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Benson vs Bisbee

43 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (7.9× in Bisbee) and work from home (+16.7 pts in Bisbee).

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Benson, AZHomes around $254KArizona · 5,417 people
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Bisbee, AZAn outdoors townArizona · 4,977 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Benson places higher on 13 of 23 AZ lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arizona ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Benson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Benson$1,470/mo
Typical home $254K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $783/mo · Housing →
Bisbee$1,300/mo
Typical home $227K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $866/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Benson and Bisbee.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BensonBisbee
Snow a year1″3″
January low38°F32°F
July high94°F87°F
Growing season (days)264d222d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th83rd
Outdoors & history
BensonBisbee
Conserved land12.1%0.1%
Settled18801880
National Register places910
Archive photos66
Famous people born here—27
Community
BensonBisbee
Library hours a week37 hrs35 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

43 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Benson ↔ Bisbee43 miles apart
Who commutes between them
22 Benson residents work in Bisbee (1.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Benson →
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BensonBisbee
People
Population 5,417Highest 4,977Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.9%Highest AZ: +11.9% -11.7%Lowest AZ: +11.9%
Median age 50.6±4.7Lowest 30% above AZ 58.7±3.1Highest 51% above AZ
Kids under 18 19.3%±4.2Highest AZ: 21.6% 9.4%±2.9Lowest AZ: 21.6%
Age 65+ 31%±5.4Lowest AZ: 18.9% 35%±6Highest AZ: 18.9%
Bisbee and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.2%Lowest AZ: 33.3% 30.8%Highest AZ: 33.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.9Lowest AZ: 6.2% 4.7%±2.9Highest AZ: 6.2%
Bisbee and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $49,346±$8kHighest 38% below AZ $47,613±$5kLowest 40% below AZ
Benson and Bisbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $148,900±$36kLowest 62% below AZ $216,700±$17kHighest 45% below AZ
Rentmedian gross, monthly $783±$44Lowest 49% below AZ $866±$97Highest 44% below AZ
Bisbee and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $996Lowest 47% below AZ $1,268Highest 33% below AZ
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.9%±18.7Highest AZ: 51.4% 43.3%±10.4Lowest AZ: 51.4%
Benson and Bisbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.1%Lowest AZ: 12.5% 15.2%Highest AZ: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.5%Lowest AZ: 67.4% 70.6%Highest AZ: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 7 yrs older than AZ 1938Lowest 54 yrs older than AZ
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 23% above AZ 20 minLowest 23% below AZ
Work from home 8.3%±5Lowest AZ: 18.4% 25%±6.9Highest AZ: 18.4%
Work in townworking residents 24.8%Lowest 28.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 38.3 miHighest 23.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.42Highest 1.39Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Tucson (22%)Tucson (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in BisbeeFew work in Benson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.1%Highest 0.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 30.1 miHighest 11.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 2.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 9.7Lowest 76.4Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #38 of 117 in AZ#94 of 117 in AZ
School district Benson Unified School District (79226) · Cochise Technology District (79403)Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. ( (4431) · Cochise Technology District (79403)
High school in town Benson High SchoolNew Crossroads Academy
Students per teacherat that high school 13.7 —
Arizona average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Benson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benson’s Town Square.

Bisbee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bisbee’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Benson

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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