Last updated 2026-06-12 ยท MovePlan Editorial Team
Red rock, cooler mountain air, and a slower pace away from the Phoenix sprawl.
1. Sedona: Best overall
2. Prescott: Best four-season town
3. Flagstaff: Best mountain town
4. Cottonwood: Best Verde Valley value
5. Payson: Best cool-weather value
6. Bisbee: Best quirky town
7. Show Low: Best White Mountains pick
8. Lake Havasu City: Best waterfront pick
Beyond the Phoenix metro, Arizona offers striking small towns, from red-rock Sedona to pine-forest mountain communities that escape the desert heat. These are the small towns worth settling in. Here are the 8 best small towns in Arizona, ranked.