The Town FilesCarefree, Arizona
Town in Maricopa County · population 3,690 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,088,100
- Household income
- $147,165
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 103°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 64.9
Carefree is a town of 3,690 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $1,088,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more upscale than 99% of Arizona towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Arizona towns, better for retirees than 97% of Arizona towns.
How Carefree ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carefree is worth $1,088,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 7.4 times the median household income of $147,165, which is more affordable than 5% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,538 a month. 91.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carefree | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,088,100 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,538 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $147,165 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.4× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 91.1% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 19.2% | — |
Who lives in Carefree
| People | Carefree | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.9 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 49.3% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 2.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.0% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 50.2% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 88.0% |
Weather in Carefree
July highs average 103.4°F and January lows 41.6°F. About 12.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 153 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carefree since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 23, 2019 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 23, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 25, 1990.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Carefree itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Carefree
- Cave Creek, AZ4.1 mi · 4,892 people · home $906,100
- Scottsdale, AZ10.1 mi · 241,361 people · home $789,800
- New River, AZ10.7 mi · 17,290 people · home $640,600
- Anthem, AZ12.4 mi · 23,190 people · home $569,900
- Fountain Hills, AZ18.0 mi · 23,820 people · home $622,900
- Paradise Valley, AZ18.9 mi · 12,658 people · home $2,000,001
- Phoenix, AZ20.1 mi · 1,608,139 people · home $420,700
- Black Canyon City, AZ20.9 mi · 2,677 people · home $288,500
Carefree questions
Is Carefree, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carefree scores better for retirees than 97% of Arizona towns and quieter than 82%. 49.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.9).
How much does a house cost in Carefree?
The median owner-occupied home in Carefree is valued at $1,088,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $147,165, so homes cost about 7.4 times income. Median rent is $1,538 a month.
What is the weather like in Carefree?
July highs average 103.4°F and January lows 41.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Carefree get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carefree since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 23, 2019. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)