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Mesa's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Mesa.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Mesa. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Mesa neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Mesa hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Mesa area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Lehi ranks way above the rest.
We examined 23 of Mesa's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Mesa's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Mesa For 2021
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Mesa for 2021? According to the most recent census data, Glenwood-Wilbur looks to be the worst neighborhood in Mesa.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Mesa that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Mesa.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Mesa For 2021
/10
Population: 284
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $143,043 (worst)
Median Income: $29,329 (worst)
More on Glenwood-Wilbur: Data
/10
Population: 2,377
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $143,064 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $33,724 (2nd worst)
More on Downtown: Data
/10
Population: 1,379
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $190,841 (8th worst)
Median Income: $62,094 (11th worst)
More on Sunland Village East: Data
/10
Population: 500
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $173,034 (5th worst)
Median Income: $54,452 (9th worst)
More on Rancho Del Mar: Data
/10
Population: 8,617
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $148,554 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $45,524 (6th worst)
More on Mesa Grande: Data
/10
Population: 423
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $201,964 (12th worst)
Median Income: $93,977 (19th worst)
More on Crismon Creek: Data
/10
Population: 5,530
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $190,841 (8th worst)
Median Income: $53,295 (8th worst)
More on Superstition Springs: Data
/10
Population: 2,818
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $183,194 (7th worst)
Median Income: $76,872 (16th worst)
More on Parkwood Ranch: Data
/10
Population: 2,651
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $172,030 (4th worst)
Median Income: $35,982 (3rd worst)
More on C.a.n.d.o.: Data
/10
Population: 510
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $214,448 (15th worst)
Median Income: $44,903 (5th worst)
More on Heritage Park: Data
How we determined the worst Mesa hoods in 2021
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Mesa:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Mesa, Arizona for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Mesa.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Mesa to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 23 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
The 'hoods around Mesa that are really hoods
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Mesa with Glenwood-Wilbur landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Mesa aren't all bad. Lehi takes the cake as the best place to live in Mesa.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Mesa For 2021?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenwood-Wilbur | 284 |
| 2 | Downtown | 2,377 |
| 3 | Sunland Village East | 1,379 |
| 4 | Rancho Del Mar | 500 |
| 5 | Mesa Grande | 8,617 |
| 6 | Crismon Creek | 423 |
| 7 | Superstition Springs | 5,530 |
| 8 | Parkwood Ranch | 2,818 |
| 9 | C.a.n.d.o. | 2,651 |
| 10 | Heritage Park | 510 |
| 11 | Sunland Village | 2,563 |
| 12 | North Center Street | 2,250 |
| 13 | Apache Wells | 1,445 |
| 14 | Red Mountain Ranch | 2,353 |
| 15 | Northeast | 4,071 |
| 16 | Marlborough Mesa | 1,524 |
| 17 | Alta Mesa | 7,971 |
| 18 | Dobson Ranch | 11,657 |
| 19 | Ridgeview | 900 |
| 20 | Dobson Woods | 3,454 |
| 21 | The Groves | 5,555 |
| 22 | Northgrove | 1,987 |
| 23 | Lehi | 8,424 |
