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Superior vs Bisbee

147 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.3× in Bisbee) and conserved land (+68.5 pts in Superior).

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Superior, AZAn outdoors townArizona · 2,535 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.

SuperiorAn outdoors town

Outdoors#4 most trails in AZ56 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves Housing$186K typical home56% below the AZ typical home Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Superior →

BisbeeAn outdoors town

Outdoors#24 most walkable in AZ12 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Housing$227K typical home46% below the AZ typical home SchoolsBetter than 44%of AZ districts All about Bisbee →

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.

Property tax bill2.3×

Tax bills are bigger in Bisbee

Bisbee $1,268Superior $554

Conserved land+68.5 pts

Superior has more conserved land

Superior 68.6%Bisbee 0.1%

Street grid4.2×

Bisbee has the more walkable street grid

Bisbee 76.4Superior 18.3

Superior has more miles of trail

Superior 56.2 miBisbee 11.5 mi

Jobs per worker3.8×

Bisbee is more of a job hub

Bisbee 1.39Superior 0.37

Home values+54%

Homes cost more in Bisbee

Bisbee $216,700Superior $140,400

★ What stands out · Report cards

Bisbee places higher on 16 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.

Safety

C−SuperiorSafer than 16% of U.S. towns B+BisbeeSafer than 69% of U.S. towns

Schools

DSuperiorBetter than 14% of districts in the state C+BisbeeBetter than 44% of districts in the state

Health

CSuperiorHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns CBisbeeHealthier than 33% of U.S. towns

7Superior

16Bisbee

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 132 towns #4#130 SafestSafety · 51 towns #41#8 Best libraries for kidsLibraries · 40 towns #32#7 Most library borrowingLibraries · 41 towns #32#7 Shortest commuteGetting around · 140 towns #104#26 Lowest depressionHealth · 140 towns #8#82 Most walkableOutdoors · 140 towns #93#24 Most remote workersWork · 132 towns #79#17

Left end = #1 in Arizona. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Superior’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Bisbee

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.

Down paymentRate%

Superior$1,040/mo

Typical home $186K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $881/mo · Housing →

Bisbee$1,300/mo

Typical home $227K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $866/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Bisbee and Superior.

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

SuperiorBisbee

Snow a year0″3″

January low44°F 32°F

July high99°F 87°F

Growing season (days)342d 222d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st 83rd

Outdoors & history

SuperiorBisbee

Trails56 mi 12 mi

Conserved land68.6%0.1%

Settled—1880

National Register places3 10

Archive photos12 6

Famous people born here3 27

Community

SuperiorBisbee

Library hours a week38 hrs 35 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

147 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SuperiorAZ BisbeeAZ

Superior ↔ Bisbee147 miles apart

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.

Only big differences vs Arizona average

SuperiorBisbee

People

Population 2,535Lowest 4,977Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -15.2%Lowest AZ: +11.9% -11.7%Highest AZ: +11.9%

Median age 53.4±2.5Lowest 37% above AZ 58.7±3.1Highest 51% above AZ

Bisbee and Superior are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 8.6%±2.9Lowest AZ: 21.6% 9.4%±2.9Highest AZ: 21.6%

Bisbee and Superior are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 34.8%±7.8Lowest AZ: 18.9% 35%±6Highest AZ: 18.9%

Bisbee and Superior are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.2%Lowest AZ: 33.3% 30.8%Highest AZ: 33.3%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.1Lowest AZ: 6.2% 4.7%±2.9Highest AZ: 6.2%

Bisbee and Superior are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $45,030±$8kLowest 44% below AZ $47,613±$5kHighest 40% below AZ

Bisbee and Superior are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $140,400±$33kLowest 64% below AZ $216,700±$17kHighest 45% below AZ

Rentmedian gross, monthly $881±$69Highest 43% below AZ $866±$97Lowest 44% below AZ

Superior and Bisbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $554Lowest 71% below AZ $1,268Highest 33% below AZ

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±30.2Highest AZ: 51.4% 43.3%±10.4Lowest AZ: 51.4%

Superior and Bisbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 16.3%Highest AZ: 12.5% 15.2%Lowest AZ: 12.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68.8%Lowest AZ: 67.4% 70.6%Highest AZ: 67.4%

Typical home builtmedian year 1952Highest 40 yrs older than AZ 1938Lowest 54 yrs older than AZ

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 15% above AZ 20 minLowest 23% below AZ

Work from home 10.2%±5Lowest AZ: 18.4% 25%±6.9Highest AZ: 18.4%

Work in townworking residents 14.7%Lowest 28.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 43.8 miHighest 23.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 1.39Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Phoenix (16%)Tucson (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BisbeeFew work in Superior

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 68.6%Highest 0.1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 56.2 miHighest 11.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 5.0 miHighest 2.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 18.3Lowest 76.4Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #108 of 117 in AZ #94 of 117 in AZ

School district Cobre Valley Institute of Technology District (79391) · Superior Unified School District (4440)Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. ( (4431) · Cochise Technology District (79403)

High school in town Superior Junior/Senior High SchoolNew Crossroads Academy

Students per teacherat that high school 10.9 —

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.

Superior neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Superior’s Town Square.

Bisbee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bisbee’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Superior

Benson5,417 people · $149K homes

Huachuca City1,614 people · $126K homes

Gila Bend1,363 people · $116K homes

Pinetop-Lakeside4,101 people · $371K homes

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.