City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
24,139
Median Income
$55,720
Home Value
$489,105
Median Age
56.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
19.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Payson, AZ Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Payson, AZ Crime Overview: What the Data Actually Shows
Payson earns an overall crime grade of A- for 2026 — a strong mark that reflects the reality of living in one of Arizona's quieter mountain communities. With a population of roughly 15,700 spread across a low-density landscape of 313 residents per square mile, Payson simply doesn't generate the crime volume seen in metro areas. That grade puts it comfortably ahead of many Arizona cities its size.
Recent Incident Breakdown: Last 90 Days
Looking at the most recent 90-day window, Payson recorded just 14 total incidents — a figure that underscores how infrequent crime is here. Here's how those incidents break down by type:
- Assault: 7 incidents (50%) — the most prevalent category, with the latest reported on February 28, 2026. Assault making up half of all recent crime is worth noting, though in absolute terms, seven incidents across a town of 15,000+ over three months is a low rate.
- Theft: 6 incidents (43%) — nearly as common as assault, with the most recent on February 27, 2026. Opportunistic theft — unlocked vehicles, unsecured property — tends to drive this category in small mountain towns.
- Burglary: 1 incident (7%) — just a single reported burglary in the 90-day window, last recorded February 18, 2026. This is notably low and suggests residential security is generally strong across Payson neighborhoods.
The near-even split between assault (50%) and theft (43%) is the defining pattern of Payson's current crime profile. Property crime and interpersonal incidents trade places as the leading concern depending on the season, but neither reaches alarming levels given the town's scale.
Neighborhood Safety Context
Payson's geography naturally segments its community. Areas near Green Valley Park and the recreation corridor tend to see higher foot traffic, which can correlate with opportunistic theft. The historic downtown district draws visitors year-round, and with that comes a modest uptick in minor incidents. Neighborhoods along the outskirts — particularly those bordering the Tonto National Forest access roads — are among the quietest, with very few reported incidents in recent data.
The single burglary recorded in the last 90 days did not cluster in any one area, which suggests this isn't a systemic problem in any specific Payson neighborhood at this time.
Economic Context and Crime
Payson's crime picture is shaped in part by its economic stability. A median household income of $55,303, an unemployment rate of just 3.4%, and a poverty rate of 9.3% all point to a community that isn't under significant economic stress. Median home values of $252,847 and median rent of $985 reflect an affordable but stable housing market — factors that research consistently links to lower property crime rates. The A- overall grade aligns with these indicators.
How to Use the Payson Crime Map
The interactive crime map on this page lets you filter incidents by type and date range. Given the recent data — assault and theft accounting for 93% of all incidents — those are the two filters most worth exploring. You can toggle the heat map view to see whether any micro-clusters exist near the downtown corridor or the Highway 87 commercial strip. Incident detail popups show the date and category for each pin, letting you track whether the February spike in assaults represents a trend or an anomaly.
- Filter by Assault to see the 7 recent incidents and their distribution across Payson.
- Filter by Theft to identify any commercial or residential hotspots near high-traffic areas like the Green Valley Park vicinity.
- Filter by Burglary to confirm the single February 18 incident and its location relative to your neighborhood.
Safety Practices That Match the Data
Given that theft represents 43% of recent incidents, basic property security goes a long way in Payson. Locking vehicles, securing garage doors, and not leaving valuables visible are the highest-return precautions. For the assault category — which at 50% leads the recent breakdown — most incidents in small mountain communities involve people known to each other rather than stranger danger, so community awareness programs remain the most effective prevention tool. The Payson Police Department actively supports neighborhood watch coordination and publishes community safety updates worth bookmarking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Payson, AZ Crime & Safety
What is Payson's overall crime grade for 2026?
Payson holds an A- overall crime grade for 2026. That's a strong rating for any Arizona city and reflects the town's low incident volume relative to its population of 15,708. In the last 90 days, only 14 total incidents were recorded — a number that would be unremarkable for a single week in many larger cities.
What types of crime are most common in Payson right now?
Based on the most recent 90-day data, assault accounts for 50% of incidents (7 cases, latest February 28, 2026) and theft accounts for 43% (6 cases, latest February 27, 2026). Burglary is rare — just one incident recorded on February 18, 2026, representing 7% of the total. There were no reported incidents of robbery, vehicle theft, or vandalism in the tracked window, which is consistent with Payson's A- grade.
Is Payson, AZ a safe place to live?
Yes — Payson is one of the safer small cities in Arizona. Its A- crime grade, low unemployment rate of 3.4%, and poverty rate of 9.3% all point to a stable, low-crime environment. Neighborhoods near Green Valley Park and the areas bordering the Tonto National Forest are particularly quiet. The town's low population density of 313 people per square mile also limits the kind of concentrated crime activity seen in urban cores. Families, retirees, and outdoor enthusiasts consistently rate Payson highly for livability and safety.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Payson?
While the 14 recent incidents don't cluster heavily in any single neighborhood, the outskirts of Payson — especially areas with access to national forest land — show the fewest reported incidents. The Green Valley Park corridor and the Payson Recreation Center area are well-trafficked and community-oriented, which tends to deter property crime. The historic downtown district sees slightly more foot-traffic-related incidents but remains well within safe parameters given the A- overall grade. Checking the crime map filters for your specific street or ZIP code will give you the most current neighborhood-level picture.
How does Payson's theft rate compare to its assault rate?
In the current 90-day snapshot, they're nearly equal: assault edges out theft 50% to 43%. That near-parity is somewhat unusual — in many small towns, property crime (theft, burglary) significantly outpaces assault. The single burglary (7%) suggests that residential break-ins are not a meaningful concern right now. If you're evaluating Payson for relocation, the key takeaway is that both categories are low in absolute terms — 7 assaults and 6 thefts over three months across a town of 15,000+ people is a very manageable crime environment.
Where can I get official crime data for Payson, AZ?
The Payson Police Department's official website is the primary source for community safety reports and incident updates. The interactive crime map on this page aggregates recent incident data and lets you filter by crime type and date. For historical trend data, the Arizona Department of Public Safety also publishes annual crime statistics broken down by municipality, which can help you contextualize Payson's A- grade against statewide benchmarks.
Surrounding Cities
Payson Zip Codes
View crime statistics by zip code in Payson, AZ