85204 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
85302
85204
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 5%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 22%
vs61 · Bottom 23%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 42%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 85302 | 85204 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,612 | 65,155 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,132 | $72,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,492 | $32,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,756/sq mi | 6,576/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,100 | $351,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,332 | $1,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.8% | 58.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.8% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 462 | 1,478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.7% | -35.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.9" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.10 | 17.25 | 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
85302
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85204
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85302 — Glendale, AZ · 85204 — Mesa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology