Sunset along near Vernon, Arizona, 2018
Vernon’s story
132 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 3 maps from 1971 on.
- 1894Vernon is settled
VernonAZ
The town, settled in 1894, counts 247 residents.
Population
247
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$331K
−2% in a year
Median age
22.5
years
Land area
1 sq mi
Settled
1894
132 years ago
Is Vernon a good place to live?
Vernon’s peak summer temperature is 82°F, below both the Arizona town median (100°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Only one of the 141 Arizona towns we compare has a lower midpoint age than Vernon. Vernon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
247 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Vernon.
Natural hazards
Vernon stands out in Arizona and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
98risk score of 100
69% of Vernon’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 26%. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Vernon’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the Vernon Elementary District. Its one school is below. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 138 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 138 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Compared with most of Arizona and the rest of the country, a typical January night in Vernon is colder
70″snow a winter
Winters in Vernon are chilly, snowy and summers pleasant, with very little rain.
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–47°
Spring31–63°
Summer50–81°
Fall34–66°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 22
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
Homes in Vernon are worth about $331K, by Zillow’s estimate
$331KZillow home value
Typical home values fell 2% in the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
Vernon$331K
Arizona$417K
−2%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Vernon is
Only 8 of the 141 Arizona towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Vernon. Of 32 CDC measures, Vernon beats the Arizona average on 13 and trails it on 9. Vernon: 8.3% of adults binge drink.
| Vernon | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 8.3% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 36% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
13 better10 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Vernon | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 8.3% | 15.3% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.8% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.5% | 6.6% |
Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center
19.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Vernon
15pages on Vernon
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Vernon: who provides what
Vernon is unincorporated, so Apache County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavopache Electric Coop13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVernon Dwid water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesApache CountyApache 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 hereApache County RecorderApache County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8594085940 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.
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Vernon; the nearest are
Northland Pioneer CollegeCommunity college · Public · Holbrook53.7 mi$2,232 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Gallup CampusCommunity college · Public · Gallup, NM102.4 mi$2,906 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Vernon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
About Vernon
CDP in Apache County, Arizona
Vernon is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Apache County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 122. Vernon is 19 miles (31 km) east of Show Low. Vernon has a post office with ZIP code 85940. Vernon was settled by B.H. Wilhelm Jr, who named it in 1894 for William Tecumseh Vernon. It was important at first as a sawmill town, but as activity diminished, people moved away. It had a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ward, but they disbanded it in 1954, when the sawmill business finally moved to the vicinity of Lakeside.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,913 ft
- ZIP code
- 85940
- Area code
- 928
Questions about Vernon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Vernon, AZ a good place to live?
Vernon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Vernon is in here
Say something about Vernon.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.