Phoenix AZ
Arizona · Pop. 1,642,323
Phoenix, AZ: median household income of $81,332, median rent of $1,582/mo, 5.0% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$81,332
per year
Median Rent
$1,582
per month
Median Home
$421k
home value
Unemployment
5.0%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
13.7%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
26 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Phoenix, AZ Reality Check"
In Phoenix, the rent-to-income burden runs around 23% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $81,332 and median rent is $1,582/month. 49% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $420,700 — that's 5.2× the median income. Employment picture: 5.04% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 13.7%. Average commute: 26 minutes — acceptable. Average high 87.2°F, low 62.3°F. 172 days per year above 90°F. 13.3 inches of annual precipitation. Violent crime: 61.1/100k avg monthly rate (38964 reported); Property crime: 243.4/100k avg monthly rate (155348 reported). Phoenix was founded in 1868 — that's 158 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 518.0 sq miles at 3,171 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 1,086 ft — elevated terrain. Known as: "Valley of the Sun". Phoenix has 12 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 63/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Weather
/100Average high 87.2°F, low 62.3°F. 172 days per year above 90°F. 13.3 inches of annual precipitation.
Safety
/100Violent crime: 61.1/100k avg monthly rate (38964 reported); Property crime: 243.4/100k avg monthly rate (155348 reported).