Mesa, AZ
Census place 0446000 · pop 511,764
The most populous suburb in the United States, larger than several major cities like Atlanta and Miami.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
77 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
73 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
486 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
13.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$408,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1488 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
64.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
32.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
10.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$82,752 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,556/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.39% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
Frequently asked
- Is Mesa, AZ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Mesa scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is air quality (aqi). Arizona overall ranks #33 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Mesa, AZ?
- Mesa reports 486 violent crimes per 100k and 1488 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Mesa, AZ expensive to live in?
- Mesa has a median home value of $408,000 and typical rent around $1,556/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Mesa, AZ?
- Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (77 AQI) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Mesa, AZ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.39%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The most populous suburb in the United States, larger than several major cities like Atlanta and Miami.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.