Mesa vs Tempe
Mesa, Arizona versus Tempe, 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 Tempe score about the same overall (54 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mesa | Tempe |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $328k | $382k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.55% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.29% | 8.19% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 94°F | 95°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 9.8 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 | 116 days | 122 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.4 | 63.1 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.8 | 27.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1419/100k | 2437/100k |
| Property Crime | 1781/100k | 4360/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 503,390 | 181,005 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 29.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.14 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 60.3% | 53.5% |
| Black (%) | 4.4% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.3% | 23.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 8.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.8% | 7.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 15.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 92.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.74 | 64.47 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Tempe more affordable?
- Tempe has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Mesa's $57k and Tempe's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Mesa versus $1k in Tempe.
- Is Mesa or Tempe safer?
- Mesa has the lower violent crime rate. Mesa reports 1419/100k and Tempe reports 2437/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mesa or Tempe?
- The median home value is $328k in Mesa and $382k in Tempe, so homes are more affordable in Mesa.