City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

El Mirage, AZ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for El Mirage - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

35,823
Residents
$74,764
Median income
$282,000
Median home
$1,839
Median rent (state)

El Mirage - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, El Mirage places in the 56th percentile for household income and the 41st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

56th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
77th
percentile, median rent
41st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: El Mirage, AZ

El Mirage is a small city in Arizona, home to 35,823 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in El Mirage brings in $74,764 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Home values in El Mirage run a median of $282,000, and the median resident age is 32.4 years. About 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 98% from five years earlier. El Mirage reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1639.0 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Arizona at 100.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,839 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arizona's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

35,823 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$74,764 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does El Mirage compare to other US cities?

El Mirage measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 56% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 77% pricier than other cities
Safety 41% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Arizona alone, El Mirage ranks #30 of 61 Arizona cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares El Mirage against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Arizona only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Arizona-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent sits close to the middle of Arizona's city distribution

Among the 394 Arizona cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, El Mirage ranks #29 - the 71st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares El Mirage only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#86 of 333
74th percentile in Arizona
Median Gross Rent
#29 of 394
71st percentile in Arizona
Median Home Value
#96 of 327
71st percentile in Arizona
Poverty Rate
#171 of 393
56th percentile in Arizona
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#196 of 394
50th percentile in Arizona

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Arizona only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

56thIncome percentile
41stSafety percentile

56th percentile nationally for median household income · 41st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

El Mirage's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

El Mirage's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
El Mirage's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How El Mirage's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$282,000 38th percentile more affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. El Mirage $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - El Mirage, AZ El Mirage, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not El Mirage, AZ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution El Mirage, AZ median $74,764/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
El Mirage, AZ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for El Mirage, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
35,823
Median Income
$74,764
Median Home Value
$282,000
Median Age
32.4
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
64.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1639.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
382.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1256.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
35,600 residents35,800 residents36,000 residents36,200 residents36,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 35,952 residents 35,820 residents ▼ -0.4%
El Mirage's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 123
2020 44
2021 155
2022 271
2023 10
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 98% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.2%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
13.4%
Other
2.7%

Based on 17,275 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arizona - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$34
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arizona state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arizona state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county El Mirage sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.7
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,839/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

San Luis
35,998 people
Sahuarita
35,012 people
Kingman
33,850 people
Sun
38,018 people
Apache Junction
39,746 people
Bullhead City
42,193 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to El Mirage's 35,823 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

East Meadow, NY
35,806 people
Parkland, FL
35,799 people
Plainfield, IN
35,783 people
Norristown, PA
35,782 people
Inver Grove Heights, MN
35,772 people
Marion, OH
35,771 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to El Mirage's $74,764 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Caldwell, TX
$74,764 median income
Davenport, WA
$74,764 median income
Cherry Valley, IL
$74,766 median income
Woodbury, NJ
$74,769 median income
Selah, WA
$74,757 median income
Buffalo, IA
$74,773 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - El Mirage, AZ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition El Mirage, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 47.0% 7.0% 14.3% 28.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 50.0% White 47.0% Black or African American 7.0% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 1.1% Some other race 14.3% Two or more races 28.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How El Mirage compares to nearby Arizona cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
El Mirage (this city) 35,823 $74,764
San Luis 35,998 $57,364
Sahuarita 35,012 $100,719
Kingman 33,850 $60,418
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about El Mirage, AZ?

What is the population of El Mirage, AZ? +

El Mirage, AZ has a population of 35,823 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in El Mirage, AZ? +

The median household income in El Mirage is $74,764 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in El Mirage? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for El Mirage; the closest available measure is the Arizona state average, a cost of living index of 100.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arizona vary by metro area.

Is El Mirage, AZ safe? +

El Mirage has a total crime rate of 1639.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in El Mirage, AZ? +

A typical home in El Mirage is worth $282,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.