Tempe, Arizona
Among the top 1% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 26% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 44% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for school quality
Tempe is a city in Arizona with about 181,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on property crime and school quality.
Official websitetempe.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Sweltering, dry summers · Mild winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
warm
comf.
88%63%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.0 in0.4 in
humid 25%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$57kbetter than 15% of US places
Home Value$382k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 17% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 27% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.55%better than 85% of US places
Income Tax2.50%better than 82% of US places
Sales Tax8.38%better than 32% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.19%better than 76% of US places
Unemployment5.7%better than 34% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)56°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)95°F100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation8.5 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days274 daysbetter than 87% of US places
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 85% of US places
Comfortable Days122 daysbetter than 94% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk63.1better than 54% of US places
Air Quality50 AQIbetter than 21% of US places
School Quality27.6better than 1% of US places
Violent Crime2437/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Crime4360/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Community
Population181,005100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age29.78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5891st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1477th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)53.5%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.9%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.5%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)8.8%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.3%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 78% of US places
Walkability15.1/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance6 mibetter than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.9%better than 75% of US places
Amenities Nearby64.47better than 45% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Tempe an affordable place to live?
- Tempe is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $57k, better than 15% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Tempe?
- The median home value in Tempe is $382k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Tempe?
- Median household income in Tempe is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Tempe?
- Median gross rent in Tempe is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Tempe safe?
- Tempe is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2437/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 4360/100k.
- What is the weather like in Tempe?
- Tempe averages 95°F in July and 56°F in January, with 8.5 in of annual precipitation and about 274 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Tempe?
- Public-school quality in Tempe is below average, scoring better than 1% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Tempe?
- The average one-way commute in Tempe is 21 min.
Other places in Maricopa County
Places near Tempe
Compare Tempe
Explore Arizona
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)