Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Peoria, AZ
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Peoria leads 14 of 23 categories
Peoria
Arizona
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,759 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
191,292
Phoenix
Arizona
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Peoria, AZ
Pros
68% less violent crime than Phoenix
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $14,667 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 34.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,638/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $383,600
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Rent averages $316/mo less ($1,322 vs $1,638)
Homes cost $43k less ($340,200 vs $383,600)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Peoria
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Peoria by $14,667/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.9%)
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Peoria
Median Income
$14,667
$86,759 vs $72,092/yr
Peoria
Violent Crime
68% lower
254.7 vs 799.6 per 100k
Peoria
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.9% vs 5.2% unemployment
Phoenix
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Median Home Value
$43k less
$340,200 vs $383,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Peoria, AZ | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $383,600⚠ High | $340,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,638⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,759 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.1% ✓ Higher | 14.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 57 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.6:1 | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.8% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Peoria Unified School District (4237) | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.2°F | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer | 104.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.1" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 191,292 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.0% ✓ Higher | 56.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.9% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Peoria's cost of living index is 100.7 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Peoria leads 14 of 23 categories. Peoria wins 14 and Phoenix 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 Peoria to Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($383,600 vs $340,200 median home), income ($86,759 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Peoria, AZ and Phoenix, AZ are about 19 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.