Living in Concho, Arizona

The quick facts

• Where: Apache County, eastern Arizona, on State Route 61
• Nearest town: St. Johns (county seat), about 14 miles east
• Elevation: roughly 5,900–6,400 ft — high desert juniper country
• ZIP code: 85924  ·  Area code: 928
• Time zone: Mountain (Arizona does not observe daylight saving)
• To Phoenix: about 155 miles southwest (≈ 3 hours)
• Known for: wide-open land, dark skies, off-grid living, Concho Lake

Q: Where exactly is Concho?

Concho is a small unincorporated community in Apache County, in the northeastern corner of Arizona. It sits along State Route 61 about 14 miles west of St. Johns, the county seat, and roughly an hour from Show Low and the White Mountains. It's high-desert "cedar country" — rolling juniper-and-grass mesas rather than tall pines.

Q: How many people live in Concho?

This trips a lot of people up. The tiny historic core — "Old Concho," the official census place — only has a few dozen residents. But the greater Concho area, including the Concho Valley development that grew up in the 1970s, spreads several thousand people across many square miles of ranchland and off-grid parcels. So Concho feels small and quiet, but there are more neighbors out here than the census number suggests.

Q: What's the weather and elevation like?

Concho sits around 6,000 feet, so it's a true four-season high desert. Summers are warm and dry with afternoon monsoon storms in July and August, and the evenings always cool off. Winters get cold with some snow — but noticeably less than the pine country up the hill toward Show Low. The air is clear, the skies are huge, and the stars at night are something city folks never forget.

Q: What does land cost, and is it good for off-grid?

Land out here is some of the most affordable in Arizona, which is exactly why people come. Lots tend to be large, building rules are relaxed compared to a city, and there's abundant sun for solar. Most off-grid homes here run on solar power, hauled or well water, propane, and a septic system. If you're dreaming about a place to build, camp, homestead, or just hold, this is one of the last corners of Arizona where that's still within reach.

Q: What services and amenities are in Concho?

Concho keeps it simple: a post office, a public library, the San Rafael Catholic Church, a volunteer fire department, and a couple of small local spots. For full groceries, hardware, fuel, and a pharmacy, most folks drive to St. Johns (about 14 miles) or Show Low. Cell and internet coverage is rural — workable, but check your spot. When you can't make the drive, that's exactly what we're here for.

Q: Can you actually get deliveries and rides out here?

Yes — that's why Concho Dash exists. We're a local community co-op offering rideshare, food delivery, grocery and store runs, propane and water connections, and errands across Concho and St. Johns. No app required: you just text your order to (480) 201-7275 and a neighbor handles it. There's even a local burger spot, Aaron's Burgers & Dogs, that delivers right to your door.

Q: What about schools, and things to do?

Concho has its own K–8 school through the Concho Elementary School District, with high school in nearby St. Johns. For fun, Concho Lake is a 130-acre spring-fed reservoir stocked with rainbow trout, and there's an 18-hole golf course in the valley. Beyond that, it's the outdoors: hiking the mesas, hunting, ATV trails, dark-sky stargazing, and easy drives to the White Mountains, Petrified Forest, and the Little Colorado River country.

Q: So — is Concho a good place to move?

If you want cheap land, elbow room, quiet, and four real seasons — and you don't mind driving for groceries and handling some things yourself — Concho is hard to beat. It rewards self-reliant, neighborly people. It's not for someone who needs city conveniences next door. But for folks chasing an affordable, off-grid-friendly life under big Arizona skies, this little high-desert town has been a well-kept secret for a long time.