Mesa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mesa
Glendale
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 14%
vs32 · Bottom 7%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 35%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Access
99 · Top 11%
vs97 · Top 28%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 38%
vs56 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Mesa | Glendale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 511,764 | 252,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,752 | $73,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,453 | $33,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,609/sq mi | 3,760/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $408,000 | $387,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,620 | $1,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 57.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,478 | 462 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.1% | -18.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 30.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 34.6 | 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
Mesa
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Glendale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Mesa, AZ · Glendale, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology