Gilbert receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Coolidge
Gilbert
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
77 · Top 8%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
55 · Bottom 6%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 23%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 25%
vs80 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Coolidge | Gilbert | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,636 | 280,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,023 | $122,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,535 | $52,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 199/sq mi | 4,075/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $255,400 | $575,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,314 | $2,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.7% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 48.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 269 | 500 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.2 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.9% | -69.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.3" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.11 | 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
Coolidge
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, wildfire, inland flooding.
Gilbert
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Coolidge, AZ · Gilbert, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology