Pinetop-Lakeside is located in the scenic White Mountains of Arizona. Founded in the early 1880s by Mormon pioneers, Lakeside derived its name from the area's lakes, and Pinetop derived its name from the nickname of a saloon keeper who served the Fort Apache soldiers. The two communities incorporated as one town in 1984. Pinetop-Lakeside is known for its extensive tourism and recreational activities, proximity to the world's largest stand of ponderosa pines and for an outstanding quality of life. Pinetop-Lakeside was voted "Best Cabin Region in the U.S." by Cabin Life Magazine in 2015. From Phoenix, U.S. 60 through the scenic Salt River Canyon or State Highway 260 through Payson will lead to Pinetop-Lakeside.
Pinetop-Lakeside offers many resources including fresh air, clean water, access to major metropolitan areas and a well-planned rural business atmosphere. The economy is heavily-oriented toward trade and services. Sunrise Ski Resort, on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation, attracts skiers worldwide, while Pinetop-Lakeside provides lodging.
Pinetop-Lakeside is surrounded by the beauty of Arizona's White Mountains, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are popular activities on the 200 miles of developed multi-use trails, which are part of the White Mountains Trail System. Hunting and fishing are popular activities, and picnic and camping facilities are available as well. Pinetop-Lakeside is noted for its golf courses and Woodland Lake Park's excellent recreational facilities. Cross-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling and ice fishing can be enjoyed during the winter. Excellent downhill skiing is available 45 minutes away at Sunrise Park Resort.
The Pinetop-Lakeside area offers a broad range of community facilities including a hospital, library, movie theater, three golf courses and several pickleball courts. Woodland Lake Park and the Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex afford lighted baseball, soccer and softball fields, play areas, fishing, hiking and bicycle trails.
| Founded | 1880 | Incorporated | 1984 |
| Elevation | 6,900 ft. | Location | Navajo County |
| Phoenix | 190 miles | San Diego | 540 miles |
| Tucson | 190 miles | Los Angeles | 558 miles |
| Las Vegas | 396 miles |
| 2000 | 2010 | 2023 (est.) | |
| Pinetop-Lakeside | 3,582 | 4,289 | 4,044 |
| Navajo County | 97,470 | 107,677 | 107,748 |
| State of Arizona | 5,130,632 | 6,401,569 | 7,285,370 |
Office of Economic Opportunity
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| Pinetop | 2.50% |
| Navajo County | 0.50% |
| State | 5.60% |
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| 2000 | 2010 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian Labor Force | 1,744 | 2,049 | 1,944 |
| Unemployed | 67 | 92 | 25 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.5% | 1.3% |
Office of Economic Opportunity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than high school | 295 | 9.0% |
| High school or equivalent, no college | 695 | 21.2% |
| Some college or Associate degree | 1,106 | 33.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree | 1,188 | 36.2% |
American Community Survey
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Education, health care & social assistance | 879 | 48.7% |
| Retail trade | 316 | 17.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services | 124 | 6.9% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 105 | 5.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 83 | 4.6% |
| Professional, scientific, & administrative services | 69 | 3.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, & utilities | 64 | 3.5% |
| Public administration | 44 | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining | 34 | 1.9% |
| Other services, except public administration | 34 | 1.9% |
| Information | 32 | 1.8% |
| Construction | 21 | 1.2% |
| Manufacturing | 0 | 0.0% |
American Community Survey
This profile was prepared by the Arizona Commerce Authority in cooperation with local sources. For further information, please contact: