Thatcher, Arizona
Thatcher is a town of 5,439 people in Graham County, Arizona, founded in 1881.
Why visit Thatcher
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Buena Vista Hotel, Graham County Courthouse, Mount Graham Golf Course and Daley Estates Park.
June is the warmest month, with average highs of 100°F; December lows average 30°F.
Weather in Thatcher
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Thatcher
Thatcher is a town in Graham County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, Thatcher had a population of 5,231. It is the home of Eastern Arizona College (EAC).
From the Wikipedia article Thatcher, Arizona (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks8
Buena Vista Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Arizona
Graham County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Located at 800 Main St. in Safford, Arizona
James R. Welker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic house in Arizona, United States
Point of Pines Sites
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Archaeological sites in Arizona, United States
Safford High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic school building in Arizona
William Talley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Arizona
Woman's Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Clubhouse in Safford, Arizona
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
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Churches and places of worship4
Gila Valley Arizona Temple
Church · 3.8 mi
A temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 2.4 mi
3610 West Church Street, Thatcher
History
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. The founding of Thatcher is attributed to Mormon pioneer Christopher Layton, who bought two thousand acres, named the acreage "Thatcher", divided them into lots, and sold those lots to Mormon settlers. Layton also bought a gristmill and built roads, canals and homes.
Eastern Arizona College traces 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.
From the History section of Thatcher, Arizona on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping3
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Gift - Mt. Graham High School
School · 3.3 mi
3200 West Discovery Park Blvd., Safford
Healthcare2
Fresenius Kidney Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.2 mi
1250 South 20th Avenue, Safford
Map of Thatcher
43 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 30°F | 0.7 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 67°F | 34°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 74°F | 39°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 82°F | 46°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 91°F | 54°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 100°F | 63°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 99°F | 69°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 97°F | 68°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 93°F | 61°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 84°F | 48°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 72°F | 37°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 61°F | 30°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Safford Ag Ctr Hcn (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Graham County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2006-09-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-12: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2005-04-14: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Safford Regional Airport - 1LT Duane Spalsbury Field (SAD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Safford 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Cactus Flats 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Central 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Swift Trail Junction 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Pima 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Solomon 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Bryce 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Morenci 30 mi northeast, about 49 min by car
- Clifton 32 mi northeast, about 51 min by car
- San Manuel 53 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Thatcherpolicecar, Justin Herbert, Public domain
- Welker house (Safford AZ) from SW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Womens Club2, Leslie Murillo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- GrahamCountyCourthouse, Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
- William Talley house (Safford AZ) from NW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.