Aurora receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Aurora
Phoenix
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
59 · Bottom 11%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 46%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs64 · Bottom 26%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Aurora | Phoenix | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 394,432 | 1,642,323 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,368 | $81,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,105 | $41,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,404/sq mi | 3,169/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $469,100 | $420,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,835 | $1,582 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,833 | 9,707 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 45.2% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.4" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 89 | 483 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.36 | 17.93 | 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
Aurora
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Phoenix
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Aurora, CO · Phoenix, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology