Arizona
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Arizona vs Delaware
Arizona is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arizona, Delaware has higher incomes, Arizona has lower state income tax, and Arizona gets more sunshine.
Arizona
AZ · West
16 / 32
metrics won
VS
Delaware
DE · South
16 / 32
metrics won
DE wins Housing
AZ wins Quality of Life
AZ wins Climate
DE wins Income
DE wins Demographics
AZ wins Taxes
AZ 16
16 DE
What matters to you?
Tell us your priority, get a verdict
Your match
It's close between these two
Arizona and Delaware split the 32 scored metrics roughly evenly — pick a priority below to see who pulls ahead where it matters to you.
Your match — Saving Money
Arizona is cheaper overall
Cost-of-living index: 103.1 in Arizona vs 103.2 in Delaware. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses. See full data →
Your match — Jobs
Arizona has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $14.35/hr in Arizona vs $13.25/hr in Delaware. Matters most for hourly and entry-level work. See full data →
Your match — Housing
Delaware is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.74x in Delaware vs 4.51x in Arizona. Lower means the median home is easier to afford on a median income. See full data →
Your match — Weather
Arizona is warmer overall
Average annual temperature: 60.3°F in Arizona vs 55.3°F in Delaware. See full data →
Your match — Family & Health
Delaware looks better for families
Delaware wins more family-oriented signals in this matchup, including violent crime rate, life expectancy, uninsured rate, compared with Arizona. See full data →
Run the numbers
What's your salary really worth?
Delaware
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Illustrative estimate only. Uses top marginal state income tax rate, BEA Regional Price Parity, and median housing costs — excludes federal tax, utilities, insurance, childcare, and debt.
Full comparison
Every metric, side by side
Pick a category. Each row opens the full breakdown for that metric — national rank, chart, and sourcing.
Capital City
Phoenix
vs
Dover
State Color
Swing State
vs
Solid Blue
Population
7,691,212
1,069,781
Median Income
$72,581
$79,325
Cost of Living
103.1
103.2
Median Housing Value
$327,400
$296,700
Property Tax
0.48%
0.50%
State Income Tax
2.50%
6.60%
Minimum Wage
$14.35/hr
$13.25/hr
Gas Price
$4.742/gal
$3.914/gal
Electricity Rates
15.61 c/kWh
16.51 c/kWh
Livability Score
51.01
50.03
Average Temperature
60.3°F
55.3°F
Sunny Days
193 days
97 days
Land Area
113,990 sq mi
2,489 sq mi
Population Density
67.5 per sq mi
429.8 per sq mi
Statehood
February 14, 1912 (#48)
December 7, 1787 (#1)
Population
7,691,212
1,069,781
Population Density
67.5 per sq mi
429.8 per sq mi
Bachelor's Degree
33.5%
36.5%
Advanced Degree
13.1%
15.5%
Net Domestic Migration
+31,100
+6,900
Population Growth Since 2020
+7.5%
+8.1%
Livability Score
51.01
50.03
Best State to Live In
51.01
50.03
Cost of Living
103.1
103.2
Gas Price
$4.742/gal
$3.914/gal
Gas Tax
18.00 c/gal
23.00 c/gal
Electricity Rates
15.61 c/kWh
16.51 c/kWh
Commute Time
25.9 min
25.7 min
Car Insurance Cost
$2,111/yr
$2,396/yr
Average Credit Score
709
713
Average Temperature
60.3°F
55.3°F
Summer Temperature
78.1°F
74.2°F
Winter Temperature
43.6°F
36.1°F
Sunny Days
193 days
97 days
Annual Precipitation
13.6 in
45.7 in
Average Wind Speed
7.3 mph
7.1 mph
Lightning Density
28.2 per sq mi
79.8 per sq mi
Median Housing Value
$327,400
$296,700
Median Gross Rent
$1,311/mo
$1,222/mo
Median Monthly Owner Costs With Mortgage
$1,893/mo
$1,821/mo
Owner Costs Without Mortgage
$560/mo
$596/mo
Homeownership Rate
65.5%
74.0%
Home Value to Income Ratio
4.51x
3.74x
Rent to Income Ratio
21.7%
18.5%
Owner Costs to Income
16.6%
16.6%
Home Insurance Cost
$2,605/yr
$976/yr
State Income Tax
2.50%
6.60%
State Sales Tax
5.60%
None (0%)
Property Tax
0.48%
0.50%
Total Tax Burden
7.24%
6.28%
Grocery Tax Rate
0% (Exempt)
0% (No state tax)
Estate and Inheritance Tax
No State Death Tax
vs
No State Death Tax
Annual Vehicle Property Tax
No
vs
No
State Color
Swing State
vs
Solid Blue
Presidential Voting Margin
Rep +5.51
Dem +14.70
Swing State / Battleground
Battleground
vs
Not a battleground
Governor Party
Democratic
vs
Democratic
State House Control
Republican
vs
Democratic
State Senate Control
Republican
vs
Democratic
Trifecta
No Trifecta
vs
Democratic Trifecta
Electoral Votes
11
3
Gun Laws Status
Permissive
vs
Restrictive
Alcohol Laws
License State
vs
License State
Marijuana Legalization
Legal
vs
Legal
Minimum Marriage Age
16
18 (banned)
Gun Ownership
39.5%
25.3%
Abortion Law Status
Legal - Viability (~24 weeks (viability))
vs
Legal - Viability (~24 weeks (viability))
Right-to-Work Law
Yes
vs
No
Land Area
113,990 sq mi
2,489 sq mi
Highest Point
Humphreys Peak (12,637 ft)
Ebright Azimuth (448 ft)
Statehood
February 14, 1912 (#48)
December 7, 1787 (#1)
Capital City
Phoenix
vs
Dover
Region
West
vs
South
Life Expectancy
76.6 yrs
76.9 yrs
Older Adult Health Outcomes
51.3
54.2
Uninsured Rate
9.9%
6.5%
Obesity Rate
33.3%
36.6%
Healthcare Quality Score
55.8
50.4
Infant Mortality Rate
5.40 per 1,000
7.77 per 1,000
Drug Overdose Death Rate
32.6 per 100,000
33.4 per 100,000
Violent Crime Rate
473.4 per 100k
404.0 per 100k
Property Crime Rate
2150.2 per 100k
1991.2 per 100k
AZA-Accredited Zoos
5
1
Casinos
29 (Talking Stick Resort)
3 (Bally's Dover)
UFO Sightings per 100,000
64.0 per 100K
50.3 per 100K
Most Popular Car
Tesla
vs
Tesla
K-12 Education Rank
#49
#21
High School Graduation Rate
82.0%
88.0%
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.4:1
14.2:1
School Spending
$12,003
$22,201
Teacher Salary
$64,291
$76,570
Public School Ranking
#50
#21
Student Loan Debt
$35,792
$38,856
College Graduation Rate
40.1%
43.8%
Median Income
$72,581
$79,325
Regional Price Parity
99.2
100.9
Purchasing Power of $100
$103.97
$103.24
Poverty Rate
12.4%
10.5%
Employment/Population Ratio
57.8%
59.6%
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
5.2%
Job Growth
0.8%
1.1%
Infant Childcare Cost
$15,625/yr
$16,220/yr
Income Needed to Live Alone
$101,587/yr
$97,469/yr
Water Quality Score
77.4/100 (B)
81.3/100 (A)
Annual Power Outage Hours
1.5 hours/yr
1.9 hours/yr
Road Quality Rank
#35
#16
Renewable Electricity Share
17.0%
4.3%
Largest Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
vs
Wilmington Airport (ILG)
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
The biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Arizona
Pros
- Arizona has a lower overall cost of living.
- Arizona has lower property tax rates on average.
- Arizona has more sunny days.
Cons
- Arizona has a higher housing cost index.
- Arizona has higher median home values.
- Arizona shows lower median income.
- Arizona has a higher violent crime rate.
- Arizona job growth trend is weaker.
- Arizona health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
Delaware
Pros
- Delaware has a lower housing cost index.
- Delaware has lower median home values.
- Delaware shows higher median income.
- Delaware has a lower violent crime rate.
- Delaware job growth trend is stronger.
- Delaware health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
Cons
- Delaware has a higher overall cost of living.
- Delaware has higher property tax rates on average.
- Delaware has fewer sunny days.
People also ask
Arizona vs Delaware — common questions
QIs Arizona cheaper to live in than Delaware?
Arizona has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arizona scores 103.1 versus 103.2 for Delaware - a gap of 0.1 points.
QWhere does $100 go further - Arizona or Delaware?
$100 goes further in Arizona. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $103.97 in Arizona, compared with $103.24 in Delaware.
QWhich state is bigger - Arizona or Delaware?
Arizona is larger, covering 113,990 sq mi compared with 2,489 sq mi for Delaware - roughly 45.8x the size.
QDoes Arizona or Delaware have more people?
Arizona has the larger population at 7,691,212, compared with 1,069,781 in Delaware.
QWhich state has higher household income - Arizona or Delaware?
Delaware has the higher median household income at $79,325, versus $72,581 in Arizona.
QWhich state has lower income taxes - Arizona or Delaware?
Arizona has the lower state income tax top rate at 2.50%, compared with 6.60% in Delaware.
QIs housing cheaper in Arizona or Delaware?
Homes are cheaper in Delaware, where the median home value is $296,700, versus $327,400 in Arizona.
QWhich state is more densely populated - Arizona or Delaware?
Delaware is more densely populated at 429.8 per sq mi people per sq mi. Arizona is more spread out at 67.5 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related comparisons
Methodology
Figures combine government datasets, named research sources, and clearly labeled derived scores. Dataset reviewed July 23, 2026.
Demographics & geography
2020 Census, American Community Survey, TIGER/Line Files, National Archives
Income, housing & cost of living
American Community Survey, BLS, BEA Regional Price Parities, and named market studies
Wages & energy
U.S. Department of Labor, AAA, U.S. EIA
Politics & law
NCSL, Giffords Law Center, NABCA
Data periods differ by metric. Open any individual comparison metric to see its primary source, data period, review date, and calculation note. Daily-changing fields such as gas prices are stored snapshots unless the page explicitly says a live feed is used.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau — TIGER/Line Files
- National Archives
- BEA — Regional Price Parities
- BLS — State Labor Market Data
- NOAA — U.S. Climate Normals
- FBI — Crime Data Explorer
- FEMA — National Risk Index
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws
- AAA — Gas Prices
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electricity
- NCSL — State Partisan Composition
- Giffords Law Center — Annual Gun Law Scorecard
- NABCA
- NCSL — State Medical Cannabis Laws
See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.