Residential comparison · 13 facts
Mesa, AZ vs Tucson, AZ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Mesa needs about $78,500 in Tucson to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Tucson, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $91,500 in Mesa.
A few differences
- Mesa is lower on property tax rate (0.6% vs 0.85%).
- Mesa is lower on sales tax (8.4% vs 8.7%).
- Tucson is lower on groceries index (98 vs 100).
Mesa vs Tucson · facet by facet
| Facet | Mesa, AZ | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $408,000 | $330,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,615/mo | $1,350/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.6% | 0.85% |
| State & local income tax | 1.64% | 1.64% |
| Sales tax | 8.4% | 8.7% |
| Cost of living index | 105 | 92 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 98 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $82,752 | $55,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.1% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 55/100 |
| School rating | 4.8/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 290 days | 286 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Mesa, AZ · Tucson, AZ
Questions & answers
- Is Mesa cheaper than Tucson?
- Tucson has the lower day-to-day cost index (92 vs 105 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Tucson equals $85,000 in Mesa?
- A household earning $85,000 in Mesa needs about $78,500 in Tucson to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Tucson lifestyle costs about $91,500 in Mesa.