St. Johns is a community of 3,499 people in eastern Arizona at an elevation of 5,650 feet. The city lies 18 miles west of the New Mexico border, 29 miles north of Springerville and 50 miles south of Interstate 40. St. Johns was originally named El Vadito (Little River Crossing) by Spanish explorers. In 1873, St. Johns was a thriving Spanish-American agricultural community when Solomon Barth acquired land and cattle nearby. Mormon pioneers from Utah settled in St. Johns in 1879. The name El Vadito was changed to San Juan (Spanish for St. John) and to St. Johns when the town was established in 1880. St. Johns was incorporated in 1946.

Principal Economic Activities

Once a traditional agricultural community, St. Johns has become a location where traditional values and new technology merge. Two fossil-fueled electric generation plants employ more than 400 people. On the cutting edge of technology, a data communications earth station is located near the city. St. Johns serves as the Apache County seat and center of government activities, providing employment for more than 300 people.

Scenic Attractions

Surrounded by tourist and visitor destinations, the shortest and most scenic route from Phoenix to Albuquerque is through St. Johns. Within an hour drive of St. Johns are the Apache, Zuni and Navajo reservations as well as archeological sites, the Petrified Forest National Park, Sunrise Ski Park and recreational activities at Lyman Lake State Park. Visitors can enjoy boating, water skiing, fishing and camping. Of particular interest in the area are the prehistoric dwellings, petroglyph trails and archeological excavations. The Petrified Forest National Park, 43 miles northwest of St. Johns, contains the largest and most spectacular forest of petrified logs on earth. Adjacent to the Petrified Forest is the famous Painted Desert.

Community Facilities

St. Johns lays claim to a high quality of life for a community its size and offers a wide range of community facilities. There are city parks, a library, a museum, a recreational center, a swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, an equestrian center and a Little League park. Visitors can enjoy the newly developed community fishing at Patterson Ponds. Educational services for welding and cosmetology are offered at the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT). Nearby recreational areas include Lyman Lake State Park and Concho Lake. Annual events include the San Juan Fiesta, the Fourth of July celebration, Pioneer Days, SummerFest, the Apache County Fair and numerous equestrian activities.

Basic Information

Founded 1879 Incorporated 1946
Elevation 5,650 ft. Location Apache County
     
Distance to major cities:
Phoenix 219 miles San Diego 576 miles
Tucson 238 miles Los Angeles 613 miles
Las Vegas 398 miles  

Population

2000 2010 2023 (est.)
St. Johns 3,269 3,487 3,434
Apache County 69,423 71,685 66,411
State of Arizona 5,130,632 6,401,569 7,285,370

Office of Economic Opportunity

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation

SALES TAX / TRANSACTION PRIVILEGE TAX

St. Johns 3.00%
Apache County 0.50%
State 5.60%

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation

Labor Force

2000 2010 2022
Civilian Labor Force 1,198 1,421 900
Unemployed 38 97 14
Unemployment Rate 3.2% 6.8% 1.6%

Office of Economic Opportunity

Workforce Education Attainment

Count Share
Less than high school 315 17.0%
High school or equivalent, no college 427 23.0%
Some college or Associate degree 835 45.0%
Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree 278 15.0%

American Community Survey

Industry (ranked by employment)

  Count Share
Education, health care & social assistance 358 36.2%
Public administration 225 22.7%
Transportation, warehousing, & utilities 186 18.8%
Retail trade 67 6.8%
Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services 66 6.7%
Construction 30 3.0%
Professional, scientific, & administrative services 30 3.0%
Other services, except public administration 26 2.6%
Information 2 0.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining 0 0.0%
Finance, insurance & real estate 0 0.0%
Manufacturing 0 0.0%
Wholesale trade 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:

City of St. Johns
Paul Ramsey
P.O. Box 455
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: 928-337-4517
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sjaz.us
Economic Development for Apache
County Corporation (EDAC)

P.O. Box 767
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: 928-337-2644
Website: www.realazcorridor.com/economic-development-of-apache-county/
Springerville-Eagar Regional
Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 31
Springerville,, AZ 85938
Phone: 928-333-2123
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.springerville-eagarchamber.com/
Arizona Commerce Authority
Statewide Economic Development Group
100 N. 7th Ave., Suite 400
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-845-1200
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.azcommerce.com



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