Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clovis, CA
VS
Mesa, AZ
🏆 Mesa leads 13 of 22 categories
Clovis
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
120,607
Mesa
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$73,766
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
503,390 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clovis, CA
Pros
49% less violent crime than Mesa
Households earn $24,788 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 35.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 98°F vs 106°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $420,700
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.7%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Mesa
Higher rents — median is $1,482/mo
Mesa, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $93k less ($327,700 vs $420,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.7%)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Clovis
Rent averages $130/mo less ($1,352 vs $1,482)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Clovis by $24,788/yr
Violent crime (482.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Hot summers — July highs average 106°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Clovis
Median Income
$24,788
$98,554 vs $73,766/yr
Clovis
Violent Crime
49% lower
244.6 vs 482.7 per 100k
Mesa
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 107.8 (100 = US avg)
Mesa
Median Home Value
$93k less
$327,700 vs $420,700
Mesa
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.3% unemployment
Mesa
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 105.9°F vs 97.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clovis, CA | Mesa, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.8⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $420,700⚠ High | $327,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,482⚠ High | $1,352⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,554 ✓ Higher | $73,766 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% | 14.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 70 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 79 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.2:1 | 18.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.3% ✓ Higher | 30.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clovis Unified | Mesa Unified District (4235) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.4°F | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.7°F | 105.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.6" | 9.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,607 | 503,390 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.8 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% ✓ Higher | 63.2% |
| Under 18 | 28.9% ✓ More | 23.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clovis's cost of living index is 107.8 vs Mesa's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Mesa is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Mesa leads 13 of 22 categories. Clovis wins 9 and Mesa wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Clovis to Mesa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($420,700 vs $327,700 median home), income ($98,554 vs $73,766), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clovis, CA and Mesa, AZ are about 509 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.