Lakeside, AZ, 2009
Pinetop-Lakeside’s story
46 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,315 in 1980, 4,030 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 4 maps from 1961 on.
- 1980Pinetop-Lakeside is settled
Pinetop-LakesideAZ
A town of 4,149, settled in 1980.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: John from tucson az · CC BY 2.0
Population
4,149
2025 Census estimate · +3.5% since 2020
Median home value
$371K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
54.0
years
Jobs based here
1,801
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#120 of 139 in AZ
Is Pinetop-Lakeside a good place to live?
Pinetop-Lakeside grades D overall, ranked 120th of 139 in Arizona, mostly because of safety and incomes. Its police reported 24 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 95% of U.S. towns. The median household income is $61K, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. What it does well: it is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. 38% of the land in Pinetop-Lakeside is conserved, against 14% in Arizona’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. On history, just 14 of Arizona’s 207 towns do worse. The biggest park or preserve is Woodland Lake Park, at 80 acres.
What makes Pinetop-Lakeside stand out
Where Pinetop-Lakeside beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Pinetop-Lakeside grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Pinetop-Lakeside is from typical.
SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskwildfire tops the listC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $371K, 6.8 years of the Show Low area’s $55K median household incomeC−Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →HealthA−Open →SchoolsBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 1.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History1 notable person born hereD−Open →Civic life6.5 library visits per resident; 5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pinetop-Lakeside: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pinetop-Lakeside, and how to reach them.
PowerNavopache Electric Coop13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterArizona Water Co - LakesideNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offPinetop-Lakeside Collection Center, 1 miOpenStreetMap
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 hereNavajo County RecorderNavajo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes85935, 8592985935 53% · 85929 47%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 Pinetop-Lakeside.
Pinetop-Lakeside is a second-home town and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Arizona.
SafetyD
Pinetop-Lakeside earns a D for safety
Pinetop-Lakeside’s violent offense rate is 5.7 per 1,000 residents. Only 5 of the 56 Arizona towns we compare have a higher rate of thefts and burglaries than Pinetop-Lakeside.
5%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 29.4 per 1,000 residents | 11 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Pinetop-Lakeside5.7
Arizona3.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Pinetop-Lakeside29.4
Arizona15.4
U.S.15.5
5th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
6th
percentile among AZ towns
24
violent crimes reported in 2025
123
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB
Pinetop-Lakeside’s public schools outperform 59% of Arizona districts
Below: Two of its 6 schools, each with why it was picked. The largest public high school is Blue Ridge High School, with 598 students. The Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 runs its public schools.
59%of AZ districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 801 | B− |
| Blue Ridge High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 598 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Pinetop-Lakeside
Trails run 17 miles in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density for Pinetop-Lakeside comes to 1.5 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves here: 2, covering 81 acres.
#50for trails in AZ
38.3%
conserved · 2,735 of 7,144 acres
17 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Woodland Lake Park | 0.8 mi | 80 |
| 2. Jack Barker Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
Older than Arizona overall
33.3% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 5.2% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
The median age in Pinetop-Lakeside is 54 years. People 65 and older are just over a third of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (23% statewide). 17% of residents are under 18 here, below both the Arizona town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Arizona has 33% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 32%.
54median age · AZ 39
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54 years | 41.8 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 17% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 24% | 29% |
Pinetop-LakesideArizonaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
24%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school22%
Some college22%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4 points. Across Arizona, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 70% are women (AZ 49%).
| Pinetop-Lakeside | AZ | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.4% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.7% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.9% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.1% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 23.9% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.1% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.2% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.2% | 23.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.4% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14% | 9.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.8% | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.4% | 13% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,100, single groups can be off by several points
HealthA−
Pinetop-Lakeside earns an A− for health
Against the 9,110 U.S. towns with household incomes like Pinetop-Lakeside’s, it is healthier than 96%, so that grade isn’t only a matter of income.
For adults in Pinetop-Lakeside, the share who get no exercise outside work is 20%. The town beats the Arizona average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. Among adults here, 30% sleep under 7 hours and 28% feel lonely.
77%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 24% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
12 better14 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Pinetop-Lakeside | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.9% | 13.2% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11% | 15.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.2% | 8.8% |
Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center
12 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
72nd
percentile among AZ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Pinetop-Lakeside faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by wildfire
For Pinetop-Lakeside, the risk rating from FEMA is 77 of 100. 66% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 25%. Paid flood insurance claims here since 2013: 2.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 2013
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Pinetop-Lakeside has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 84° in July, and January nights bottom out around 20°; snowfall runs to about 70 inches a winter. Winters in Pinetop-Lakeside are chilly, snowy and summers warm, with very little rain.
70″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–48°
Spring33–64°
Summer52–83°
Fall36–67°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 22
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in six working residents works right in Pinetop-Lakeside
Pinetop-Lakeside has about as many jobs (1,801) as working residents, but only 284 people both live and work here.
The top destinations are Show Low (18%), Whiteriver (10%) and Cibecue (7%). Pinetop-Lakeside had 1,801 jobs in 2023, down 179 from 2013. The median commute is under 20 miles.
18%work in town
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Pinetop-Lakeside18%
Show Low18%
Whiteriver10%
Cibecue7%
Phoenix6%
20 mi
median commute distance
1,801
jobs based in Pinetop-Lakeside
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Pinetop-Lakeside sell for about $479K
At 6.8 years of the Show Low area’s $55K median household income, the typical home costs more against local pay than in 80% of Arizona towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living.
On the market in Pinetop-Lakeside: a median 36 days to sell. In Pinetop-Lakeside, the typical sale closed at 96.2% of the list price.
$479Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
36
days on market
96.2%
sale-to-list price
11
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pinetop-Lakeside
19pages on Pinetop-Lakeside
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Pinetop-Lakeside; the nearest are
Northland Pioneer CollegeCommunity college · Public · Holbrook54.9 mi$2,232 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Gallup CampusCommunity college · Public · Gallup, NM117 mi$2,906 in-state tuitionNorthern Arizona UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Flagstaff119.8 mi$13,009 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Pinetop-Lakeside residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
About Pinetop-Lakeside
Town in Navajo County, Arizona
Pinetop–Lakeside is a town in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. According to 2020 census, the population of the town is 4,030. It was founded in 1984 when the neighboring towns of Pinetop and Lakeside merged. Pinetop–Lakeside is a popular summer resort and second-home area for Arizona desert residents. In 2002, a large forest fire, the Rodeo–Chediski Fire, threatened the town and forced an evacuation.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1984
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,804 ft
- Area code
- 928
Pinetop-Lakeside’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Pinetop-Lakeside.
Lake of the WoodsPinetop Country ClubHondahWagon WheelShow LowPinetop-Lakeside
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AZ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinetop-Lakeside | #120 | D | C− | D | B | A− |
| Lake of the Woods | #83 | C | B− | — | B | B− |
| Pinetop Country Club | — | — | C | — | B | A |
| Hondah | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wagon Wheel | — | — | C− | — | B | B+ |
| Show Low | #102 | C− | C− | D | B+ | B+ |
Pinetop Country Club and Wagon Wheel have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Lake of the Woods, Pinetop Country Club and Wagon Wheel report no FBI crime data of their own. Hondah isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Pinetop-Lakeside with a neighbor →
Questions about Pinetop-Lakeside
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ a good place to live?
Pinetop-Lakeside grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #120 of 139 in Arizona. It grades A− for health, D for safety and B for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $371,000, 11% below the Arizona typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.