Arizona city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Mesa?

What it costs to live in Mesa, and how it compares with other Arizona cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

38

37th best value in Arizona

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Arizona cities.

Overall livability

42

32nd overall in Arizona

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Mesa is home to about 497,752 people. A typical home runs $269,400 and a household earns around $65,700, a price-to-income ratio of 4.1. Among Arizona's largest cities, it ranks 37th for value and 32nd overall. For context, the typical Mesa home is about 38% below the statewide median of $437,000 and local household income is about 4% below the statewide median of $68,100.

Mesa at a glance

Median home price

$269,400

36th in AZ of 49

Median rent

$1,196/mo

Median household income

$65,700

Home price to income

4.1x

Unemployment

4.8%

14th in AZ of 49

School rating

5/10

24th in AZ of 49

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‹ See all top Arizona cities ranked  ยท  Arizona state profile ›

More Arizona cities: Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tempe, Tucson

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI. City rankings are within Arizona only. Updated 2026.