Greater Phoenix, AZ relocation guide
Moving to Hayden, AZ
About Hayden
Hayden is a copper company town founded in 1909 by the Kennecott Copper Corp., which in 1912 built the Hayden Smelter — the tallest smelter chimney in Arizona. The smelter (now owned by ASARCO, operated by the American Smelting and Refining Company) remains the economic base of the town. Hayden straddles Gila and Pinal counties and sits adjacent to Winkelman. Population was 512 at the 2020 census, down from 1,577 in 1940, and the town has been described in Arizona media as a declining mining town on the edge of becoming a ghost town. The EPA took action against the smelter in 2011 over lead, arsenic, and other emissions.
Home prices in Hayden
The median list in Hayden is $47,000.
Top places in Hayden
- The Hayden Smelter smokestack — tallest in Arizona, the town's defining landmark (shown in the Commons train photo below).
- The abandoned Hayden Hotel (1911) — a decaying landmark of the company-town era.
- The former Valley National Bank building (1912), now occupied by the Hayden Police Department.
- Copper Basin Railway — freight trains rolling through town daily.
- The town's "Welcome to Hayden" gateway sign.
- The Gila River corridor — desert river access between Hayden and Winkelman.
Commuting from Hayden
- Arizona State Routes 177 and 77; no passenger rail service.
- Approximate drive to downtown Phoenix: ~1 hour 45 minutes–2 hours (approximately 95–100 miles; approximate).
Hayden FAQs
- What is the housing market like in Hayden, AZ?
The median list in Hayden is $47,000. Median listing price · Sep 2026 - How is the commute from Hayden, AZ?
Arizona State Routes 177 and 77; no passenger rail service.
Town links
Schools
Official town resources. School report cards via the National Center for Education Statistics.