The Town FilesEl Mirage, Arizona
City in Maricopa County · population 35,805 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $321,900
- Household income
- $78,050
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 105°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 32.7
El Mirage is a city of 35,805 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $321,900, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Arizona towns, more of a college town than 95% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 93% of Arizona towns.
How El Mirage ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in El Mirage is worth $321,900, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $78,050, which is more affordable than 49% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,806 a month. 69.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Mirage | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $321,900 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,806 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 69.7% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2004 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in El Mirage
| People | El Mirage | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.1% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.8% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 88.0% |
Weather in El Mirage
July highs average 104.9°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 8.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 176 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Mirage since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 3, 1968 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 23, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on October 18, 2015.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in El Mirage itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in El Mirage
7 public schools with 5,232 students, about 18.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dysart High School | 7-12 | 1,447 | 22.3 |
| Riverview School | PK-8 | 868 | 19.7 |
| Surprise Elementary School | PK-8 | 831 | 17.3 |
| El Mirage Elementary School | PK-8 | 728 | 17.3 |
| Thompson Ranch Elementary | PK-8 | 726 | 16.9 |
| Dysart Middle School | PK-8 | 621 | 16.3 |
| West-MEC - Dysart High School | 9-12 | 11 | — |
Towns near El Mirage
- Youngtown, AZ1.3 mi · 7,056 people · home $320,000
- Sun City, AZ3.1 mi · 39,931 people · home $280,900
- Sun City West, AZ5.9 mi · 25,806 people · home $377,800
- Litchfield Park, AZ6.4 mi · 6,847 people · home $577,000
- Citrus Park, AZ7.9 mi · 5,194 people · home $722,500
- Glendale, AZ8.8 mi · 248,325 people · home $387,500
- Surprise, AZ9.1 mi · 143,148 people · home $435,100
- Tolleson, AZ10.6 mi · 7,216 people · home $306,400
El Mirage questions
Is El Mirage, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Mirage scores better for retirees than 3% of Arizona towns and quieter than 0%. 10.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.7).
How much does a house cost in El Mirage?
The median owner-occupied home in El Mirage is valued at $321,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,050, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,806 a month.
What is the weather like in El Mirage?
July highs average 104.9°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does El Mirage get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Mirage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 3, 1968. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)