The Town FilesTempe, Arizona
City in Maricopa County · population 180,587 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $455,400
- Household income
- $79,663
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 106°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 30.0
Tempe is a city of 180,587 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $455,400, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 100% of Arizona towns, better transit than 100% of Arizona towns.
How Tempe 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 Tempe is worth $455,400, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $79,663, which is more affordable than 15% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,743 a month. 42.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tempe | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $455,400 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,743 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $79,663 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 42.3% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Tempe
| People | Tempe | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.0 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.0% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.4% | — |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 88.0% |
Weather in Tempe
July highs average 105.9°F and January lows 38.5°F. About 8.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 179 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 10 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tempe since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 21, 1972 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on October 5, 2010.
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 Tempe itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Tempe
50 public schools with 23,698 students, about 19.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corona Del Sol High School | 9-12 | 2,668 | 22.0 |
| Student Choice High School (charter) | 9-12 | 1,781 | — |
| Mcclintock High School | 9-12 | 1,757 | 19.5 |
| Tempe High School | 9-12 | 1,485 | 17.5 |
| Marcos De Niza High School | 9-12 | 1,458 | 18.9 |
| Connolly Middle School | 6-8 | 915 | 14.3 |
| Kyrene Middle School | 5-8 | 725 | 16.9 |
| Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School | 6-8 | 708 | 12.9 |
| Fees College Preparatory Middle School | 6-8 | 673 | 12.9 |
| Broadmor Elementary School | K-5 | 619 | 18.8 |
| Wood School | PK-5 | 546 | 15.2 |
| Fuller Elementary School | K-5 | 513 | 15.1 |
Towns near Tempe
- Guadalupe, AZ2.4 mi · 5,322 people · home $271,300
- Chandler, AZ8.6 mi · 275,987 people · home $507,800
- Paradise Valley, AZ11.4 mi · 12,658 people · home $2,000,001
- Gilbert, AZ12.2 mi · 267,918 people · home $575,100
- Mesa, AZ12.5 mi · 504,258 people · home $408,000
- Sun Lakes, AZ12.5 mi · 14,868 people · home $455,200
- Phoenix, AZ15.6 mi · 1,608,139 people · home $420,700
- Glendale, AZ17.9 mi · 248,325 people · home $387,500
Tempe questions
Is Tempe, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tempe scores better for retirees than 15% of Arizona towns and quieter than 2%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.0).
How much does a house cost in Tempe?
The median owner-occupied home in Tempe is valued at $455,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,663, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $1,743 a month.
What is the weather like in Tempe?
July highs average 105.9°F and January lows 38.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Tempe get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tempe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 21, 1972. 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)