Denver-Aurora-Centennial receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
56 · Top 41%
vs59 · Top 36%
Climate
62 · Bottom 34%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 37%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 13%
vs66 · Bottom 12%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs95 · Top 24%
Economic stability
97 · Top 2%
vs75 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Denver-Aurora-Centennial | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,002,721 | 5,028,754 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,762 | $88,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,998 | $45,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 360/sq mi | 345/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $603,800 | $440,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,874 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.4% | 35.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16,728 | 34,635 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 6.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.8% | -17.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.0" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
70
Your Score
64
Area Score
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metro Area · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology