Buckeye and Gilbert 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
Buckeye
Gilbert
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs80 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Buckeye | Gilbert | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 104,923 | 280,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,486 | $122,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,325 | $52,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 265/sq mi | 4,075/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $419,800 | $575,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,963 | $2,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.0% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 48.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,562 | 500 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 24.4 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.9% | -69.7% | 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 | 15 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 49 | 73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.07 | 16.38 | 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
Buckeye
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Gilbert
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Buckeye, AZ · Gilbert, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology