The Town FilesPhoenix, Arizona
City in Maricopa County · population 1,608,139 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $420,700
- Household income
- $81,332
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 104°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 34.9
Phoenix is a city of 1,608,139 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $420,700, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Arizona towns, better transit than 98% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 97% of Arizona towns.
How Phoenix ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Phoenix is worth $420,700, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $81,332, which is more affordable than 21% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,582 a month. 57.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phoenix | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $420,700 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,582 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $81,332 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 57.3% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Phoenix
| People | Phoenix | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 88.0% |
Weather in Phoenix
July highs average 104.0°F and January lows 44.1°F. About 8.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 159 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phoenix since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 21, 1972 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 29, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 16, 2022.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Phoenix itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Phoenix
407 public schools with 198,971 students, about 23.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Browne High School | 9-12 | 2,803 | 20.0 |
| Maryvale High School | 9-12 | 2,685 | 20.5 |
| Pinnacle High School | 7-12 | 2,501 | 24.0 |
| Sunnyslope High School | 9-12 | 2,270 | 24.4 |
| Camelback High School | 9-12 | 2,191 | 18.3 |
| South Mountain High School | 9-12 | 2,171 | 19.4 |
| Alhambra High School | 9-12 | 2,118 | 17.4 |
| Carl Hayden High School | 9-12 | 2,066 | 19.5 |
| North High School | 9-12 | 1,902 | 18.8 |
| Paradise Valley High School | 7-12 | 1,886 | 19.1 |
| Metro Tech High School | 9-12 | 1,817 | 18.7 |
| Central High School | 9-12 | 1,758 | 15.7 |
Towns near Phoenix
- Glendale, AZ6.3 mi · 248,325 people · home $387,500
- Paradise Valley, AZ7.5 mi · 12,658 people · home $2,000,001
- Sun City, AZ11.5 mi · 39,931 people · home $280,900
- Youngtown, AZ12.4 mi · 7,056 people · home $320,000
- Tolleson, AZ12.8 mi · 7,216 people · home $306,400
- El Mirage, AZ13.7 mi · 35,805 people · home $321,900
- Scottsdale, AZ15.3 mi · 241,361 people · home $789,800
- Tempe, AZ15.6 mi · 180,587 people · home $455,400
Phoenix questions
Is Phoenix, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phoenix scores better for retirees than 12% of Arizona towns and quieter than 3%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in Phoenix?
The median owner-occupied home in Phoenix is valued at $420,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,332, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,582 a month.
What is the weather like in Phoenix?
July highs average 104.0°F and January lows 44.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Phoenix get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phoenix since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 21, 1972. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)