Shonto pics 053, 2009
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ShontoAZ
Some 274 people live in this town, in Arizona.
Photo: The original uploader was Arizona86002 at Navajo Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 1.0
Is Shonto a good place to live?
30% of residents live below the poverty line in Shonto, where Arizona’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Among 141 Arizona towns, just one has a lower share of households owning their home than Shonto. Shonto’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, against 1.1 in Arizona’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Shonto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
274 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Shonto: who provides what
Shonto is unincorporated, so Navajo County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShonto Preparatory Boarding School BiaNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesNavajo CountyNavajo County provides services here
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 code8605486054 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 Shonto.
Work & commute
Shonto stands out in Arizona and nationally: the average trip to work there is shorter
For Shonto, the typical household income is $44,000. The top destinations are Page (13%), St. Michaels (6%) and Cibecue (4%). Half commute less than 93 miles.
0%work in town
| Shonto | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Shonto0%
Page13%
St. Michaels6%
Cibecue4%
Fort Defiance3%
93 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in Shonto
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Shonto’s kids attend
Two of the 3 schools are below, and why each made the list. 3 public schools serve Shonto, with 284 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shonto Preparatory SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 226 | – |
| Shonto Preparatory Technology High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 57 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Shonto: four seasons and hot summers
A winter brings about 36 inches of snow, with January nights at 18° and July afternoons at 89°.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–42°
Spring35–63°
Summer56–86°
Fall37–65°
Oct 15
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Top of a low hazard risk in Shonto: inland flooding
The FEMA hazard score in Shonto is 39 of 100. 57% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 17%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
A larger share of adults report frequent physical distress in Shonto than in most of Arizona or the rest of the country
Among 141 Arizona towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who worry about having enough food than Shonto. For adults in the town, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 36%. The town does better than the Arizona average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 26. Two figures for adults here: 29% smoke cigarettes, 20% have diabetes.
| Shonto | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 21% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
3 better3 too close to call26 worse
| What stands out | Shonto | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.1% | 8.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 45.6% | 14.7% |
Kayenta Alternative Rural Hospital
25 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 2,912 acres
6.7 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shonto
15pages on Shonto
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Shonto; the nearest are
Dine CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Tsaile82.9 mi$1,410 in-state tuitionCoconino Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Flagstaff112 mi$2,907 in-state tuition
College town 15 of every 100 Shonto residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Shonto for work
Where Shonto’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
0jobs based in Shonto
0%of working residents work in town
93 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Shonto
CDP in Navajo County, Arizona
Shonto (Navajo: Shą́ą́ʼtóhí) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Navajo County, Arizona, United States, on the Navajo Nation. The population was 591 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,240 ft
- ZIP code
- 86054
- Area code
- 928
Questions about Shonto
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shonto, AZ a good place to live?
Shonto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Some 274 people live in this town, in Arizona.