EA Smith behind the wheel circa 1900, 1900
Sunsites’s story
Sunsites in pictures
The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 4 maps from 1926 on.
Explore the history →
SunsitesAZ
A town of 611.
Photo: PhillipC at Flickr · CC BY 2.0
Population
611
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$149K
Census ACS
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
67.0
years
Jobs based here
60
A commuter town
Is Sunsites a good place to live?
Only 6 of the 141 Arizona towns we compare have a higher median age than Sunsites. Sunsites has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
611 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Sunsites: who provides what
Sunsites is unincorporated, so Cochise County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSulphur Springs Valley E C14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterClear Springs Utility Main1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCochise CountyCochise County provides services here
SchoolsPearce Elementary DistrictValley Union High School District2 districts serve Sunsites; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereCochise County RecorderCochise County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8562585625 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 Sunsites.
Who lives here
57% of residents are 65 or older
People 65 and older are 57% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 8% of residents (23% statewide). 32% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Arizona.
67median age · AZ 39
SunsitesArizonaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
36%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school23%
Some college29%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
61% women, 39% men
About 64 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±7.6 points). Across Arizona, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Sunsites | AZ | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0.8% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.9% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.1% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 3.3% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.4% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 35.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 21.3% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.6% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23% | 23.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.8% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.4% | 9.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.4% | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.9% | 13% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 600, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Sunsites faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 86% of U.S. communities.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Sunsites’ workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Sunsites for work: only 3% work in town. At 32 minutes, Sunsites’ average trip to work is above both the Arizona town median (24 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Sunsites’ median household income is $47,000.
3%work in town
| Sunsites | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sunsites3%
Tucson12%
Willcox9%
Phoenix7%
Benson4%
27 mi
median commute distance
60
jobs based in Sunsites
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Sunsites
Sunsites has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. The July high in Sunsites is 94°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–61°
Spring43–78°
Summer63–93°
Fall47–79°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sunsites is
Sunsites beats the Arizona average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 47% of Sunsites adults have high blood pressure. Among 141 Arizona towns, just 7 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Sunsites.
| Sunsites | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 36% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
15 better7 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Sunsites | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.7% | 12% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.1% | 15.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.6% | 6.4% |
Northern Cochise Community Hospital
22.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The median home in Sunsites sells for about $165K
88% of households own their home in Sunsites.
$165Kmedian sale price
| Sunsites | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 76% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,065 a month | $1,200 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sunsites
15pages on Sunsites
The big questions
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sunsites; the nearest are
Cochise County Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Sierra Vista35.3 mi$2,280 in-state tuitionPima Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tucson64.2 mi$2,442 in-state tuitionUniversity of ArizonaUniversity or college · Public · Tucson68 mi$13,926 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Sunsites residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Sunsites for work
Where Sunsites’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
60jobs based in Sunsites
3%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sunsites
Ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona
Pearce, Arizona, and Sunsites, Arizona, are adjacent unincorporated communities in the Sulphur Springs Valley of Cochise County, Arizona, United States. The two communities are often referred to as Pearce–Sunsites, Pearce/Sunsites, or Pearce Sunsites. Pearce is located between the Cochise Stronghold, Chiricahua National Monument, and the winter Sandhill Crane refuge of Whitewater Draw making it popular for birders, history buffs, hikers, and climbers alike. At 4,400 feet of elevation, the area is also known for its milder summers which make it ideal for quality grapes and vineyards (recognized as an American Viticultural Area). Pearce is best known as a historic ghost town. Sunsites, founde…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 4,400 ft
- ZIP code
- 85625
Questions about Sunsites
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sunsites, AZ a good place to live?
Sunsites has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.