City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

Mesa, AZ

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

507,478
Residents
$78,779
Median income
$364,300
Median home
$1,839
Median rent (state)

Mesa - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Mesa places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 33rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
74th
percentile, home value
77th
percentile, median rent
33rd
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: Mesa, AZ

Arizona's Mesa is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 507,478 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $78,779 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.4%. Typical homes in Mesa are valued around $364,300, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. 31.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2,735 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 38% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1947.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,839 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Arizona run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Mesa report an average commute of 20.8 minutes, with 67.7% driving alone and 16.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 93.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

507,478 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$78,779 /yr

Poverty 7.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does Mesa compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 74% pricier than other cities
Median rent 77% pricier than other cities
Safety 33% 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, Mesa ranks #40 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Mesa's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arizona, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

60thIncome percentile
33rdSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 33rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mesa's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mesa'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Mesa'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 Mesa's home value compares nationally

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

$364,300 26th percentile more affordable than 26% 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mesa $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 - Mesa, AZ Mesa, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ median $78,779/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%
Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.1%

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

Population
507,478
Median Income
$78,779
Median Home Value
$364,300
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Labor force participation
62.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1947.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
482.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1464.6
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
137
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
505,000 residents510,000 residents515,000 residents520,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 505,990 residents 513,656 residents ▲ +1.5%
Mesa's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
2,735
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,367
detached homes
Multifamily
1,368
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,985
2020 4,484
2021 4,635
2022 3,668
2023 2,162
2024 2,735

Permit volume increased 38% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.8 minutes
Drive Alone
67.7%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
16.9%
Other
2.1%

Based on 247,191 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 Mesa 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
93.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

Tucson
543,348 people
Chandler
278,123 people
Gilbert
271,118 people
Glendale
250,193 people
Scottsdale
242,169 people
Peoria
194,338 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mesa's 507,478 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kansas City, MO
508,233 people
Atlanta, GA
499,287 people
Sacramento, CA
524,802 people
Omaha, NE
488,197 people
Colorado Springs, CO
483,099 people
Fresno, CA
543,615 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mesa's $78,779 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

South Euclid, OH
$78,782 median income
Palmer, MA
$78,789 median income
Bellevue, IA
$78,792 median income
Greenwood, IN
$78,765 median income
Green Valley, SD
$78,801 median income
Phoenix Lake, CA
$78,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.7% 6.9% 14.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 26.6% White 69.7% Black or African American 4.4% Asian 2.5% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 6.9% Two or more races 14.3% 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 Mesa 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
Mesa (this city) 507,478 $78,779
Tucson 543,348 $54,546
Chandler 278,123 $103,691
Gilbert 271,118 $121,351
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mesa, AZ?

What is the population of Mesa, AZ? +

Mesa, AZ has a population of 507,478 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mesa, AZ? +

Median annual household income in Mesa runs $78,779, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mesa? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Mesa; 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 Mesa, AZ safe? +

Mesa has a total crime rate of 1947.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Mesa, AZ? +

Mesa's median home value sits at $364,300, 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 Editorial

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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.