Anaheim CA vs Scottsdale AZ — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Anaheim, CA

California · Population: 344,553

  • Median HH Income$90,583
  • Median Home Price$952,227
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+28.7%

Scottsdale, AZ

Arizona · Population: 242,169

  • Median HH Income$107,372
  • Median Home Price$858,307
  • Unemployment3.4%
  • Bachelor's+61.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Anaheim
344,553
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
242,169
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Anaheim
N/A
Scottsdale
N/A
Median Age
Anaheim
35.9
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
49.2
Foreign Born
Anaheim
35.2%
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
11.2%
White
Anaheim
41.2%
Scottsdale
81.8%
Scottsdale +
Black
Anaheim
2.5%
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
2.0%
Asian
Anaheim
18.6%
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
5.1%
Hispanic
Anaheim
52.5%
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
9.4%
Spanish at Home
Anaheim
N/A
Scottsdale
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Anaheim
$90,583
Scottsdale
$107,372
Scottsdale +
Per Capita Income
Anaheim
$36,541
Scottsdale
$82,697
Scottsdale +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Anaheim
$77,230
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
$59,120
Unemployment Rate
Anaheim
5.5%
Scottsdale
3.4%
Scottsdale +
Poverty Rate
Anaheim
12.5%
Scottsdale
7.1%
Scottsdale +
Bachelor's Degree+
Anaheim
28.7%
Scottsdale
61.5%
Scottsdale +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Anaheim
$952,227
Scottsdale
$858,307
Scottsdale +
Homeownership Rate
Anaheim
45.9%
Scottsdale
67.6%
Scottsdale +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Anaheim
503
Scottsdale
450
Scottsdale +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Anaheim
2388
Scottsdale
2150
Scottsdale +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Anaheim
26.8%
Scottsdale
26.2%
Scottsdale +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Anaheim
12.2%
Scottsdale
9.4%
Scottsdale +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Anaheim
18.0%
Scottsdale
12.1%
Scottsdale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Anaheim
14.7%
Scottsdale
6.3%
Scottsdale +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Anaheim
15.4%
Scottsdale
15.4%
Tie
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Anaheim
11.0%
Scottsdale
7.4%
Scottsdale +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Anaheim
67.1°F
Anaheim +
Scottsdale
72.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Anaheim
13.4 in
Scottsdale
10.3 in
Scottsdale +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Anaheim
7.9 µg/m³
Scottsdale
7.1 µg/m³
Scottsdale +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Anaheim
75.0%
Scottsdale
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Anaheim
30.6 min
Scottsdale
23.2 min
Scottsdale +

Which City is Right for You?

Scottsdale leads in median household income at $107,372, while scottsdale offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $858,307. On public safety, Scottsdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 450 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Anaheim. Scottsdale has a lower unemployment rate at 3.4%, and Scottsdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Scottsdale scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Anaheim & Scottsdale