Arizona · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Flagstaff, AZ

Prices around Flagstaff, AZ run 0.3% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $71,512 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,921 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $76,840 a year.

Flagstaff, AZ at a glance

Median household income

$71,512$5,959 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,921HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.3+0.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential AZ
Population76,445Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Flagstaff, AZ?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,921Monthly market rent
Share of gross income32.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$76,840To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,788At 30% of $71,512
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Flagstaff, AZ? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Flagstaff, AZ MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Flagstaff, AZ, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,597$19,164$63,88026.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,727$20,724$69,08029%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,921$23,052$76,84032.2%
3-Bedroom Home$2,343$28,116$93,72039.3%
4-Bedroom Home$2,568$30,816$102,72043.1%

Rent in Flagstaff, AZ, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Flagstaff, AZ

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $71,512 a year ($5,959 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,980/moRent ($1,921 2-BR), utilities (~$137/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,788/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,192/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $71,512 leaves after Arizona taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Arizona tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$71,512
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$71,512
Net 81%
Fed 10%
AZ 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$57,745After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,812Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,221Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,903 / yr
Arizona state income tax$1,394 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,471 / yr

Living in Flagstaff, AZ: common questions

What is the median household income in Flagstaff, AZ?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Flagstaff, AZ is $71,512 per year (approximately $5,959 per month).

What is the average rent in Flagstaff, AZ?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,597 for a studio, $1,727 for one bedroom, $1,921 for two, $2,343 for three and $2,568 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Flagstaff, AZ expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.3% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Flagstaff, AZ?

To keep a $1,921 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $76,840 a year, or $6,403 a month. That is 107% of what the typical household in Flagstaff, AZ earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Flagstaff, AZ?

On the local median income of $71,512 ($5,959 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,980 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,788 for everything else and $1,192 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,921 takes 64% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Flagstaff, AZ?

Homes in Arizona paid 15.2¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $137. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.