Arizona Cities by Population 2026

Arizona’s local governance is structured around a combination of counties, cities, and towns, all of which serve distinct yet interconnected functions. The state has 15 counties and 91 incorporated municipalities consisting of 45 cities and 46 towns. These local entities provide various public services based on population density and geographic scope, with incorporated cities and towns having more authority over localized services, while counties manage services across broader, less-populated regions.

The key difference between cities and towns in Arizona is their population size. According to Arizona law, a city must have a population of more than 3,000 residents, while a town can have fewer than 3,000. For example, Phoenix, the state’s capital and most populous city with a population of over 1.6 million, exemplifies how larger municipalities can manage a wide array of services independently. Phoenix operates a police department, a fire department, public utilities, and extensive public transportation services, including the Valley Metro Rail. It also handles zoning, economic development, and other public infrastructure needs.

By contrast, towns like Carefree (population: around 3,700) or Dewey-Humboldt (population: about 4,000) are smaller municipalities that rely heavily on their respective counties for services beyond basic city management, such as waste disposal or certain law enforcement duties.

Counties in Arizona, such as Maricopa County (home to Phoenix), are responsible for unincorporated areas, where no formal city or town government exists. These unincorporated regions span vast areas of rural land and suburban developments. For example, in Pinal County, unincorporated areas include communities like San Tan Valley (population over 96,000), which, despite its large population, remains unincorporated. Residents depend on the county for services such as law enforcement (provided by the county sheriff), road maintenance, and zoning regulation.

A particularly unique aspect of Arizona‘s governance is the significant amount of tribal land. Roughly 27% of Arizona‘s land area is sovereign Native American territory, governed by tribes such as the Navajo Nation and the Tohono O’odham Nation. These tribes manage their internal affairs independently of Arizona‘s state and local governments, providing services like education, health care, and law enforcement to their residents.

Arizona’s unincorporated regions are often located in rural counties, such as Apache County and Cochise County, where it is impractical to form formal municipalities due to low population density. In these areas, the county provides vital services like emergency response, road infrastructure, and law enforcement. For instance, Greenlee County, one of the least populated counties with only about 9,500 residents, consists mostly of unincorporated land that relies entirely on county services.