Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gilbert, AZ
VS
Glendale, AZ
🏆 Gilbert leads 17 of 23 categories
Gilbert
Arizona
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
267,267 ✓ Larger
Glendale
Arizona
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,375
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
248,083
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gilbert, AZ
Pros
Households earn $48,804 more per year on average
73% less violent crime than Glendale
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (132.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $454,300
Higher rents — median is $1,839/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Glendale
Glendale, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $144k less ($310,000 vs $454,300)
Rent averages $571/mo less ($1,268 vs $1,839)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Gilbert
Cons
Median income trails Gilbert by $48,804/yr
Violent crime (488.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2670.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Gilbert
Median Income
$48,804
$115,179 vs $66,375/yr
Gilbert
Violent Crime
73% lower
132.2 vs 488.4 per 100k
Gilbert
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.5% vs 5.7% unemployment
Glendale
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 102.5 (100 = US avg)
Glendale
Median Home Value
$144k less
$310,000 vs $454,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gilbert, AZ | Glendale, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.5⚠ High | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $454,300⚠ High | $310,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,839⚠ High | $1,268 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,179 ✓ Higher | $66,375 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 28.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.5% ✓ Higher | 11.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 128⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.1% ✓ Higher | 22.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 84.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Gilbert Unified District (4239) | Peoria Unified School District (4237) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.6°F ✓ Warmer | 65.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 104.2°F | 104.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8" | 8.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 267,267 ✓ Larger | 248,083 |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% ✓ Higher | 57.2% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% ✓ More | 25.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gilbert's cost of living index is 102.5 vs Glendale's 97.6 (US average = 100).
Glendale is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Gilbert leads 17 of 23 categories. Gilbert wins 17 and Glendale wins 6. 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 Gilbert to Glendale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($454,300 vs $310,000 median home), income ($115,179 vs $66,375), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gilbert, AZ and Glendale, AZ are about 30 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.