Maricopa County vs Pinal County
Maricopa County, Arizona versus Pinal County, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Maricopa County and Pinal County score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Maricopa County | Pinal County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $81k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $55k |
| Home Value | $371k | $269k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.51% | 0.58% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.60% | 7.39% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 6.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 91°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8 in | 10.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 274 days | 284 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 116 days | 102 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 99.9 | 93.8 |
| Air Quality | 72 AQI | 64 AQI |
| School Quality | 37.6 | 37.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1563/100k | 1213/100k |
| Property Crime | 2265/100k | 1301/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,430,871 | 433,338 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 39.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+18 |
| White (%) | 53.2% | 54.8% |
| Black (%) | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 31.7% | 31.2% |
| Asian (%) | 4.2% | 1.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 8.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 11.1/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 50 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.1% | 90.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.02 | 0.12 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Maricopa County or Pinal County more affordable?
- Pinal County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Maricopa County's $57k and Pinal County's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Maricopa County versus $1k in Pinal County.
- Is Maricopa County or Pinal County safer?
- Pinal County has the lower violent crime rate. Maricopa County reports 1563/100k and Pinal County reports 1213/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Maricopa County or Pinal County?
- The median home value is $371k in Maricopa County and $269k in Pinal County, so homes are more affordable in Pinal County.