Gilbert and Lafayette 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
Gilbert
Lafayette
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 40%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 11%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs65 · Bottom 28%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
80 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Gilbert | Lafayette | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 280,262 | 30,602 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,551 | $119,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,085 | $62,261 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,075/sq mi | 3,307/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $575,100 | $686,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,110 | $2,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 65.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.2% | 63.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 500 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -69.7% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 15.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 73 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.38 | 17.61 | 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
Gilbert
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Lafayette
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
Full profiles: Gilbert, AZ · Lafayette, CO · How this is calculated: methodology