85335 and 85204 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
85335
85204
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Growth
34 · Bottom 24%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 29%
vs61 · Bottom 23%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 85335 | 85204 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,088 | 65,155 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $72,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,788 | $32,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,014/sq mi | 6,576/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $321,900 | $351,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,806 | $1,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 58.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 1,478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -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 | 12 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.24 | 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
85335
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85204
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85335 — El Mirage, AZ · 85204 — Mesa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology