What it's like to live in Buckeye
Buckeye is a mid-size city in Arizona with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Buckeye deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Extreme summer heat
How Buckeye compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Buckeye
Based on Buckeye's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,926
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $78,520 a year
- 44% of Buckeye renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$83,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,980
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 39% above US
$1,963/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,963 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $419,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $419,800 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 52% below US
159 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 755/100k · Buckeye Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 28% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 105°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 44°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
38 public schools inside the boundary
There are 38 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (71 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Buckeye's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,963/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, people who dread long commutes, and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Buckeye
All Arizona guides →Not sure Buckeye is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.