Phoenix, Arizona
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Phoenix.
Key figures
Each metric shows how Phoenix compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 1,624,832City limits · not metro/MSA
- Median household income
- $77,041Incorporated place (ACS)Near U.S. avg ($78,538)U.S. $78,538
- Housing cost index
- 117ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)17% above U.S. avgU.S. 100
- Median home value
- $381,900City limits (ACS)26% above U.S. avgU.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,458City limits (ACS)8% above U.S. avgU.S. $1,348
- Unemployment
- 4.1%County LAUS · not city-onlyNear U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts
- Avg commute
- 26 minNear U.S. avg (25 min)U.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 419% below U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 698.9annualized per 100k · citywide16% above U.S. avgU.S. 602.7
- Property crime rate
- 3314.6annualized per 100k · citywide7% above U.S. avgU.S. 3084.9
- Summer high
- 105°F18.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 47°F13.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 7.2 in78% below U.S. avgU.S. 32.9 in
- Sunny days
- 33225% above U.S. avgU.S. 266
Compare Phoenix with another city
Phoenix, Arizona counts about 1,624,832 residents inside the city limits. Households here report a median income near $77,041; our housing-derived cost index is about 117 (above the national housing-cost baseline). A typical home near $381,900 and rents around $1,458 frame most shortlists.
Desert heat and monsoon bursts define the outdoor calendar. Summer highs near 105°F make shade, pools, and strong A/C practical necessities. Commutes average near 26 minutes one-way, with walkability near 41/100. BLS LAUS puts recent unemployment around 4.1% for the surrounding county. Violent-offense rates near 698.9 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
Ask locals about Downtown versus Arcadia — those two pockets illustrate how different daily life can feel inside the same city limits, with Roosevelt Row as a common third option. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Phoenix with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Neighborhoods often researched
- Downtown
- Arcadia
- Roosevelt Row
- Melrose
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Phoenix city, 1600000US0455000)
- BLS: BLS LAUS LAUCN040130000000003 (Maricopa County, May 2026)
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00023183 PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL AP)
Last updated 2026-07-28