The Town FilesMesa, Arizona
City in Maricopa County · population 504,258 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $408,000
- Household income
- $82,752
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 106°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 37.4
Mesa is a city of 504,258 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $408,000, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Arizona towns, more walkable than 97% of Arizona towns, better transit than 94% of Arizona towns.
How Mesa 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 Mesa is worth $408,000, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $82,752, which is more affordable than 27% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,620 a month. 64.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mesa | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $408,000 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,620 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $82,752 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 64.4% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.1% | — |
Who lives in Mesa
| People | Mesa | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 88.0% |
Weather in Mesa
July highs average 105.9°F and January lows 41.0°F. About 10.8 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 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mesa since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 30, 1971 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 29, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 13, 2025.
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 Mesa itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Mesa
138 public schools with 80,872 students, about 20.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Mountain High School | 9-12 | 3,469 | 20.9 |
| Mesa High School | 9-12 | 3,442 | 20.7 |
| Westwood High School | 9-12 | 3,397 | 19.6 |
| Mountain View High School | 9-12 | 3,391 | 21.6 |
| Dobson High School | 9-12 | 2,341 | 19.3 |
| Desert Ridge High | 8-12 | 2,222 | 20.2 |
| Skyline High School | 9-12 | 2,127 | 17.0 |
| Eastmark High School | 7-12 | 1,887 | 20.7 |
| Silver Valley Elementary | PK-6 | 1,330 | 21.5 |
| Legacy Traditional School - East Mesa (charter) | K-8 | 1,040 | — |
| Gateway Polytechnic Academy | PK-8 | 983 | 18.9 |
| Highland Jr High School | 6-8 | 956 | 16.8 |
Towns near Mesa
- Gilbert, AZ6.3 mi · 267,918 people · home $575,100
- Apache Junction, AZ10.2 mi · 38,499 people · home $211,500
- Chandler, AZ11.2 mi · 275,987 people · home $507,800
- Tempe, AZ12.5 mi · 180,587 people · home $455,400
- Queen Creek, AZ12.5 mi · 59,519 people · home $635,400
- Guadalupe, AZ14.4 mi · 5,322 people · home $271,300
- Fountain Hills, AZ14.5 mi · 23,820 people · home $622,900
- Sun Lakes, AZ15.5 mi · 14,868 people · home $455,200
Mesa questions
Is Mesa, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mesa scores better for retirees than 22% of Arizona towns and quieter than 5%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Mesa?
The median owner-occupied home in Mesa is valued at $408,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,752, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,620 a month.
What is the weather like in Mesa?
July highs average 105.9°F and January lows 41.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Mesa get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mesa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 30, 1971. 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)