Gilbert vs Sun City West
Gilbert, Arizona versus Sun City West, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Gilbert and Sun City West score about the same overall (57 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gilbert | Sun City West |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $115k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $454k | $317k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.51% | 0.49% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.27% | 7.80% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8 in | 8.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 274 days | 274 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 117 days | 113 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 66.9 | 90.3 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 29.7 | 33.8 |
| Violent Crime | 797/100k | 1563/100k |
| Property Crime | 1017/100k | 2265/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 267,267 | 26,639 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 74.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.08 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.82 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 67.1% | 95.1% |
| Black (%) | 3.8% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.6% | 1.4% |
| Asian (%) | 6.0% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 1.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 26 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.7% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 60.13 | 150.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Gilbert or Sun City West more affordable?
- Sun City West has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Gilbert's $57k and Sun City West's $57k. Median rent is $2k in Gilbert versus $1k in Sun City West.
- Is Gilbert or Sun City West safer?
- Gilbert has the lower violent crime rate. Gilbert reports 797/100k and Sun City West reports 1563/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gilbert or Sun City West?
- The median home value is $454k in Gilbert and $317k in Sun City West, so homes are more affordable in Sun City West.