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Living in
El Mirage.
About
Life in El Mirage
If you're looking at El Mirage seriously, you're looking at an affordable suburban option in the Phoenix metro with a median home price around $322,000 and median household income data showing $78,050. The city is young—median age is 30—and heavily family-oriented, with about half of households containing children. A 3.9% unemployment rate is solid, and your 30-minute commute to jobs elsewhere in Phoenix is manageable via U.S.
El Mirage at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Foreign-Born
14.5%
Broadband Internet
94.3%
of households
Population Growth
+0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in El Mirage: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In El Mirage, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (70.8%), and 30.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.7%
of residents
65 and Older
10.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.9%
of households
Married Couples
50.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% above AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in El Mirage
In El Mirage, rent runs 17% above the AZ average, and home values are 18% below the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,079
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $337,681 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below AZ average
Unemployment in El Mirage and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in El Mirage is 0.4 percentage points lower than the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What El Mirage Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ metro area
Commute30.1 min avg
How El Mirage residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In El Mirage, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Major hub25.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in El Mirage runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
254.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,098.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
El Mirage Police Department
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 44 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Maricopa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Maricopa County, which includes El Mirage, the most common type is flash flood, with 44 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.9M |
| 2024 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.8M |
| 2023 | 58 | Heat | $7.8M |
| 2022 | 106 | Flash Flood | $6.8M |
| 2021 | 77 | Thunderstorm Wind | $29.5M |
| 2020 | 55 | Heat | $1.5M |
| 2019 | 90 | Heat | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 120 | Flash Flood | $4.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Maricopa County, county-wide
El Mirage is less than 1% of Maricopa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality73 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Maricopa County, which includes El Mirage, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
73
Good Days
32
per year
Moderate Days
295
per year
Unhealthy Days
6
per year
Maricopa County, county-wide
El Mirage is less than 1% of Maricopa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate104°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
El Mirage has hot summers (avg high 104°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
85°/56°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
104°/77°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/60°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
8.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
176
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
4
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
31
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 41°F | 0.98" |
| Feb | 69°F | 44°F | 1.25" |
| Mar | 77°F | 49°F | 1.03" |
| Apr | 84°F | 55°F | 0.29" |
| May | 93°F | 64°F | 0.11" |
| Jun | 102°F | 72°F | 0.03" |
| Jul | 105°F | 80°F | 0.84" |
| Aug | 104°F | 79°F | 0.97" |
| Sep | 98°F | 73°F | 0.74" |
| Oct | 87°F | 60°F | 0.59" |
| Nov | 74°F | 48°F | 0.61" |
| Dec | 64°F | 40°F | 0.90" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in El Mirage
Uninsured
12.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside El Mirage's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Banner Boswell Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.5 mi away · Sun City
Destiny Springs Healthcare
Psychiatric · 3.6 mi away · Surprise
Avenir Behavioral Health Center
Psychiatric · 4.4 mi away · Surprise
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in El Mirage
El Mirage's student/teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near El Mirage (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 73,371 students · in-state tuition $17,900 · 44% graduate · median earnings $50,609 (10 yrs after entry)
Universal Technical Institute of Arizona Inc
9.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 1,957 students · 72% graduate · median earnings $62,466 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix
12.5 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 1,229 students · in-state tuition $26,733 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,165 students · in-state tuition $35,348 · 48% graduate · median earnings $55,315 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 836 students · in-state tuition $36,550 · 33% graduate · median earnings $59,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 712 students · 55% graduate · median earnings $37,804 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, 62 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for El Mirage
El Mirage has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (62 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
62 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
70 mi awayMontezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayTuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in El Mirage
El Mirage Branch Library
14011 N 1st Ave, El Mirage
Cities Near El Mirage
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to El Mirage?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
El Mirage FAQ
Is El Mirage, Arizona affordable?⌄
El Mirage's median rent is $1,806/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $78,050/year. Median home value is $321,900.
Is El Mirage, Arizona safe?⌄
El Mirage's violent crime rate was 254 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1098 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in El Mirage, Arizona?⌄
El Mirage has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in El Mirage, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in El Mirage is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,806/month and median household income is $78,050/year. The median home value is $321,900. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in El Mirage, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in El Mirage is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from