Maricopa vs Mesa
Maricopa, 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.
Maricopa 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 | Maricopa | Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $292k | $328k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.68% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.52% | 7.29% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.1 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 | 117 days | 116 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.4 | 64.4 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.6 | 43.8 |
| Violent Crime | 731/100k | 1419/100k |
| Property Crime | 764/100k | 1781/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 59,605 | 503,390 |
| Median Age | 35.7 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.61 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 44.8% | 60.3% |
| Black (%) | 11.7% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 32.6% | 27.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.3% | 5.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 38 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 6.6/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 29 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.5% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.58 | 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 Maricopa or Mesa more affordable?
- Mesa has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Maricopa's $57k and Mesa's $57k. Median rent is $2k in Maricopa versus $1k in Mesa.
- Is Maricopa or Mesa safer?
- Maricopa has the lower violent crime rate. Maricopa reports 731/100k and Mesa reports 1419/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Maricopa or Mesa?
- The median home value is $292k in Maricopa and $328k in Mesa, so homes are more affordable in Maricopa.