Mesa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Stockton
Mesa
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 9%
vs39 · Bottom 14%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
76 · Top 29%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 24%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 29%
vs66 · Bottom 35%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 11%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 28%
vs55 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Stockton | Mesa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 322,326 | 511,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,907 | $82,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,918 | $41,453 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,092/sq mi | 3,609/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $440,900 | $408,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,577 | $1,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.9% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 32.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 306 | 1,478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.4% | -35.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.9 | 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
Stockton
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Mesa
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Stockton, CA · Mesa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology