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Arizona›Navajo County
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PinonAZ

A town of 1,159, settled in 1952.

Population
1,159
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$82K
Census ACS
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
28.6
years
Jobs based here
31
A commuter town

Is Pinon a good place to live?

The best of Pinon’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Pinon’s density of trails is 2.9 miles per square mile, against 1.1 in Arizona’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. On history, just 3 of Arizona’s 207 towns do worse. Pinon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA+Cost of livingAHazard riskWeakestD−Jobs & incomeD−HealthCSchools

What makes Pinon stand out

Where Pinon beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

14Very low riskLowerHigher
Natural hazardsA
Lower risk than 86% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
32 measures vs. Arizona
2 better2 too close to call28 worse
Widest gapPinonAZ
More adults facing a utility shut-off27.4%7.2%
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town

1,159 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

How Pinon grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Pinon is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & income$46K median household income; 31 jobs based hereD−Open →HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility 30 miles awayD−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $82K, 1.5 years of the Show Low area’s $55K median household incomeA+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.2 of 20; 10.6% of households have no car; 5.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC−Open →HistoryD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 28.6; 8% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Pinon: who provides what

Pinon is unincorporated, so Navajo County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPinon Community Dormitory School Bia water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesNavajo CountyNavajo County provides services here
SchoolsPinon Unified DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereNavajo County RecorderNavajo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8651086510 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 Pinon.

HealthD−

Compared with most of Arizona and the rest of the country, more of Pinon’s adults smoke cigarettes

11% of Pinon adults binge drink. Among 141 Arizona towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Pinon. Against the Arizona average, Pinon comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 28.

1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
PinonArizona townsU.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)41%21%19%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)33%13%14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)45%32%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)21%13%12%
32 measures vs. Arizona
2 better2 too close to call28 worse
What stands outPinonAZ
Fewer binge drinkers10.9%15.3%
Fewer adults who have had cancer6.9%8.8%
More adults facing a utility shut-off27.4%7.2%
Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility
30 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
Full pagePinon’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby30 miles to an ER · Chinle Comprehensive Health Care FacilityHow adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than AZ on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsC

On state tests, Pinon’s schools trail 75% of Arizona districts

The largest public high school is Pinon High School, with 348 students. The Pinon Unified District runs its public schools. Below: Two of its 6 schools, each with why it was picked.

25%of AZ districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Pinon Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5439–
Pinon High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12Grades 9–12348–
Full pagePinon’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsPinon Unified District (4390)Every school6 schools · Pinon Elementary SchoolQuestions“Are Pinon’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A

In Pinon, the FEMA risk score runs lower than in the typical Arizona or U.S. town

Expected losses in Pinon break down as 65% from inland flooding and 22% from lightning.

14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
14Very low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingLightning
Full pagePinon’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery low riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters17 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready4.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−

Most of Pinon’s workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them

The median commute is under 75 miles. No town among the 141 in Arizona we compare has a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Pinon. Most working residents leave Pinon for work: only 1% work in town. Only 10 of the 141 Arizona towns we compare have a lower typical household income than Pinon.

1%work in town
PinonArizona townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line43%12%9.6%
Median household income$46,000$69,000$80,000
Working residents who work in town1.2%10%8%

Where working residents work

In Pinon1%
Phoenix8%
St. Michaels7%
Chinle4%
Mesa4%
75 mi
median commute distance
31
jobs based in Pinon
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 44% of U.S. towns
Full pagePinon’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here31 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work1% work in PinonCommute times25 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 75 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

The climate in Pinon brings four seasons and hot summers

The midsummer high in Pinon is 89°F.

89°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–44°
Spring33–65°
Summer54–87°
Fall36–67°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 16
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
Full pagePinon’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 17°Rain & snow10″ of rain a year · Rain a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsC−

0% of Pinon is conserved land

19 miles of trail.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 4,131 acres
19 mi
of trails · 2.9 per sq mi
Full pagePinon’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map19 miles of trail, mappedPick a walkPick a walkConserved land0% conserved · 0 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Pinon?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Pinon

15pages on Pinon
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 75% of AZ districts · 6 schoolsHealthD−Better than AZ on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+Work & commuteD−$46K median household income · 31 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsC−19 mi of trails · 0% conserved landPlacesColleges
The story
HistoryD−Settled 1952Climate89° summer highs
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 86510Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Pinon; the nearest are

Dine CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Tsaile57.4 mi$1,410 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Gallup CampusCommunity college · Public · Gallup, NM93.2 mi$2,906 in-state tuition

About 6 of every 100 Pinon residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arizona.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Pinon for work

Where Pinon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

8% → Phoenix Phoenix 8% 7% → St. Michaels St. Michaels 7% 4% → Chinle Chinle 4% 4% → Mesa Mesa 4% 3% → St. Johns St. Johns 3% 3% → Flagstaff Flagstaff 3% Pinon · 1% stay
31jobs based in Pinon
1%of working residents work in town
75 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Pinon

Place in Arizona, United States

Pinon (Navajo: Beʼekʼid Baa Ahoodzání) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Navajo County, Arizona, United States, and located on the Navajo Nation. The population was 904 at the 2010 census.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
6.5 sq mi
Elevation
6,348 ft
ZIP code
86510
Area code
928

Questions about Pinon

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Pinon, 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+.