Gilbert, AZ Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Gilbert, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Gilbert →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Gilbert, Arizona is home to roughly 267,267 residents. The typical household here earns $115,179 a year — above the median we track across cities (+60%).
Anyone weighing a move to Gilbert should know the median home value is $454,300, above the multi-city median (+39%), and median rent runs $1,839 per month. Current mortgage rates and local property taxes both affect the real math of buying versus renting.
The home-value-to-income ratio in Gilbert — around 3.9× — falls into a middle tier, neither notably affordable nor notably stretched. Prices in Gilbert have barely moved, inching up 0.65% over the past year. FEMA rates Gilbert's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,839/mo in Gilbert would take 19.2% of your income.
$1,040/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($454,300) would take 25.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$262/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Gilbert
Median home value is $454,300 and median gross rent is $1,839/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Maricopa rose 0.65% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,839/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Gilbert's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Gilbert reported a violent crime rate of 117.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Gilbert
Planning a move to Gilbert? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Gilbert, AZ?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Gilbert — median home value of $454,300, median rent of $1,839/month — set against a median household income of $115,179 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gilbert?
- A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,839/month in Gilbert, that implies an income of about $73,560 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Gilbert.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Gilbert?
- With a median home value of $454,300 and median rent of $1,839/month, renting comfortably in Gilbert takes about $73,560/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $103,942/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Gilbert safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 117.4 per 100,000 residents in Gilbert.
See the full salary breakdown for Gilbert →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Gilbert's.