Introduction
Graham and Greenlee county offer some of Arizona's finest rural living. From great year-round weather to ideal locations for farming, ranching, retirement, work, etc. You won't find a better place to raise a family!
We cover all of Graham and Greenlee county including: Bryce, Central, Clifton, Duncan, Eden, Fort Thomas, Franklin, Klondyke, Loma Linda, Pima, Safford, San Jose, Sanchez, Solomon, Thatcher, Verde Lee, and York.
If you have any specific questions about the area or would like more information, please email us or call us.
We cover all of Graham and Greenlee county including: Bryce, Central, Clifton, Duncan, Eden, Fort Thomas, Franklin, Klondyke, Loma Linda, Pima, Safford, San Jose, Sanchez, Solomon, Thatcher, Verde Lee, and York.
If you have any specific questions about the area or would like more information, please email us or call us.
Climate
Gila Valley has a warm high desert climate, much hotter than most places in eastern Arizona due to its relatively low elevation of 2,953 feet (900 m) at the Agricultural Center where records are kept, and often reaching temperatures almost as hot as found in Phoenix. In January, the average high temperature is 60 °F (16 °C) with a low of 29 °F (−2 °C). In July, the average high temperature is 98 °F (37 °C) with a low of 68 °F (20 °C). Annual precipitation averages around 9.8 inches (250 mm), and snowfall is exceptionally rare: the mean is around 0.8 inches (0.020 m) but the median is zero.
Weather not available.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
82 (28) |
97 (36) |
100 (38) |
108 (42) |
114 (46) |
113 (45) |
108 (42) |
107 (42) |
100 (38) |
89 (32) |
78 (26) |
114 (46) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 60.2 (15.7) |
65.3 (18.5) |
71.2 (21.8) |
79.6 (26.4) |
88.7 (31.5) |
98.3 (36.8) |
98.4 (36.9) |
96.1 (35.6) |
92.1 (33.4) |
82.1 (27.8) |
69.2 (20.7) |
60.2 (15.7) |
80.1 (26.7) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 29.0 (-1.7) |
32.7 (0.4) |
37.7 (3.2) |
43.1 (6.2) |
51.5 (10.8) |
60.7 (15.9) |
67.9 (19.9) |
66.4 (19.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
47.2 (8.4) |
34.9 (1.6) |
28.6 (-1.9) |
46.6 (8.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 9 (-13) |
9 (-13) |
16 (-9) |
26 (-3) |
28 (-2) |
39 (4) |
48 (9) |
47 (8) |
37 (3) |
23 (-5) |
15 (-9) |
7 (-14) |
7 (-14) |
| Rainfall inches (mm) | 0.74 (18.8) |
0.78 (19.8) |
0.61 (15.5) |
0.22 (5.6) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.31 (7.9) |
1.45 (36.8) |
1.72 (43.7) |
1.12 (28.4) |
1.10 (27.9) |
0.56 (14.2) |
0.91 (23.1) |
9.79 (248.6) |
| Avg. rainy days (= 0.01 inch) | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 54.9 |
Principal Areas
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SaffordSafford is located in Graham County and has a population of approx. 9,566. The city is the county seat of Graham County. Safford is the principal city of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Graham and, to the east, Greenlee counties. Safford was founded by Joshua Eaton Bailey, Hiram Kennedy and Edward Tuttle, who came from Gila Bend, in southwestern Arizona. They left Gila Bend in the winter of 1873-74; their work on canals and dams having been destroyed by high water the previous summer. Upon arrival early in 1874, the villagers laid out the town site, including a few crude buildings. |
ThatcherThatcher lies adjacent to Safford and has a population of approximately 4,865 people. Thatcher is the home of Eastern Arizona College (EAC), a college that offers two year degrees and includes a nursing school. Thatcher was originally settled by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first settler was John M. Moody who arrived in Thatcher with his wife and children in 1881.Eastern Arizona College can trace its history to the St. Joseph Stake Academy started by the church in nearby Central. Central is also the location of the Gila Valley Arizona Temple. |
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PimaPima (population 1,965) is a rural farming community in Graham County. Pima was founded by Mormon settlers in 1879. It was originally named Smithville. The first settlers had been living in Forrest Dale, but then were told they had to leave because the location was on Indian land. Unlike other Mormon settlements of the era, Smithville was not planned by the leaders of the church. |
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DuncanDuncan is located in Greenlee County, Arizona, and has a population of 713. Duncan is at the juncture of the Gila River and the Arizona-New Mexico state border. Duncan lies on both sides of the Gila, although the primary portion of the town and the entire downtown area lie on the south side of the river. Duncan was founded in the mid 19th century, and the land was added to the United States as a part of the Mexican Cession. The town of Duncan has been destroyed twice by flood and once by fire. The town and area are primarily populated by ranchers and miners . Surrounding smaller towns such as Franklin & York, Arizona and Virden, New Mexico use Duncan public works and public schools. Duncan and the surrounding area along the Gila River is world-renowned for Native American artifacts such as arrow heads, pottery, burial sites, cave paintings and other remnants of the Anasazi and other pre-historic cultures, as well as artifacts from garrison camps of the Expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. |
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