Mesa is not just a suburb of Phoenix. It is the third-largest city in Arizona, the largest suburban city by population in the entire United States, and one of the fastest-growing places in the country right now. Whether you are relocating from California, the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, or just moving across the Valley, there are things about Mesa that will surprise you, delight you, and make you want to plant roots here for good.
I grew up in Arizona. I have lived and worked across the East Valley my entire career. This is the real picture — not the glossy version you find on tourism websites.
POPULATION (2025)
SUNNY DAYS / YEAR
MEDIAN HOME PRICE
MARICOPA UNEMPLOYMENT
AVG NEW JOB WAGE (AZ FY25)
THE ECONOMY
Mesa's Job Market Is Growing, and It's Not Slowing Down
One of the first questions people ask when they are thinking about relocating is whether they will be able to find work. In Mesa, the answer is strong. The Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area is consistently one of the top-performing job markets in the country, and Mesa itself is drawing serious investment from companies around the world.
Arizona’s Fiscal Year 2025 set a new record, with companies committed to creating over 24,285 new jobs and investing more than $31 billion in the state. Right here in Mesa, manufacturers and aerospace companies are making major moves. Gulfstream Aerospace opened a new Customer Service Center, Komatsu
broke ground on an advanced manufacturing facility, and XNRGY Climate Systems opened a 275,000-square-foot plant. On the semiconductor side, KoMiCo announced a $50 million facility in Mesa, and Apex Power Conversion committed to a $60 million- plus investment with hundreds of new jobs. Magna, the Canadian automotive supplier, is bringing hundreds more jobs with a new 230,000-square-foot facility here too.
The Phoenix-Mesa metro’s dominant industries span aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor and technology, healthcare and life sciences, and hospitality. Mesa has invested heavily in workforce pipeline programs, including the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), Mesa Community College’s Mesa Promise Program (free two-year tuition for qualifying
students), and the Arizona@Work partnership connecting job seekers with employers across the region. Mesa is also expanding its foreign direct investment presence globally, with the mayor leading a trade mission to Japan in 2025 and building relationships with major international companies across the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing space. The Phoenix-Mesa MSA job growth is forecast to accelerate to 1.6% in 2026. The momentum here is real, and companies keep choosing Mesa for a reason.
COST OF LIVING
More Adordable Than You Think, Especially Compared to Where You're From
If you are coming from California, Seattle, Chicago, or any major coastal city, Mesa is going to feel like a deep exhale. The cost of living here is right around the national average, and when you stack it up against cities like San Francisco (73% more expensive), Boston (40% more), or Los Angeles, the difference is significant.
The median home price in Mesa sits around $473,000 right now, and homes have appreciated steadily, up about 2.2% year over year through late 2025. That is real equity growth without the wild volatility you see in overheated coastal markets. Healthcare costs run below the national average, utilities and transportation are comparable, and groceries are pretty close to average as well. Mesa also benefits from Arizona’s flat income tax rate of 2.5%,which is very competitive nationally.
One thing worth noting: Mesa is more affordable than neighboring
Scottsdale, often significantly so. You get proximity to everything Scottsdale offers without paying Scottsdale prices. That is one of the best-kept secrets in the East Valley.
"Mesa isn't just where people land when they move to Arizona. It's where they stay, raise their families, build their careers, and fall in love with the desert."
MELISSA BAILEY • THE MELISSA BAILEY REAL ESTATE • REAL BROKER
NEIGHBORHOODS
From Up-and-Coming to Established Luxury, Mesa Has a Neighborhood for Every Chapter
This is where I get excited. Mesa is enormous, spanning over 100 square miles, and the neighborhoods are as different as the people who live in them. Here is a breakdown of the areas I see the most momentum in right now, from the buzziest new development to timeless masterplanned communities.
UP & COMING
Dana Park Area
The Dana Park corridor, centered around the upscale Village Square at Dana Park shopping center at Baseline and Val Vista, is one of the most convenient and livable pockets in Mesa. You get walkable access to dining, fitness, boutique shopping, and a genuinely neighborhood feel. Homes in the surrounding communities are well-maintained, schools are highly rated, and freeway access is excellent. This area punches above its weight for lifestyle value, and it consistently attracts buyers who want to be close to everything without the chaos of the far West Valley.
- Excellent freeway access, walkable retail, family-friendly feel
- Strong school ratings in the surrounding area
MASTER PLANNED • TOP SELLER IN AZ
Eastmark
Eastmark is a 3,200-acre master-planned community in southeast Mesa and has consistently ranked as the best-selling master-planned development in all of Arizona. It was designed intentionally, with connection at its core. Streets were built for biking, the community runs farmers markets, outdoor movie nights, and seasonal festivals. There are over 40 neighborhood parks, a 96-acre Great Park with a splash pad and climbing park, a community pool and center, and proximity to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Homes range from the mid $400s to over $700,000 depending on the neighborhood, and there is even an Encore 55+ enclave within the community. The median home price here runs around $598,000.
- 40+ parks, resort-style amenities, award-winning community
design - Near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Route 60, 202, and 101
LUXURY • MASTERPLANNED
Las Sendas
For buyers who want luxury, privacy, and some of the most dramatic desert views in the Valley, Las Sendas is the answer. Built into the Usery Mountain foothills at the northeast edge of Mesa, this community was developed starting in 1995 and has grown into an upscale destination with resort-style amenities. The private Las Sendas Golf Club anchors the community with an 18-hole championship course and on-site dining. Residents have access to a spa and fitness center, miles of desert hiking and biking trails connected directly to Usery Mountain Regional Park, four community parks with sports courts and pools, and a robust social calendar including Food Truck Fridays, car shows, and community mixers. The median home price here starts
around $615,000 and scales into the $700s and beyond.
- 18-hole private golf club, spa, trails to Usery Mountain Regional
Park - One of the safest neighborhoods in Mesa with scenic Usery
foothills setting
ESTABLISHED • GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY
Red Mountain Ranch
Located in northeast Mesa with stunning views of the Red Mountain area, Red Mountain Ranch is a masterplanned golf course community with a great mix of established charm and accessibility. The Red Mountain Ranch Country Club gives the neighborhood its heart, with tennis courts, a golf course, and private event spaces. Homes here range broadly in size and price, with a median around $555,000 to $585,000. If you want the country club lifestyle without the Las Sendas price point, this is often the answer.
- Country club, golf, tennis, established community feel
- Northeast Mesa, near arts venues and Red Mountain High School
ESTABLISHED • GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY
Downtown Mesa
Downtown Mesa has been on a real upswing, with investment pouring into the arts district, restaurants, boutiques, and live entertainment venues. It draws younger buyers and creatives who want walkability and urban energy. The Mesa Arts Center brings Broadway shows and concerts, and Sloan Park draws Cubs fans every spring for Chicago's spring training games. The median home price is one of the most accessible in the city at around $354,000, making this a compelling entry point for first-time buyers and investors alike.
- Mesa Arts Center, dining, entertainment, light rail access
- Most affordable median price in Mesa at approx. $354,000
FAMILY-FRIENDLY • NEW CONSTRUCTION
Mulberry
Mulberry was intentionally designed to feel like a small town. Tree-lined streets, front porches, a central park, and a community built around connection. It has that rarer-than-you-think quality in Phoenix-area suburbs of actually feeling like a neighborhood, while still offering modern builds with current finishes and energy-efficient features. If you have children and want them to actually know their neighbors, Mulberry deserves a serious look.
- Front-porch culture, central park, intentional community design
- East Mesa location near good schools and retail
FAMILY-FRIENDLY • NEW CONSTRUCTION
Mulberry
Mulberry was intentionally designed to feel like a small town. Tree-lined streets, front porches, a central park, and a community built around connection. It has that rarer-than-you-think quality in Phoenix-area suburbs of actually feeling like a neighborhood, while still offering modern builds with current finishes and energy-efficient features. If you have children and want them to actually know their neighbors, Mulberry deserves a serious look.
- Front-porch culture, central park, intentional community design
- East Mesa location near good schools and retail
BUYER FREEDOM
The No-HOA Option Is Real in Mesa
This is a big one, especially for buyers coming from states or cities where HOAs are nearly unavoidable. Mesa has a significant inventory of properties with no HOA, and for many buyers that is an important lifestyle and financial consideration. No monthly dues, no restrictions on what color you can paint your door, no rules about parking your truck in your own driveway. In areas like Central Mesa, parts of the Northeast, and older established neighborhoods, you will find homes on large lots with no HOA involvement at all.
That said, it is worth understanding the tradeoff. HOA communities like Eastmark, Las Sendas, and Red Mountain Ranch offer maintained common areas, resort-style amenities, and community programming that adds genuine value. The best move is knowing your priorities before you start shopping. Here is what no-HOA living in Mesa typically gives you:
No Monthly HOA Fees
Keep more money in your pocket every single month, which adds up to thousands annually.
More Flexibility on Your Property
RV parking, work trucks, boats, backyard structures, paint colors all on your terms.
Larger Lots Are More Common
Older Mesa neighborhoods without HOAs often sit on more
generous lot sizes.
No CC&R Restrictions
Run a home-based business, plant what you want, modify your home without approval processes.
Still Access City Amenities
Mesa has 140+ public parks and over 2,280 acres of parkland. The city takes care of you.
Investment Potential
Non-HOA properties can offer more flexibility for investors, short-term rentals, and ADUs.
LIFESTYLE & CLIMATE
300 Days of Sunshine and a Life Built Around the Outdoors
People always ask about the heat. Yes, summers in Mesa are hot, crossing 110 degrees regularly in June and July. But here is what transplants almost always say after their first full year: they underestimated how good the other nine months are. Spring and fall in Mesa are genuinely spectacular, and winters range from 40 to 70 degrees with clear blue skies. The city gets zero inches of snow and averages more than 300 sunny days annually, and NOAA consistently ranks Mesa as one of the most favorable climates in the country based on comfort levels. The outdoor lifestyle here is extraordinary. Usery Mountain
Regional Park offers 29 miles of trail right on the doorstep of Las Sendas and the northeast neighborhoods. The Superstition Mountains, Saguaro Lake, and the Tonto National Forest are all within easy reach of East Mesa. Mesa has over 140 public parks and more than 2,280 acres of parkland, extensive bike lanes
including the Arizona Canal Path, and access to the Salt River for tubing and kayaking. If an outdoor lifestyle matters to you, Mesa will feed that well.
The city also has real cultural depth. The Mesa Arts Center hosts Broadway touring productions and national concerts. The Arizona Museum of Natural History is a genuinely excellent regional
museum. Sloan Park brings spring training baseball every year. And the dining scene across Central and East Mesa has grown significantly in recent years, with local restaurants and food halls replacing the chain-only reputation Mesa once had.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
A Few More Things Worth Knowing Before You Move
Getting around: Mesa is car-dependent, like most of the Phoenix metro. Valley Metro’s light rail connects through downtown Mesa and links to Tempe and Phoenix, which is genuinely useful for commuters heading into the urban core. But for daily life across the city, you will need a vehicle. The good news is that major freeways, including the 60, 202, and 101, make most of the metro highly accessible with reasonable drive times.
Schools: Mesa Unified School District serves much of the city, and there are standout schools across the district including Montessori Education Centre Charter School, BASIS Mesa, and Leman Academy of Excellence. Red Mountain High School and Mountain View High School both carry strong reputations. The neighborhood you choose will directly influence your school options, so if schools are a top priority for your family, let that drive the geographic decision.
Property taxes: Arizona is favorable here. Mesa’s property tax rate is 0.47%, one of the most competitive rates in the country. The state income tax is a flat 2.5%, and the combined sales tax rate in Mesa runs around 8.41%. For buyers coming from California, Illinois, or New York, the tax picture alone is often a meaningful factor in the relocation decision.
Healthcare: Banner Desert Medical Center serves as a major regional hospital anchor, and the metro has a strong network of healthcare facilities, specialists, and urgent care options. Healthcare costs in Mesa run below the national average, which is another quiet advantage the city does not always get credit for.
Higher education: Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus is located in Mesa, offering degrees in engineering, business, and sciences. Mesa Community College runs the Mesa Promise Program providing free tuition for qualifying students. The proximity to ASU’s main Tempe campus and multiple Maricopa Community Colleges gives the region genuine educational infrastructure.
READY TO MAKE THE MOVE?
Let's Find the Right Corner of Mesa for You
Whether you're relocating from out of state or moving up within the EastValley, I'd love to help you navigate every step of the process.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA
