Mesa vs Tempe
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $408,000 in Mesa and $455,400 in Tempe.
- Commutes are shorter in Tempe (21 vs 25 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Mesa, AZ | Tempe, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 513,656 | 190,571 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.8% | +3.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,622 | 4,767 |
| Median age | 37.4 | 30.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33% | 50% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $82,752 | $79,663 |
| Median home value | $408,000 | $455,400 |
| Home value to income | 4.9× | 5.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,620 | $1,743 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 103.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 121.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $77,500 |
| Homeowners | 64% | 42% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.7 | 20.9 |
| Work from home | 19% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.2% | 5.5% |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 15.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 71° / 39° | 71° / 39° |
| July high / low | 106° / 76° | 106° / 76° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 9 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 179 | 179 |
| Nights below freezing | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable months | 2 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +35.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Mesa: March and November. Tempe: March and November.
Full monthly tables: Mesa weather by month and Tempe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Mesa and $77,500 in Tempe. Moving from Mesa to Tempe, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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