Buckeye vs Mesa
Buckeye, Arizona versus Mesa, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Buckeye and Mesa score about the same overall (56 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buckeye | Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $342k | $328k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.57% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.33% | 7.29% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.6 in | 9.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 274 days | 274 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 115 days | 116 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 66.5 | 64.4 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 30.8 | 43.8 |
| Violent Crime | 757/100k | 1419/100k |
| Property Crime | 1045/100k | 1781/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 95,042 | 503,390 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.12 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 44.3% | 60.3% |
| Black (%) | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 44.6% | 27.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 5.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 6.7/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 37 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.2% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.05 | 23.74 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Buckeye or Mesa more affordable?
- Mesa has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Buckeye's $57k and Mesa's $57k. Median rent is $2k in Buckeye versus $1k in Mesa.
- Is Buckeye or Mesa safer?
- Buckeye has the lower violent crime rate. Buckeye reports 757/100k and Mesa reports 1419/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buckeye or Mesa?
- The median home value is $342k in Buckeye and $328k in Mesa, so homes are more affordable in Mesa.