Vancouver receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Vancouver
Tempe
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 17%
vs55 · Bottom 14%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Vancouver | Tempe | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 195,300 | 188,065 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,338 | $79,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,636 | $44,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,002/sq mi | 4,704/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $462,400 | $455,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,702 | $1,743 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.8% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 50.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,298 | 1,240 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 17.9% | 10.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 30.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 63 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.74 | 16.80 | 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
Vancouver
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Tempe
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Vancouver, WA · Tempe, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology