Cost of Living in Mesa, AZ

Population 511,648 · Arizona

Compare with:

Median Rent

Studio

$1,209

1 Bedroom

$1,288

2 Bedroom

$1,458

3 Bedroom

$1,819

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$364,300

Income

Median Household Income

$78,779

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,380

Household income: Census ACS, city. Metro median wage: BLS OEWS, all occupations, 2025 (metro area).

The People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.2 yrs

Homeownership

64.4%

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.5%

Avg Commute

25.0 min

Crime

Violent Crime (per 100k/yr)

485.8

Property Crime (per 100k/yr)

1,487.8

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Mesa Police Department (2024). Offenses per 100,000 residents per year. Agency reporting practices vary, so cross-city comparisons are approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

75.1°F

Annual Precipitation

8.0 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline (West Coast (PADD 5))

$5.57/gal

EIA weekly retail average, week of 2026-05-25.

Public Transit

Base Fare (Valley Metro)

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare on the primary agency (2026).

Utilities

Electricity

15.6¢/kWh

Natural Gas

$19.69/MCF

Residential, state-level averages (EIA, 2026-03-01). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

Bread (lb)

$2.10

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

Average prices, West (BLS, 2026-04-01). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes (AZ)

State Sales Tax

5.60%

State Income Tax (top rate)

Up to 2.50%

State-level rates. Local sales taxes may add more. Income tax shown is the top marginal rate; most filers pay less.

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981-2010 (climate); EIA (gas, utilities); BLS Average Price Data (groceries) & OEWS (metro wage); transit agencies (fares); FBI Crime Data Explorer (crime); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).