Mesa, AZ Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Mesa, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Mesa →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 503,390 people call Mesa, Arizona home. Household income runs $73,766 at the median, roughly in line with what we see across the broader set of cities (+2%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to Mesa. The median home value sits at $327,700 (roughly in line with the multi-city median at +0%), while renters pay a median of $1,352 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
Home values run about 4.4× median income in Mesa, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. The local housing market has held steady, with prices up only 0.65% over the past year. Mesa carries a Very High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,352/mo in Mesa would take 22.0% of your income.
$492/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($327,700) would take 28.5% of your income toward principal & interest.
$28/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Mesa
Median home value is $327,700 and median gross rent is $1,352/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 Mesa's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Mesa reported a violent crime rate of 425 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Mesa
Planning a move to Mesa? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Mesa, AZ?
- Mesa's key cost-of-living figures: $327,700 median home value, $1,352 median monthly rent, and $73,766 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mesa?
- Mesa's median rent of $1,352/month works out to roughly $54,080 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Mesa.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Mesa?
- Mesa's median rent of $1,352/month translates to about $54,080 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $74,976 a year for principal and interest on the $327,700 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Mesa safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Mesa's violent crime rate was 425 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Mesa →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Mesa's.