Phoenix
Cities Info
There are over 20 cities in the Phoenix area that are all considered "Phoenix". Scroll down to go through all the different cities to see which one is right for you.
Phoenix
Phoenix is a confusing city
because people may live in Glendale, Chandler, etc.
but claim they live in Phoenix. This is because there
is a greater Phoenix area (the valley) as well as a
Phoenix city itself. This section is focused on the city
itself. It is the fastest growing city, the 5th largest in square miles, and the 5th largest in population. It is home to the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks along with many great concert arenas. Due to its size, there is a wide range of living options from sky rise condos, lower income apartments, luxury mansions, and standard residential.
Peoria
Peoria has increasingly become an exclusive and highly desired city to live in. With one of the more family-focused cities while still being relatively close to the rest of the city. It is also the closest city to Lake Pleasant our main body of water in the Phoenix area. It also is home to some of the nicest and highly desired neighborhoods in the Valley which are mentioned below. With great restaurants, shopping, and relatively new areas throughout, Peoria is a coveted city for people in the West Valley to live in. North Peoria in particular is going to have the highest end neighborhoods, where there will be more affordable areas in southern Peoria.
Glendale
Glendale is one of the older cities in the Phoenix area mostly due to its proximity to Phoenix itself. The city started in central Phoenix and expanded to where it is now, so Glendale is one of the first cities that came about from the expansion. There is a wide range of living in Glendale with Northern Glendale being the most desired location of the city. There are many no HOA neighborhoods throughout the city, and there are many options for those in the lower price range. Their best communities do reside in the Northern part of the city, but the best entertainment is towards the southern end.
Scottsdale
The name Scottsdale holds value in itself due to its famous luxury living and incredible entertainment. It truly is the best city in the Phoenix area when it comes to things to do, restaurants, events, and beautiful neighborhoods. The name of the city does force you to pay a price where even an entry level home will be well over half a million dollars. The Southern section of the city is going to be older homes that are well-preserved and extremely close to the best entertainment in Fashion Square, Old Town Scottsdale, and the Talking Stick area. Many of the best communities revolve around private courses, and the Northern part of Scottsdale will be where you find the 10 Million Dollar+ mansions where celebrities and business owners are found on those golf courses.
Surprise
This has been the most popular city that I have seen from people moving out of state to Arizona. Which is a Surprise to me. Not really, but I had to get the joke in there. This city is basically a giant master-planned community. Every neighborhood you drive through will have a parks, well-landscaped yards, greenbelts, and greenery on the sidewalks and center dividers. This has been a city that has seen a large increase in demand due to many people being able to work from home as well as prices surging in the Phoenix area.
Gilbert
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Glendale is one of the older cities in the Phoenix area mostly due to its proximity to Phoenix itself. The city started in central Phoenix and expanded to where it is now, so Glendale is one of the first cities that came about from the expansion. There is a wide range of living in Glendale with Northern Glendale being the most desired location of the city. There are many no HOA neighẬ borhoods throughout the city, and there are many options for those in the lower price range. Their best communities do reside in the Northern part of the city, but the best entertainment is towards the southern end.
Tempe
Home to the ASU main campus, Tempe is known for its great nightlife and entertainment. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty to offer for families, but Tempe does have the lure for the younger generation. The ASU campus knows how to have fun, and when your city is centered around a college campus, you in turn receive many great bars, nightlife, coffee shops, unique restaurants, and a great vibe of a city. The southern part of Tempe tends to be more desirable for a family looking for a suburb to move into while downtown Tempe is great for those looking for an upbeat lifestyle while being walking distance to everything you want to do.
Buckeye
Buckeye is the furthest city to the West that I would still consider the greater Phoenix area. In 2020, it was the fastest growing city in the US! Builders have been flocking to Buckeye because it has the land to grow, and this city has seen many new developments when
it comes to new communities, shopping, and entertainment. Its main downfall is that it is further from the city, but if that isn’t an issue for you, you will get a quieter lifestyle with newer homes due to its recent expansion.
Mesa
This city is the farthest East I will go in this guide, and it is a larger city when it comes to land. Mesa will have more rural parts the further out you go, but it will also have many great neighborhoods closer to the city. It is known for many different 55+ communities with golf courses all throughout Mesa. In general, people tend to enjoy East Mesa more than West Mesa. East Mesa will tend to have larger property and homes with less busyness. This is an excellent area if you are looking to work in Scottsdale/Phoenix while not paying the luxury prices for those areas, and Mesa is great for those looking for more land.
Goodyear
The city of Goodyear is only 25 minutes to downtown Phoenix, and is a popular option for those who want to live in a great city but may work in Phoenix. They have some incredible communities up against the Estrella mountain which offers beautiful views and great hiking paths. Goodyear has seen its prices continue to rise due to the demand of people wanting to move there. With many great restaurants, shopping, and not far from entertainment, Goodyear is a city I highly recommend.
Avondale
The ideal location of Avondale along with its lower prices compared to surrounding cities makes it a great option for those who want to be a in a nice city without breaking the bank. There are some incredible shopping/dining centers around Avondale as well as some great entry level communities for buyers to live in.
Chandler
Located in the Southeast valley of Phoenix, Chandler has quickly risen to one of the most desired cities in all of Phoenix. It has been rated the safest city in Arizona and has the best rated school districts due to its many tech companies in the city. The tech companies have made a focus on the schools in Chandler equipping their students properly to have a better workforce in the city. Many families are fighting to get into homes in Chandler because of its safety and school rating which has brought about a crazy surge in home prices and rent prices. The city is close to Tempe’s entertainment and not far from South Scottsdale where more great entertainment is as well.