Prescott’s population has been steadily increasing since 2020 and with that comes some growing pains.
Prescott has four mild seasons, plenty of outdoor activities and lots of history. City Manager Dallin Kimball says that’s made it a popular place not just to visit, but to live, "especially in these post-COVID years."
But for some longtime residents, "folks are finding themselves maybe priced out of areas that they've lived in in the past."
Kimball says the city is working to address a housing shortage by building more apartments, condos and townhomes.
Access to healthcare is another issue — there aren’t enough providers.
"And so folks find themselves having to travel to Phoenix or sometimes flag staff to get the care that they need. And obviously, as you get older, that's less and less ideal," Kimball said.
In fact, 40% of the people who live in Prescott are 65 and older.
The city is also building new police and fire stations as well as more retail to keep up with the demand.
Still, change often means give and take between longtime residents and newcomers.
"There is a way of doing things in Prescott. And now that the people who are kind of the ambassadors of that way are outnumbered by people who are coming from other places," Kimball said.
And those new people bring with them different ideas and sometimes politics.
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