Payson, Arizona Payson is an Arizona Main Street Community that offers the atmosphere of Rural America with the amenities of a metropolis. Green Valley City Lake   Payson is located at the "Heart" of Arizona, the "Grand Canyon State", is known as the "Arizona's Rodeo Capital" and offers a mild four-season climate and clean air. These are just a few of the reasons to buy a Payson Arizona home. Rich in its Western heritage, Payson offers the atmosphere of rural America, with the amenities of a metropolis. Just a 90-minute drive from the Phoenix metropolitan area, Payson offers endless views, recreational opportunities and a dynamic business environment. The local economy is dominated by the tourism and retirement industries, with a growing emphasis on manufacturing and service firms. Many people come to Payson for rest and relaxation, as it is a wonderful place to vacation with many lakes and mountains scenes. Payson is just minutes away from the seven Rim Lakes and many trout streams. Nestled in the gently rolling hills of the majestic Mogollon Rim, Payson offers many outdoor activities including camping, golf, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and hunting.   The housing in Payson is diverse and the Payson Arizona real estate market is active. Payson is the tenth fastest growing retirement community in the US; its population more than doubled from 5,068 to 13,620 residents in 20 years (1980 to 2000). Homes continue to appreciate, at a rate currently reported to be around 19 percent. Compared to the rest of the country, Payson's cost of living is reported to be about 6% higher than the U.S. average. There are so many different areas and types of Payson homes for sale and each has its own characteristics. There is something for everyone's taste, style and price range.   Zane Grey Cabin The community of Payson, originally called Union Park (population 40), was named for an Illinois congressman. It was long an isolated town; mail was delivered by horseback until 1914. In 1884, the town's name was changed to Payson in honor of Congressman Louis Edward Payson of Chicago, who helped the settlement obtain a post office. One well-known resident was Zane Grey, author, who built a cabin in the area and wrote novels there. Soldiers are believed to have been the first white men to embark into the Payson area, during the Civil War. When the war ended, the troops in the Territory were assigned to protect the settlers there from marauding Apache Indians. Among those settlers were miners who had made their way to the Rim Country after hearing tales from the soldiers of gold and silver in the area. Although gold first brought people to Payson, good land for raising crops and grazing cattle kept them there. Its pine forests led to logging and milling industries. Even though these two industries are good, the Tourist industry has surpassed them both for Payson.   Payson is in the Tonto National Forest in Gila County. One of only three pure air ozone belts in the world, Payson sits on the edge of the world's largest ponderosa pine forests. Payson has an elevation of 4921 feet and is in the geographic center of Arizona. The geography for Payson is both mountain and desert. Payson's average annual precipitation is about 21 inches per year and about 23 inches of snowfall, the typical high temperature is around 90 F in July/August and a typical low of 25 F from December to February.   Population - 13,620 (2000 census) Land area - 19.5 square miles Time zone - Mountain Std    There are many things to do and see in Payson. There is something for everyone, from visiting a museum, a llama ranch or an archaeological site to attending the "World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo", which began in 1884. Payson offers a broad range of community facilities, including a new library, museum, state-of-the-art indoor multi-plex movie theater, golf courses, lighted tennis courts, an auditorium, swimming pool, parks, a bowling alley and a new 36-acre multi-event outdoor entertainment center. The new Gila Community College complex consists of 20,000 sf in four buildings on 53 wooded acres.  Below are some highlights of local attractions and landmarks. No matter what your situation; upsizing, downsizing, relocating, moving downtown or moving to the suburbs, John Kline can help find the Payson home that is perfect for you. Call me today! Contact John today! ATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO IN PAYSON Tonto National Monument - 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from Saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim Tonto National Bridge - Believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world Tonto Fish Hatchery - The hatchery and surrounding wetland area provide outstanding opportunities for learning adventures and family outings such as picnics, hiking and watching wildlife. Recreational Fly-in Campground - Arizona´s first official fly-in campground - Payson Airport, 802 W. Airport Rd, Payson, AZ 85540 Shoo-Fly Indian Archaeological Site - Visitors may stroll the self-guided trail through this ancient village to learn about how these pre-Columbian people lived. - Houston Mesa Ruin, Payson, AZ 85541 Rim Country Museums Wilderness Aware - One- to five-day whitewater rafting trips through the Salt River Canyon. (March-May) - (719) 395-2112 -- Toll Free: (800) 462-7238 Local festivals:       June Bug Blues Festival      State Championship Fiddlers Contest OTHER RESOURCES IN PAYSON Central Arizona´s Mountain Resorts Local government website Gila County website Official site of the State of Arizona Payson's Home Town Home Page Arizona Tourism Guide Travel Guides:      http://www.rimcountrychamber.com/Tourism.html      http://www.go-arizona.com/Payson Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce Arizona Historical Society Online News - Payson Roundup Payson Airport, 802 W. Airport Rd, Payson, AZ 85540 Payson area churches Cost of living calculator  Payson Public Library - 328 N McLane Road, Payson, AZ 85541  Library Friends of Payson   Colleges and universities (5 largest): Arizona State University - Main campus      (about 70 miles; Tempe, AZ; FT enrollment: 37,174) Mesa Community College      (about 71 miles; Mesa, AZ; FT enrollment: 11,928) Scottsdale Community College      (about 63 miles; Scottsdale, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 5,345) Rio Salado Community College      (about 70 miles; Tempe, AZ; FT enrollment: 4,472) Al Collins Graphic Design School LTD      (about 70 miles; Tempe, AZ; FT enrollment: 4,057) STATISTICS  POPULATION... 1990 2000 2004 PAYSON 8,377 13,620 15,120 GILA COUNTY 40,216 51,335 54,060 ARIZONA 3,665,228 5,130,632 5,833,685 Sources: Arizona Department of Economic Security and U.S. Census Bureau. PAYSON LABOR FORCE... 1990 2000 2004 Civilian Labor Force 3,033 3,367 3,627 Unemployed 110 94 115 Unemployment Rate 3.6% 2.8% 3.2% Source: Arizona Department of Economic Security. GROWTH INDICATORS... 1990 2000 2004 Taxable Sales ($) 93,413,750 241,901,550 271,733,650 New Building Permits 321 442 436 Net Assessed Valuation ($) 52,544,663 118,452,332 162,899,216 Sources: AZ State University; AZ Dept of Revenue; AZ Tax Research Foundation. PROPERTY TAX RATE PER $100 ASSESSED VALUATION... 1990 2000 2004 Elem/High School $ 6.77 $ 5.62 $ 5.12 City/Fire Dist 0.70 0.40 0.35 County 4.91 5.37 5.79 Total $12.38 $11.39 $11.26 Note: Property tax in Arizona is based on assessed valuation which is 10 percent of market value for residential property. Average tax rate on homes in Arizona before exemptions and rebates is 1.3% of market value. SALES TAX RATES... City - 2.12% County - 1% State - 5.6%