Mesa vs Scottsdale
Mesa, Arizona versus Scottsdale, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mesa and Scottsdale score about the same overall (54 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mesa | Scottsdale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $104k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $328k | $652k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.44% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.29% | 8.02% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 9.8 in | 11.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 274 days | 274 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 116 days | 109 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.4 | 80.5 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.8 | 22.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1419/100k | 885/100k |
| Property Crime | 1781/100k | 2285/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 503,390 | 240,537 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 48.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 60.3% | 77.9% |
| Black (%) | 4.4% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.3% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 5.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 8.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 94.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.74 | 10.52 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
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 Mesa or Scottsdale more affordable?
- Scottsdale has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Mesa's $57k and Scottsdale's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Mesa versus $2k in Scottsdale.
- Is Mesa or Scottsdale safer?
- Scottsdale has the lower violent crime rate. Mesa reports 1419/100k and Scottsdale reports 885/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mesa or Scottsdale?
- The median home value is $328k in Mesa and $652k in Scottsdale, so homes are more affordable in Mesa.