85209 and 85306 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
85209
85306
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
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%
vs67 · Bottom 31%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 27%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 85209 | 85306 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,150 | 24,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,432 | $84,779 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,424 | $37,241 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,661/sq mi | 4,254/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $402,900 | $392,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,864 | $1,730 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 64.8% | 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 | 35.3% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 10.3% | 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 | 5 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.8 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.21 | 17.53 | 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
85209
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85306
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85209 — Mesa, AZ · 85306 — Glendale, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology