Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gilbert, AZ
VS
Mesa, AZ
🏆 Gilbert leads 13 of 22 categories
Gilbert
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
267,267
Mesa
Arizona
9
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.
Gilbert, AZ
Pros
73% less violent crime than Mesa
Households earn $41,413 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (132.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.5%)
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 4% higher than Mesa
Mesa, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $127k less ($327,700 vs $454,300)
Rent averages $487/mo less ($1,352 vs $1,839)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Gilbert
Cons
Median income trails Gilbert by $41,413/yr
Violent crime (482.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.5%)
Hot summers — July highs average 106°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Gilbert
Median Income
$41,413
$115,179 vs $73,766/yr
Gilbert
Violent Crime
73% lower
132.2 vs 482.7 per 100k
Gilbert
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.7% unemployment
Mesa
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 102.5 (100 = US avg)
Mesa
Median Home Value
$127k less
$327,700 vs $454,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gilbert, AZ | Mesa, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.5⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $454,300⚠ High | $327,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,839⚠ High | $1,352⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,179 ✓ Higher | $73,766 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.5% ✓ Higher | 14.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.1% ✓ Higher | 30.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Gilbert Unified District (4239) | Mesa Unified District (4235) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.6°F | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 104.2°F | 105.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8" ✓ Drier | 9.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 267,267 | 503,390 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% ✓ Higher | 63.2% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% ✓ More | 23.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gilbert's cost of living index is 102.5 vs Mesa's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Mesa is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Gilbert leads 13 of 22 categories. Gilbert wins 13 and Mesa wins 9. 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 Mesa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($454,300 vs $327,700 median home), income ($115,179 vs $73,766), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gilbert, AZ and Mesa, AZ are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.