Signals
Sun City
Mesa
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 5%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs55 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Sun City | Mesa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,486 | 511,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,586 | $82,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,620 | $41,453 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,600/sq mi | 3,609/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $280,900 | $408,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,569 | $1,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 32.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 13 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 72.7 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 140 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.90 | 17.32 | 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
Sun City
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Mesa
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Sun City, AZ · Mesa, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology