Living Cost Compare
Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

vs
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Mesa, AZ is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 11% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV
Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,442
$1,209
+16% in Henderson, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,288
+10% in Henderson, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,694
$1,458
+14% in Henderson, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,982
$1,819
+8% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$465,000
$364,300
+22% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$88,654
$78,779
+11% in Henderson, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$51,380
+10% in Mesa, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.5 yr
37.2 yr
+5.3 yr in Henderson, NV
Homeownership
65.6%
64.4%
+1.2 pp in Henderson, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.8%
31.5%
+5.3 pp in Henderson, NV
Avg Commute
24.7 min
25.0 min
+0.3 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
271.8
486.2
+79% in Mesa, AZ
Property Crime
1,725.7
1,488
+14% in Henderson, NV

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
69.4°F
75.1°F
+5.7°F in Mesa, AZ
Annual Precipitation
4.2 in
8.0 in
+3.8 in in Mesa, AZ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.09/gal
about equal

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Valley Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
15.2
+12% in Mesa, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$12.09
$22.44
+86% in Mesa, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — West vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / AZ)
6.85%
5.6%
+1.3 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AZ

Henderson vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Mesa?
Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Mesa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Mesa?
Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).