85204 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
85204
85302
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 9%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs38 · Bottom 30%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 23%
vs59 · Bottom 22%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
62 · Top 45%
vs55 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 85204 | 85302 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 65,155 | 40,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,216 | $65,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,264 | $31,492 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,576/sq mi | 6,756/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $351,300 | $364,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,566 | $1,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,478 | 462 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.1% | -18.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.25 | 19.10 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
85204
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85302
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85204 — Mesa, AZ · 85302 — Glendale, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology