85326 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
85326
85138
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 12%
vs44 · Bottom 27%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs70 · Top 15%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 41%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
94 · Top 46%
vs88 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 85326 | 85138 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 75,359 | 55,260 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,876 | $95,867 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,576 | $37,296 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 156/sq mi | 652/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $373,300 | $378,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,770 | $1,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.8% | 82.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,562 | 900 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 24.4 | 13.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.9% | -29.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.5 min | 40.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.3 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.29 | 20.20 | 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
85326
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85138
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85326 — Buckeye, AZ · 85138 — Maricopa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology