CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

33.19° N · 111.54° W · GEOID 0464210

San Tan Valley

Pinal County, Arizona · part of the Phoenix, AZ metro

ArizonaSan Tan Valley, AZSan Tan ValleySan Tan Valley

The short answer

San Tan Valley is home to 109,189 people. Median household income is $96,713 a year and median rent is $2,085 a month, 25.9% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $410,100, about 4.2x annual median household income.

The story in San Tan Valley is how fast things are changing. Home values rose 14% a year between the 2019 and 2024 surveys while incomes rose 7.3%, a wider gap than in 91% of places its size. Also notable: Owning with a mortgage costs about $291 a month less than the median rent, a rarer pattern than in 99% of cities its size.

15OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

San Tan Valley scores better than 15% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 74th of 92 in Arizona.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%27
Economy 20%66
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%32
Education 10%31
Commute 10%5
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,085
53% above the median place
Median household income
$96,713
20% above the median place
Median home value
$410,100
28% above the median place
Unemployment
4.3%
13% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about San Tan Valley

  • Work and commutingOpenStreetMap shows 0 bus and rail stops per square mile, fewer than in 97% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 92 Arizona places we track.
01

Moving to San Tan Valley

Pinal County gains about 38.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in38,712
Moved out25,012
Net+13,700

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Arizona, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within ArizonaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$70K
Leavers$60K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Pinal County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
9.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.5% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Pinal County report $70,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $59,600, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$83,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,085 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,794 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $410,100.
Getting to work
36 minutes each way on average; 19.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Beaumont, CA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
9.4%
65% above the median place
Moved from another state1
3.5%
76% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
38.9
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year19.4%65% above
Moved from another state13.5%76% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure38.9above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$70,2251% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$59,64915% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 0.4% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 99% of the 251 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

San Tan Valley25.9%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$83,400
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
25.9%
27% above the median place
Home price to income
4.2x
12% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
26%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$72,200
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in San Tan Valley, $2,085 a month, and local prices for everything else (99.6 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like San Tan Valley, but easier on the budget

Places that match San Tan Valley on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Beaumont, CA9318.8% vs 25.9%$13,500Compare
Midlothian, TX8919.1% vs 25.9%$30,500Compare
Cibolo, TX8520.7% vs 25.9%$30,500Compare
Sahuarita, AZ8421.1% vs 25.9%$12,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in San Tan Valley.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to San Tan Valley? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
2007
1% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.4%
57% below the median place
Homeownership1
82.2%
24% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,08553% above
Rent to income125.9%27% above
Property tax rate10.4%57% below
Home price to income14.2x12% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.32% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7347% above
HUD area median income4County figure$112,4005% above
Property tax paid (median)1$1,60151% below
Median home value1$410,10028% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.1%65% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure59.3%15% above
Homeownership182.2%24% above
Renters paying 30%+144.7%12% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7944% below
Vacant homes17.9%12% above
Median year built120071% above
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 225 hours a year commuting, more than in 95% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 86 Arizona places we track.

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
36 min
46% above the median place
Works from home1
19.0%
53% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Poverty rate8.0% −26%
Median household income$96,713 +20%
Unemployment4.3% −13%
Income per person$36,796 −8%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$96,71320% above
Income per person1$36,7968% below
Unemployment14.3%13% below
Average annual pay6County figure$61,0797% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure5.0%35% above
Jobs6County figure79,97747% below
Poverty rate18.0%26% below
Mean commute136 min46% above
Works from home119.0%53% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Household size is 3.2, 28% above the median place.

Household size1
3.2
28% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.0%
5% above the median place
Median age1
34.9
11% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

No health insurance9.6% +50%
Bachelor's or higher23.9% −25%
Born abroad7.8% −12%
High school or higher92.6% +0%
All 8 people measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population1109,189302nd largest
Median age134.911% below
Bachelor's or higher123.9%25% below
High school or higher192.6%0% above
Household size13.228% above
Born abroad17.8%12% below
No health insurance19.6%50% above
Homes with broadband197.0%5% above
05

Life in San Tan Valley

OpenStreetMap shows 0.7 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 98% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 2009. 107 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents13.0 +28%
Playgrounds per 10k4.0 −57%
Grocery stores per 10k0.7 −66%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.2 −71%
Libraries per 10k0.1 −90%
Named paths and bike trails25 km 12.7×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 13 miles
  • Hohokam Pima National Monument 22 miles
  • Tonto National Monument 43 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars8.3 −60%
Shops11.6 −62%
Arts, recreation and fitness1.4 −66%
Doctors' offices and clinics9.0 −55%
Child care centers0.9 −61%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
12.7
59% below the median place
Students per teacher12
17.6
14% above the median place
Public school students12
11,983
145% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools1218100% above
Public school students1211,983145% above
Students per teacher1217.614% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure8.360% below
Shops per 10k8County figure11.662% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure1.466% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure9.055% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure0.961% below
Parks per 10k913.028% above
Playgrounds per 10k94.057% below
Grocery stores per 10k90.766% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k93.271% below
Libraries per 10k90.190% below
Named paths and bike trails925.4above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1012.759% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10350% above
National Register listings11County figure107above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 102°F, 17% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached San Tan Valley. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high13
102°F
17% above the median place
Annual precipitation13
11.3 in
74% below the median place
Good air days15
17.0%
75% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSan Tan ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure102°F17% above
January average low13County figure39°F54% above
Average temperature13County figure70°F27% above
Annual precipitation13County figure11.3 in74% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure93.81% above
Hurricane risk14County figure18.873% below
Tornado risk14County figure37.054% below
Wildfire risk14County figure98.060% above
Heat wave risk14County figure98.910% above
Median air quality index15County figure6756% above
Good air days15County figure17.0%75% below
08

San Tan Valley in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 26% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 26% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, San Tan Valley does better than 25% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 95%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,085/mo (2024)$2,720/mo$2,230 to $3,310/mo+4.5%
Median household income$96,713 (2024)$124,000$105,000 to $146,500+4.2%
Median home value$410,100 (2024)$621,000$451,000 to $855,000+7.2%

The median home would be worth 5.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like San Tan Valley

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Sudley, VA$2,139$94,309Compare
Buckeye, AZ$1,963$99,486Compare
Salida, CA$2,081$94,935Compare
Ferndale, MD$2,022$94,948Compare
Ferndale, MDSalida, CABuckeye, AZSudley, VASan Tan Valley, AZSan Tan ValleySudleyBuckeyeSalidaFerndaleSan Tan ValleySudleyBuckeyeSalidaFerndale

Places built like San Tan Valley

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how San Tan Valley performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
San Tan Valley, AZ25.9%7.3%/yrn/a
Buckeye, AZ23.7%6.8%/yr37.1%Compare
Maricopa, AZ24.9%5.3%/yr34.8%Compare
West Jordan, UT19.5%6.0%/yr-0.1%Compare
Commerce City, CO20.1%7.8%/yr15.9%Compare
Riverton, UT20.2%4.5%/yr4.6%Compare
Caldwell, ID20.8%8.3%/yr27.4%Compare

Common questions

Is San Tan Valley a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 15 out of 100, better than 15% of the places we rate and 74th of 92 in Arizona. OpenStreetMap shows 0 bus and rail stops per square mile, fewer than in 97% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 92 Arizona places we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 59 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is San Tan Valley expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 25.9% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $410,100.

What salary do you need to live in San Tan Valley?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $83,400 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to San Tan Valley?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Sudley, VA, Buckeye, AZ, Salida, CA and Ferndale, MD.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares San Tan Valley with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for San Tan Valley itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/san-tan-valley-arizona

Citytistics. “San Tan Valley, Arizona.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/san-tan-valley-arizona/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.