85340 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
85396
85340
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs44 · Bottom 28%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 40%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Access
92 · Bottom 48%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 85396 | 85340 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,181 | 40,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,056 | $122,323 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,821 | $45,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 423/sq mi | 1,307/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $482,900 | $547,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,243 | $2,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.7% | 81.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 37.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,562 | 2,562 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 24.4 | 24.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.9% | -13.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.9" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 31.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.23 | 17.98 | 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
85396
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
85340
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 85396 — Buckeye, AZ · 85340 — Buckeye, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology