Jacksonville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jacksonville
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 41%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs59 · Top 36%
Climate
80 · Top 7%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 40%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 23%
vs66 · Bottom 12%
Access
94 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 24%
Economic stability
69 · Top 35%
vs75 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Jacksonville | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,683,960 | 5,028,754 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,643 | $88,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,752 | $45,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 526/sq mi | 345/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $343,400 | $440,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,513 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.5% | 35.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 11,883 | 34,635 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 6.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.0% | -17.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.6" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 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
Jacksonville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
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.
Jacksonville
68
Your Score
65
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: Jacksonville, FL Metro Area · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology