Glendale vs Mesa
Glendale, 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.
Mesa edges out Glendale on overall objective livability (54 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Glendale | Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $310k | $328k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.49% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.54% | 7.29% |
| Unemployment | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 55°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.3 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 | 114 days | 116 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 71.1 | 64.4 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.0 | 43.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2186/100k | 1419/100k |
| Property Crime | 3259/100k | 1781/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 248,083 | 503,390 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 43.6% | 60.3% |
| Black (%) | 6.5% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 40.4% | 27.3% |
| Asian (%) | 4.2% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 21 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.4% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.42 | 23.74 |
| 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 Glendale or Mesa more affordable?
- Mesa has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Glendale's $57k and Mesa's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Glendale versus $1k in Mesa.
- Is Glendale or Mesa safer?
- Mesa has the lower violent crime rate. Glendale reports 2186/100k and Mesa reports 1419/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Glendale or Mesa?
- The median home value is $310k in Glendale and $328k in Mesa, so homes are more affordable in Glendale.