Mesa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Glendale
Mesa
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 4%
vs40 · Bottom 14%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs32 · Bottom 21%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 36%
vs66 · Bottom 46%
Access
97 · Top 35%
vs99 · Top 10%
Economic stability
56 · Top 46%
vs55 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Glendale | Mesa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 252,833 | 511,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,530 | $82,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,919 | $41,453 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,760/sq mi | 3,609/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $387,500 | $408,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,528 | $1,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 32.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 462 | 1,478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.7% | -35.1% | 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 | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 37.4 | 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
Glendale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Mesa
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Glendale, AZ · Mesa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology