El Mirage, AZ vs Payson, AZ

Payson is moderately more affordable than El Mirage, with a 7.8% lower cost of living index. El Mirage scores 111 compared to 103 for Payson, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of El Mirage can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in El Mirage is $1,682/month compared to $1,355/month in Payson — a 24% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Payson has cheaper rent, El Mirage actually has lower median home values ($282,000 vs $343,200).

Median household income in El Mirage is $74,764 compared to $65,175 in Payson (+14.7%). While El Mirage is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of El Mirage spend roughly 27% of their income on rent, more than the 24.9% in Payson.