City comparison
Maricopa, AZ is about 30 miles (40 km) from San Tan Valley, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 34 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Maricopa, AZ to San Tan Valley, AZ takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
San Tan Valley has a population of 101,207, vs 59,605 in Maricopa — about 1.7× larger by population. By land area, San Tan Valley covers about 76 sq mi vs 42 sq mi for Maricopa.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Maricopa | San Tan Valley | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,768/mo | $1,729/mo | 2.3% higher in Maricopa |
| Median home value | $292,300 | $304,000 | 4.0% higher in San Tan Valley |
| Median household income | $88,795 | $88,466 | 0.4% higher in Maricopa |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.2 | 96.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Maricopa, you'd need $99,900 in San Tan Valley to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Maricopa and San Tan Valley have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Maricopa, you'd need about $79,920 in San Tan Valley to keep the same standard of living.