85259 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
85253
85259
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 39%
vs49 · Bottom 39%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 17%
vs64 · Bottom 28%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 35%
vs54 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 85253 | 85259 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,904 | 21,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $184,979 | $137,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $142,712 | $93,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 989/sq mi | 1,045/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,011,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,018 | $1,878 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.4% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 71.9% | 67.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 6.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 1,128 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 4.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.3% | -38.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.7" | 8.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.9 | 51.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.61 | 18.01 | 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
85253
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85259
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85253 — Paradise Valley, AZ · 85259 — Scottsdale, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology