Mesa tops list among Arizona cities on most recent Prosperity Now Scorecard

In the most recent Prosperity Now Scorecard, Mesa ranked 18th out of the 64 cities studied in terms of financial stability and wealth. The scorecard looks at cities with populations more than 300,000, and analyzes them based on local outcomes to determine their ranking on the prosperity index. The study analyzes income and wealth, business ownership and employment, housing, access to health insurance and educational attainment to determine a prosperity ranking. Mesa ranked highest out of all qualified Arizona cities.

“Ranking on the Prosperity Now Scorecard means that Mesa is heading in the right direction and our efforts are increasing the prosperity of our residents. That is our goal as a community. We want our residents to be able to find meaningful careers that pay well so they can support their families,” said Mayor of Mesa John Giles. “Being prosperous is a sign of a healthy community and we will continue to strive to diversify our workforce and attract businesses that will build the future economy.”

The summary of findings of the scorecard notes that smaller, non-coastal cities that ranked relatively high on the prosperity index likely achieved their ranking due to high levels of homeownership, which is not a surprise considering Mesa’s large selection of housing.

In addition to providing residents with homeownership opportunities, Mesa has directed its focus to education, understanding that it plays a paramount role in ensuring long-term prosperity.

“Since 2012, Mesa has focused on increasing the opportunities for residents to both attend and graduate from college. We established Mesa Counts on College, a program that helps students find the right college and apply for grants, scholarships and financial aid; built the Mesa Center for Higher Education, where small colleges have space for classes, labs and administration; and attracted Benedictine University to open a campus in downtown,” Mayor Giles said.

Mayor Giles also pointed to recent developments and innovations that will continue to make Mesa a better place to live, namely the development of Arizona State University at Mesa City Center. The cutting edge programs slated for ASU at Mesa City Center will provide impactful technologies for the medical, aerospace, manufacturing and entertainment industries. Other elements of the Mesa City Center revitalization will include The Plaza, a public gathering space and The Studios, a reuse of Mesa’s first library as a collaborative space for industry leaders, entrepreneurs, students and the public.