Gilbert receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
El Mirage
Gilbert
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs80 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | El Mirage | Gilbert | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,088 | 280,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $122,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,788 | $52,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,645/sq mi | 4,075/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $321,900 | $575,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,806 | $2,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 48.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 500 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -69.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.9" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.24 | 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
El Mirage
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Gilbert
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: El Mirage, AZ · Gilbert, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology