Pros and Cons of Living in Kingman
Kingman's core trade-off pairs a genuine, independent regional-anchor identity, real Route 66 tourism relevance, and affordability against below-average schools, mixed crime signals, and a comparatively high, soon-rising sales tax.
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Learn morePro: a genuine regional anchor with real Route 66 relevance
Kingman is the Mohave County seat with its own economy, hospital, and industrial base -- not a Phoenix or Las Vegas satellite -- plus a real, currently active Route 66 tourism identity capped by 2026 Centennial celebrations. Its 4-star-CMS-rated hospital and genuinely affordable housing and rent add to the case.
Pro: a real, demonstrated retiree draw
A median age of 43 and a 65-plus population share cited between 23.8% and 28.14% make Kingman a genuinely popular Arizona retirement destination, backed by a low 0.44% effective property tax rate.
Con: schools rank well below the Arizona state average
Kingman Unified School District shows below-average proficiency (20% math, 29% reading), and Kingman High School ranks #215 among Arizona public high schools -- a real trade-off for families prioritizing school quality.
Con: crime data is genuinely disputed, and sales tax is comparatively high
CrimeGrade and NeighborhoodScout diverge sharply on Kingman's safety, from roughly average to considerably elevated -- confirm current data before relocating. The combined sales tax (8.1%, rising to ~8.6% after September 1, 2026) also runs on the higher side even by Arizona's already sales-tax-heavy standards, and Kingman's real drive distance to Phoenix (194-195 miles) is genuinely longer than to Las Vegas (103 miles).
Key takeaways
- Pro: a genuine, independent regional-anchor economy and a real, currently active Route 66 tourism identity, distinct from every Phoenix or Las Vegas suburb.
- Pro: a real, demonstrated retiree draw (65-plus share 23.8%-28.14%) paired with a low 0.44% property tax rate and genuinely affordable housing/rent.
- Con: Kingman Unified School District and Kingman High School (Niche #215 in Arizona) both rank well below the state average.
- Con: crime data is genuinely disputed between CrimeGrade and NeighborhoodScout, and the combined sales tax (8.1%, rising to ~8.6% after September 1, 2026) runs comparatively high.
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