Pool swim season in Payson, AZ
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Payson, AZ?
An unheated pool in Payson reaches 78°F in Aug, about 1 month a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Payson pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 1 | Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $406 | $956 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $888 | $1,313 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AZ prices of 15.4¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Payson
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $57 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 2 months here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Payson, 1.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Payson month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56° | 41° | 3.3 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Feb | 59° | 43° | 4.2 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Mar | 65° | 48° | 5.7 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Apr | 72° | 54° | 7.1 | 55° | 61° | $196 | $405 |
| May | 80° | 61° | 8.0 | 63° | 69° | $106 | $245 |
| Jun | 90° | 71° | 8.5 | 72° | 78° | $21 | $54 |
| Jul | 93° | 76° | 6.9 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 75° | 6.5 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Sep | 86° | 69° | 5.9 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Oct | 76° | 58° | 4.9 | 66° | 72° | $83 | $184 |
| Nov | 64° | 48° | 3.7 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Dec | 55° | 40° | 2.9 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $196 with a heat pump, $405 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 33.0 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Payson compares with nearby cities
Payson ranks 40 of 44 Arizona cities for unheated swim months; Camp Verde, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Verde, AZ | 38 mi | 3 | 8 | $433 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 50 mi | 5 | 9 | $250 |
| Fountain Hills, AZ | 50 mi | 6 | 9 | $184 |
| Cottonwood, AZ | 52 mi | 4 | 9 | $519 |
| Paradise Valley, AZ | 60 mi | 6 | 9 | $157 |
| Apache Junction, AZ | 61 mi | 5 | 10 | $352 |