Red MesaAZ
This town in Arizona has a population of 430.
Is Red Mesa a good place to live?
27% of residents live below the poverty line in Red Mesa, against 12% in Arizona’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only one of the 141 Arizona towns we compare has a lower share of households owning their home than Red Mesa. Red Mesa’s trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile, above both Arizona’s towns (1.1) and U.S. towns (0.4). Red Mesa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
430 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Red Mesa: who provides what
Red Mesa is unincorporated, so Apache 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 Red Mesa.
Most working residents commute out of Red Mesa
The top destinations are Chinle (12%), St. Michaels (7%) and Phoenix (6%). The median commute is under 57 miles. The mean commuting time for Red Mesa comes to 22 minutes.
| Red Mesa | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The schools Red Mesa’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the Red Mesa Unified District. Two of the 4 schools are below, and why each made the list. The 3 public schools in Red Mesa teach 339 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Mesa Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 124 | C+ |
| Red Mesa High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 140 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Red Mesa faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
The FEMA hazard score in Red Mesa is 39 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 67% come from inland flooding and 13% from lightning. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Red Mesa stands out in Arizona and nationally: a larger share of its adults report frequent mental distress
Red Mesa: 37% of adults have obesity. Among 141 Arizona towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Red Mesa.
| Red Mesa | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 21% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Red Mesa | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 8.8% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 30.4% | 37.3% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 21.8% | 7.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Red Mesa
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Red Mesa; the nearest are
About 7 of every 100 Red Mesa residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arizona.
100% of working residents leave Red Mesa for work
Where Red Mesa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Red Mesa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Red Mesa, AZ a good place to live?
Red Mesa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.