Get to know 13 of the teeniest, tiniest towns in Arizona

Explore 13 of the smallest towns in Arizona, from villages and hamlets to tiny towns with novelty names.

Small-town living—most of us have a romanticized vision of what that means, while only a few of us know how beautiful (albeit inconvenient) it can be. Arizona is home to many teeny tiny towns, many of which have a real population. We’ve all heard of Sedona, Jerome, Bisbee, and Tombstone, but there are so many other small, rural townships throughout Arizona.

The legal definition of village vs. town vs. city is very convoluted and depends on a series of factors, but the general consensus is that a city has more than 25,000 residents, a town has a minimum of 1,500 residents with promise of growth, a village has a population under 1,000, and a hamlet has even less than that.

Below is a list of 13 towns, villages, and hamlets—aka teeny tiny towns—with a population of fewer than 2,000 full-time residents. Plan a road trip that includes a visit to a few of these teeny tiny towns to find a renewal that can only be found when leaving the city.

Villages and hamlets

Here are five teeny-tiny towns that house residents and offer intrigue to tourists. 

Patagonia

Camping, hiking, birdwatching, biking, and lake play make Patagonia an amazing place to visit and, for around 900 people, a peaceful place to live. It is located in Southern Arizona and is home to Patagonia Lake State Park, 20 miles of defined hiking trails, and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Nestled along Sonoita Creek, it is a perfect place for family fun, a peaceful retreat, or even wine tasting!

The town was founded in 1891 as a way to explore potential mines. It then developed into a large ranch and eventually became a town conveniently located near the railroad that crosses Sonoita Creek.

Dragoon

“Ooh, what’s ‘The Thing’?” Billboards along I-10 may have unknowingly brought you into Dragoon, but there are more reasons to stay for the day. 178 residents call this unincorporated community home and know that the hiking, surrounding mountain views, and history make Dragoon the place to be.

It has a museum that explores the rich history of what we now know to be Southern Arizona, an old settler’s cemetery, and, of course, “The Thing”—which you really should see at least once. If you are interested in photography, be sure to bring your best camera while traveling here—my Insta is still littered with intriguing photos I took of Dragoon some 15 years ago (and phone cameras were basically bricks back then).

Supai

The only place in the U.S. where mail is still delivered by mules, Supai is the capital of the Havasupai tribe and is located within the Grand Canyon. Traveling here requires a permit, a minimum one-night stay, and either the courage to hike in or the cash to take a helicopter. Two hundred residents keep the shops, diner, museums, and accommodations of this village running.

Will you be one of the few lucky ones to see this small gem for all of its glory? 

Duncan

Only a handful of miles away from New Mexico, Duncan is a town of about 800 residents. Founded in the late 1800s along an important stage and freight route, there are many points of historical interest in town (50, to be exact!) that can be found on a self-guided tour map that tourists can retrieve from the visitor’s center. It may be worth stopping here on a road trip into New Mexico, as the town has three restaurants, a historical hotel, art galleries, and a beautiful, walkable town center to explore.

With substantial population growth over the past decade, only a visit can reveal why more and more people are choosing to call this small border town home. 

Chloride

“Welcome to Quiet, Quirky Chloride.” Town management has the alliteration down with this town’s slogan. Considered the oldest, continuously inhabited mining town of Arizona with a population of around 200, Chloride is somewhere in between a ghost town and a hamlet.

Here, you will see the history of the mining town, which has both maintained and decrepit buildings. There are also art displays, murals, mock gunfights, and Arizona’s oldest post office—which is still in use by the surrounding open-land ranchers and pension-receiving inhabitants. Not far from Kingman, Chloride is worth the stop while traversing toward Nevada.

Novelty names

Arizona is quirky, and these four names highlight this lovely fact.

Top of The World

Do you love beef jerky, stunning views, and cooler temperatures? Along Highway 60, nestled between the small towns of Superior and Miami, is the census-designated area known as Top of the World. It sits on the border of both Pinal and Gila County, making its belonging convoluted at best. That doesn’t stop the 270 or so people from living there, though!

While traveling along Highway 60, you will see signs advertising jerky, a billboard petitioning to save Top of the World, a fenced-off building made out of a train car, and then you will stumble upon a small housing community that pretty much makes up the entirety of the hamlet. Across the highway is a stunning view of Tonto National Forest and surrounding mines. Just up the road is the Oak Flats Campground, giving you a chance to explore Top of the World, Superior, and Miami with a free overnight stay. 

Summerhaven

Imagine living in Arizona and longing for cooler weather. Almost sounds like a pipe dream, doesn’t it? Not to the 70 or so residents of Summerhaven, a subdivision of Mt. Lemmon.

Sitting at around 8,000 feet, Summerhaven offers a reprieve from the typical summer heat of Tucson and even shares land with the happening Ski Resort known as Ski the Lemmon. A small restaurant, gift shop, and trails make Summerhaven worth a visit—or a permanent stay! 

Why

Technically part of the Ajo township, Why is a village that sits on the border of the Tohono Oʼodham Indian Reservation and not far from the Arizona-Mexico border? In fact, its name is derived from the “Y” formed by interstates 85 and 86, which allows travelers to choose which border they wish to cross. The name is colloquial. Residents would reportedly say they live at the “y,” but town names were required to be at least three letters in length, landing on the name of Why (why is there an arbitrary number of letters required for a town name?).

Today, about 122 people know why they call Why home. They have a post office, easy access to Mexico, and the unparalleled peace that comes from living in Southern Arizona. 

Nothing

In addition to being the answer from your kids whenever you ask, “What did you learn at school today,” Nothing is also a sign we pass on the way to Vegas. Maybe this place doesn’t deserve a spot on this list, but it is far too enticing to resist the urge to mention Nothing.

Located between Wickenburg and Kingman and known by rock hounds as a decent spot, Nothing has been trying to be something since it was first settled in 1977. It once reached a whopping population of nine, but today, it sits with a population of—you guessed it—nothing. Could you swoop in and make it something? 

True towns

With basic amenities and a growing population, these four places meet the criteria for being considered towns. 

Tubac 

Located along the Santa Cruz River of Southern Arizona, Tubac was originally founded in 1752 as a Spanish presidio and has managed to maintain the charm of its historical heritage. The name is an Americanized pronunciation of the Spanish word meaning “land of the dark waters.”

Tubac is currently known as the place where art and history meet and has won the “Best Small Town Arts Scene” for three years in a row. With a population of around 1,600 residents, Tubac is home to artists, holistic practitioners, and historians alike. Be sure to add this town to your list of places to visit.

Huachuca City

Huachuca City can set locals and tourists apart by its pronunciation alone: Wah-chew-kuh City.  Not far from the military city of Sierra Vista, 1,600 residents call Huachuca City home.

With hiking, nature conservatories, affordable housing, and proximity to larger cities as well as Mexico, it is no wonder that Huachuca City has been a stable home for those residing in “The Sunset City.” 

Miami

Considered the fastest-growing town in the West at the time of incorporation in 1909, Miami has pretty much maintained the same population of 1,500 residents over a century later. Only a mile long, the town of Miami is now considered the “Copper Center of the World,” as the mines located in Globe-Miami produce 13.6% of all historic U.S. copper production.

With future mine expansions in the works, a growing arts commission, and antique stores aplenty, Miami is expected to see major growth in the coming decade–maybe it can finally top the population it originally started with.

Congress

Booming as a gold mine in the late 1800s, Congress saw quick growth with a nearby railway and the promise of wealth. In fact, Congress Mine was home to Arizona’s largest gold mine until it eventually ran dry and shut down in the 1930’s.

Today, the town of Congress has been moved to what was once referred to as Congress Junction, where the rail station was, and is home to around 1800 residents who enjoy the peaceful living that this bedroom community has to offer. You will have to intentionally drive into this town to see it, though, as the freeway views are blocked by glorious forests filled with Joshua Trees. 

Honorable mentions

Not quite towns or villages, but still incredibly interesting, here are four more teeny-tiny “townships” worth exploring if you are interested in history or alternative lifestyles.

Lowell

Absorbed by the city of Bisbee, Lowell is the equivalent of about two streets and acts as a sort of drive-through museum. Nestled by a view of the mine, you can see a preserved old-time gas station as well as a row of businesses that have kept the old-time storefronts and advertisements. Most of the time, there are also rows of classic cars parked along its street. 

Poston

Although this hamlet has a small population, the sordid history of the War Relocation Authority marks it as a destination to learn more about American days past. Poston sits near the California border and was used as the base for Japanese Concentration Camps during WW2. 

Arcosanti

Home to about 80 environmentally conscious residents, Arcosanti is an imagined Utopia brought to life by a team of architects and ecologists. In its simplest form, it is a reimagined city meant to work with the land while providing familiar comfort to inhabitants. Tours are available for a nominal fee. 

Oraibi

Founded around 1000 A.D., the Orabai Village on the Hopi Reservation is possibly the oldest continuously inhabited community in the U.S. Today, it is home to about 9,000 people. 

Closing Thoughts

Small-town living isn’t for everyone, but small-town visiting can—and should—be. State 48’s teeny tiny towns can offer great insight into the rich history that went into developing this territory into what we know it to be today.

I promise you, learning about this history can only pique your curiosity further, evolving a greater sense of worldly knowledge. So get in your car, grab your fam, and start exploring today. Who knows, small-town living might just call your name to pull you into a more peaceful lifestyle and satisfying situation—my family and I took the leap and have never looked back.

Happy traveling! 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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