Aurora receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Tempe
Aurora
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 11%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs55 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Tempe | Aurora | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 188,065 | 394,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,663 | $88,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,493 | $42,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,704/sq mi | 2,404/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $455,400 | $469,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,743 | $1,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.3% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.0% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,240 | 1,833 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 4.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.9% | 45.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 15.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.0 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 49 | 89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.80 | 17.36 | 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
Tempe
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Aurora
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Tempe, AZ · Aurora, CO · How this is calculated: methodology