Ideal CityOpen the map

El Mirage vs Phoenix

El Mirage, Arizona versus Phoenix, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

El Mirage

Solid · objective livability55/100

Phoenix

Solid · objective livability52/100

El Mirage and Phoenix score about the same overall (55 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorEl MiragePhoenix
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k$72k
Cost of Living$57k$57k
Home Value$247k$340k
Monthly Rent$2k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.42%0.51%
Income Tax2.50%2.50%
Sales Tax8.38%8.38%
Estimated total tax burden6.69%7.66%
Unemployment5.9%5.2%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)55°F55°F
Summer Temp (Jul)94°F93°F
Annual Precipitation8.3 in8.6 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days274 days274 days
Summer Humidity54°F54°F
Comfortable Days114 days113 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk64.173.8
Air Quality44 AQI51 AQI
School Quality33.847.6
Violent Crime1238/100k2274/100k
Property Crime1421/100k2902/100k
Community
Population35,6521,609,456
Median Age31.934.4
Racial Diversity0.660.60
Male/Female Ratio0.951.02
Political LeaningEvenEven
White (%)34.1%41.2%
Black (%)6.8%7.0%
Hispanic (%)49.3%42.9%
Asian (%)1.2%3.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)8.7%5.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time30 min26 min
Walkability7.4/2014.4/20
Airport Distance21 mi13 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.6%88.5%
Amenities Nearby119.772.47
Park & Nature AccessLimitedModerate

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 El Mirage or Phoenix more affordable?
Phoenix has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with El Mirage's $57k and Phoenix's $57k. Median rent is $2k in El Mirage versus $1k in Phoenix.
Is El Mirage or Phoenix safer?
El Mirage has the lower violent crime rate. El Mirage reports 1238/100k and Phoenix reports 2274/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in El Mirage or Phoenix?
The median home value is $247k in El Mirage and $340k in Phoenix, so homes are more affordable in El Mirage.
See each on the map

Explore El Mirage →Explore Phoenix →

Full profiles