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Town Hall · Prescott

Prescott spent more per resident in 2022 than 96% of similar cities

Prescott’s city government spent $98.4 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $2,194 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($12.9 million) and the airport ($2.8 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Arizona.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$98.4M
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$2,194
In 2022: $2,194, more than 96% of 27 similar cities
Long-term debt
$96.5M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2025
551
full-time · 80 part-time · March payroll $4.0M
Typical tax bill
$1,885
0.33% of home value · AZ 0.48%

What stands out about how Prescott is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $2,194 per resident, more than 96% of 27 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer31% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).Its own police and fire80 sworn officers and 80 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Prescott’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct27
    City CouncilTuesday · 3:00 pm · 201 N Montezuma Street, City Council Chambers, 1st FloorCity Council Voting MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct27
    City CouncilTuesday · 1:00 pm · 201 N Montezuma Street, City Council Chambers, 1st FloorCity Council Study SessionAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct22
    Civic Enhancement CommitteeThursday · 3:00 pm · 201 N Montezuma Street, Council Chambers, 1st FloorAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    Airport Advisory CommitteeTuesday · 2:00 pm · Airport Old Terminal Building, 6500 MacCurdy DriveAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    City CouncilTuesday · 1:00 pm · 201 N Montezuma Street, Council Chambers, 1st FloorSpecial Council Study SessionAgenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $2,194 per resident a year, or $6.01 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 23%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 40%Fees & charges 21%From the state 14%Utility sales 12%From the federal government 5%From other local governments 2%Interest, fines & other 2%Other taxes & licenses 2%Property taxes 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $56.2 million; interest on debt $3.3 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $174.1 million.
Compared with similar places

$2,194 per resident in 2022: more than 96% of them

Prescott’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,194 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 27 Arizona cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,060, and the middle half spent $884–$1,563. Prescott spent more than 96% of them.

Middle half of the group, $884–$1,563Median $1,060Prescott

Includes sewer and trash ($22.7 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
27

Arizona cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Prescott itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Prescott reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau (2023, 2024 are estimates), so there is no trend yet.

City staff
551

full-time in March 2025, up from 497 in 2022.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,885 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.33% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across Arizona.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Williamson$3,358
Prescott$1,885
Arizona$1,879
Prescott Valley$1,792
$1,885
typical bill a year
0.33%
effective rate
$564,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Prescott’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Prescott’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Prescott →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Prescott

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See prescott-az.gov for Prescott’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Prescott yet.prescott-az.gov ↗
Who works for Prescott

One full-time city employee for every 81 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (44,837).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police110 + 5 pt
Fire86 + 3 pt
Sewer & trash71 + 5 pt
Parks & libraries49 + 39 pt
Administration & buildings65 + 6 pt
Roads & transportation47 + 6 pt
Water & other utilities26 + 3 pt
Housing & development19 + 1 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections16 + 1 pt
Other62 + 11 pt
551
full-time
80
part-time
$4.0M
payroll for March 2025
$48.0M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$84,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
80
sworn police officers
80
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Prescott had 11.1 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 19 of the 27 Arizona cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 7.4: Prescott had more than 95% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Prescott Unified District

Prescott’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Prescott →
$10,826
per pupil · AZ $12,318
3,887
students
$6.1 million
long-term debt

Of the $10,826 per pupil, $5,830 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 54%State 30%Federal 16%

Arizona districts overall: 35% local, 47% state, 18% federal.

Also serving Prescott

Chino Valley Unified District · $11,391 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Prescott’s votes are counted by county

Arizona reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Prescott alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Yavapai County’s results.

President · Yavapai County’s results148,429 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican66.4%98,530 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat32.7%48,553 votes

Others: 0.9% (1,346 votes).

Most votes in Yavapai County: Donald J Trump

The county’s page

100% of Prescott lies in Yavapai County. Every 2024 race in Yavapai County is on the county’s page.

Yavapai County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Prescott

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Prescott.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: prescott-az.gov ↗
  2. 2
    Arizona HouseState representatives
    Quang NguyenSelina Bliss
  3. 3
    Arizona SenateState senator
    Mark Finchem
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Katie Hobbs
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Elijah Crane
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Arizona
    Mark KellyRuben Gallego

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Prescott compares with the towns next door

Prescott spent $2,194 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,027. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Williamson: unincorporated, no town budgetPrescott Valley: $1,027 per resident (2022)WilliamsonPrescott ValleyPrescott
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Prescott Valley$1,027$1,792
Prescott$2,194$1,885

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Prescott’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websiteprescott-az.gov ↗

Questions about Prescott’s government

How much does Prescott spend per resident?

About $2,194 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,194 was more than 96% of 27 Arizona cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Prescott?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,885 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.33% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across Arizona. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see prescott-az.gov.

Who runs Prescott’s government?

See prescott-az.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Prescott yet.

How did Prescott vote in 2024?

Arizona counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Prescott alone. Yavapai County, where 100% of Prescott lies, voted Trump 66.4%, Harris 32.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Prescott?

551 full-time and 80 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $4.0M (about $48.0M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Prescott in the state legislature?

State Senate District 1 (Mark Finchem) and State House District 1 (Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss). The House district also covers nine other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Prescott?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Tuesday, November 3, at 9:00 am in 201 N Montezuma Street, Executive Conference Room, 2nd Floor, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Prescott’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →