Arizona city profile

Living in Mesa, Arizona

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

Value score

68

2nd best value in Arizona

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

Overall livability

77

2nd 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 2nd for value and 2nd overall.

Mesa at a glance

Median home price

$269,400

31st in AZ of 49

Median rent

$1,196/mo

Median household income

$65,700

Home price to income

4.1x

Unemployment

3.2%

12th in AZ of 49

School rating

5/10

13th in AZ of 49

Air quality (AQI)

77

2nd in AZ of 49

Walk score

35/100

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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; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Arizona only. Updated 2026.