Clarkdale, AZ | Clarkdale, Arizona

     Clarkdale began as mining camp and smelter town. Ore hauled from mines in Jerome went to Clarkdale for processing and many of the employees of the mine resided there. Lower Clarkdale housed the miners, while upper Clarkdale was reserved for those higher up in the corporation.
     Spring brings an explosion of color every year to Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Sedona.   Still, today Clarkdale retains it’s feel of a former company town and the City of Clarkdale and residents alike, are active in preserving and protecting that heritage. New construction has been slow to come to the outskirts of Clarkdale, but there are now two new home communities in the City of Clarkdale; Verde Highlands and Mountain Gate by Empire communities.  Unfortunately, both projects are currently halted and are not expected to resume construction anytime soon.
     Taking a trip through the neighborhoods in downtown Clarkdale is like taking a trip to yesteryear. Clarkdale homes are well built, in amazing condition, and highly sought after by those with a love affair for the coziness of a historic home. Brick bungalows with wrought iron fencing and neatly manicured lawns characterize the city of Clarkdale.
 
     Clarkdale comes alive around all holidays and the city shoves off the business of business in favor of families and good wholesome fun, closing Main Street for annual events such as Halloween, and the 4th of July Parade.   Thousands of children from all over the Verde Valley will come to Clarkdale for an old fashioned evening of trick or treating.  It is estimated that about 2000 children trick or treat in Clarkdale each year-  the city collects candy donations and offers them to local residents who try to outdo each other with elaborate holiday displays, mini haunted houses and colorful costumes.   If you think the good ole days are gone, come to Clarkdale during holiday festivities!
     The Verde River runs through the City of Clarkdale, but there is not a large availability of riverfront properties in Clarkdale. Large tracts of land in and around Clarkdale are still currently owned by mining corporations. 2002 population estimates for Clarkdale were approximately 4600 residents.
     Services are a little sparse in Clarkdale, however, being only 2 miles from Cottonwood allows residents of Clarkdale easy access to shopping and medical facilities.  Clarkdale does have 3 restaurants, 2 watering holes, a post office and a handful of local shops/services.  Although the business district in Clarkdale is only on a very short run on Main Street, Clarkdale is home to one of the Verde Valley's largest employers, Salt River Materials Group, which runs a cement plant on the North end of town.
    Many of the remnants of Clarkdale's Mining days still exist, with the most oThe Verde River Canyon, as seen from the Verde Canyon Railroad in Clarkdale, Arizonabvious being the slag pile on the Northeast end of town.  This slag pile is currently being processed to extract gold still remaining in the slag.  The leftover materials will be recycled in materials for asphalt and roofing shingles.
    Two of the Verde Valley's most well known tourist attractions are in Clarkdale:  Tuzigoot National Monument and the Verde Canyon Railroad.
Tuzigoot is a giganitc native ruin, perched strategically on a small knoll over the Verde River.  At least one other comparable ruin exists in Clarkdale, however, it has not been excavated.  Ruins are EVERYWHERE in the Verde Valley, the largest concentrations found along local rivers and streams.
     The Verde Canyon Railroad winds through the Verde River Canyon.  Bald Eagles are often sighted by passengers, especially along an area known to locals as Box Canyon.  Several Eagle nests are perched high up on forboding basalt cliffs, left over from ancient volcanic eruptions.  The train takes the same route in both directions, with the midway point being Perkinsville, now home to a handful of cattle ranchers. 
 

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Population

Total population 4,419
Male population 1,973
Female population 2,446
Median age 59.70
Median age (male) 59.80
Median age (female) 59.60

Marital status (Number of people who have the following marital status)

Never married 527
Married 2,462
Separated 1
Widowed 617
Divorced 377

Population by age

Under 15 436
Age 15 to 24 83
Ages 25 to 44 572
Ages 45 to 64 1,762
Age 65 and over 1,566

Population mobility

Live in the same house as 1 year ago 3,627
Moved from abroad 0
Moved from a different state 112
Moved from the same county 218
Moved from the same state 425

Population by poverty level

Above poverty level 3,963
Below poverty level (daily income under $1.90/day) 419

Employment

White collar 1,992
Blue collar 312

Class of worker

Self employed 460
Private company 868
Not for profit company 80
Government workers 896

Households

Total households 2,375
Family households 1,291
Non-family households 1,084
Households with children 152
Households without children 2,223
Average people per household 1.86

Education (Number of people who have achieved the following levels of education)

No high school 133
Some high school 1,041
Some college 2,033
Associate degree 526
Bachelors degree 516
Graduate degree 238

Income/Financial

Average household income $62,101
Median household income $38,902
Median income under 25 $0
Median income 25-44 $0
Median income 45-64 $0
Median income over 65 $38,535

Housing occupancy

Housing units 2,509
Occupied housing units 2,375
Owner occupied units 1,751
Renter occupied units 624
Median housing costs per month $766
Median gross rent per month $844

Housing by year built

Year built median 1989
Built before 1939 0
Built between 1940 and 1949 0
Built between 1950 and 1959 149
Built between 1960 and 1969 152
Built between 1970 and 1979 353
Built between 1980 and 1989 690
Built between 1990 and 1999 762
Built between 2000 and 2009 268
Built after 2010 135

Housing mortgage situation

Houses with mortgage 752
Houses without mortgage 999
Median value with mortgage $355,000
Median value without mortgage $248,300
Demographic data shown in this section was gathered from the 2021 American Community Survey and is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. No representation, guarantee or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information modified or aggregated for specific neighborhoods and/or zip codes.