.1) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). On the outdoors, just 17 of Arizona’s 207 towns do worse. First Mesa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
First Mesa has shrunk 13% from 2010 to 2020
1,555 counted in 2010 and 1,352 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How First Mesa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far First Mesa is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to First Mesa: who provides what
First Mesa is unincorporated, so Navajo County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 First Mesa.
A larger share of adults smoke cigarettes in First Mesa than in most of Arizona or the rest of the country
27% of First Mesa adults smoke cigarettes. Among 141 Arizona towns, just 10 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than First Mesa. 41% of First Mesa adults sleep under 7 hours.
| First Mesa | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 21% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 13% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | First Mesa | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.9% | 15.3% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 19.9% | 7.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
First Mesa’s grade for schools is a D−
Its public schools are run by First Mesa Elementary School. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Mesa Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 118 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of First Mesa’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave First Mesa for work: only 5% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in First Mesa. Since 2013, First Mesa has added 83 jobs, to 98 in 2023.
| First Mesa | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Four seasons and hot summers in First Mesa
First Mesa has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. First Mesa’s July high is 92°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Moderate risk in First Mesa, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
First Mesa has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
25 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about First Mesa
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of First Mesa; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 First Mesa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
1,459 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Questions about First Mesa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is First Mesa, 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+.