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Three Battles & Five Foes
So here are two ways to mechanically analyze threats in PF2.
MONSTER LEVEL (assuming equally tough battles/XP)
Minion, Monster level < PC level
PCs do reliable damage, often do double damage. Magic Missile sucks, but other spells, maneuvers, & effects reliable.
Monsters usually fail on saves, need numbers & tactics to overwhelm.
Thug, Monster level = PC level
PCs & Monsters need tactics to gain advantage/reliability (though PCs typically have numbers too). AoEs mediocre. Targeted spells, effects, & maneuvers iffy, but w/ good payoff. Magic Missiles solid.
(One thing to note here is asking to hit monsters of equal level more often is also asking for them to hit you more often. Moving toward rocket tag like this favors the underdog.)
Boss, Monster level > PC level
PCs now need to use their numbers & tactics to overwhelm & can expect to fail on saves. AoEs & targeted spells unreliable, so look for ones that have effects even w/ a successful save. Magic Missile OP!
Monster needs AoEs and reliable hits/occasional crits to compete against action economy. Relies on AC & saves more than h.p. to stay alive.
FIVE ENEMY TYPES
Super Oozy: Example, most oozes (and little else)
AC: Minimal, but immune to crits, use 3rd Strike
Other: Often immune to some types of damage
Hit points: Triple normal
Extra Meaty: Example, zombies, trolls
AC: 5 below standard max, use 2nd Strike
Other: Have significant weaknesses too
Hit Points: Double normal
Plump: Example, most martial monsters
AC: 3 below standard max, attempt 2nd Strike
Other: Usually few or no weaknesses or resistances
Hit Points: +50%
(So yes, most monsters, because their h.p. are less protected, benefit less from healing than a PC does.)
Shelled: Example, PCs, Ankylosaurus
AC: Standard Max, 1st Strikes might be it
Other: Usually no weaknesses or resistances
Also can be AC-3, but w/ many resistances like Devils & Incorporeal
Hit Points: PC standard
(So yes, a negative channeler healing Incorporeal Undead is far worse than one healing equal level Zombies!)
Pesky: Example, Will O' Wisp
AC: Standard Max +, (Strike it? I can hardly find it!)
Other: Immunities and/or resistances, + other defensive abilities
Hit Points: 1/3 below standard
Standard Max AC
Level + 7 (Armor/Dex Max) + 1 (at 3rd & every 4th level afterward)
(I don't necessarily agree that lower levels should have Armor/Dex Max 7 as an assumption, especially for faster foes, but the Bestiary numbers lean that way.)
So monsters mechanically balance, at least defensively. PCs should have a variety of attack options to properly exploit weaknesses/circumvent resistances.
Of course, it's more likely monsters are designed modularly, mixing & matching w/ each addition/subtraction having its own ramifications.
The Vampire Template gives clues as to how this might work (as does Paizo's suggestion to build vampires from scratch when possible).
You can see some distinction when you look at demons (higher h.p. + weaknesses) vs. devils (resistances). Compare Fire Demon (20th level, 460 h.p.) w/ Pit Fiend (20th level, 300 h.p.) Both have AC 44 (3 below Standard Max), nearly even saves, & immunity to fire, but the Fire Demon has several Weaknesses 20 and the Pit Fiend has Fast Healing 30 & Resistance 15 to most physical.
Addendum:
Those types of monsters were sorted mainly by defensive traits or "Toughness". One could also look at offensive balance or "Roughness". In that vein, a creature w/ high attack & low damage works well as a minion because their attacks will stay relevant by overcoming a higher level PC's main defense, AC. On the flip side, a creature with lower attack, but higher damage (or perhaps AoE damage) works well as a boss because AC is less a factor (and healing is more of one). Orcs are a noteworthy exception as minions because though they lean toward lower attack/more damage, their Ferocity keeps them in the fight extra long (so more flanks & chances).
Ogre Magi, for example, work well as both. They have the AoE via Cone of Cold as a boss, but their martial offense leans higher attack/lower damage than PC norms, which suits a minion.
And a Plump or Extra Meaty boss makes the battle less swingy (because PC reliability is higher vs. the lower AC) than vs. a Shelled boss even though they're defensively similar. The inverse, Shelled minions, makes a battle more certain for whoever has the advantage. Though the amount of certainty isn't typically a factor when PCs have a distinct advantage, it's something to consider when pushing the envelope on danger level.
Cheers
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Nice analysis!
Dotting. I'm going to use this.