What it's like to live in Tempe
Tempe is a mid-size city in Arizona with unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Tempe deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Extreme summer heat
How Tempe compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tempe
Based on Tempe's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,486
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,720 a year
- 50% of Tempe renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$91,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $45,540
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 23% above US
$1,743/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,743 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $455,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $455,400 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 14% below US
3.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 27% above US
418 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2701/100k · Tempe Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 105°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 39% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
54 public schools inside the boundary
There are 54 public schools inside the boundary and 12 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (36 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Tempe's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,743/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for people who struggle with heat.
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