Top 10 Best Places To Live In Phoenix | Moving to Phoenix? 🌵

Phoenix is one of the largest metro areas in the United States, with about 5 million people that live here. And within that area, there are 24 different cities for people to choose from when they're thinking about moving to Phoenix. And each of these has a very distinct set of characteristics that allow people to choose which one would be best for them. But to really be able to do that, you need to understand a little bit more about them. So in today's video, I am going to break down the top 10 cities in the Phoenix area so you can better understand where they are and why that matters to you, what makes them special and what they're known for. I'll also talk about what the current price ranges look like for each city, and I'll also share with you some of the unique or special things that people love about the city. I'm Shawn Shackleton, your resource for all things real estate here in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. Let's start with the largest city, which is actually Phoenix. This city sits in the middle of everything. With a population of 1.7 million people that live within the city of Phoenix, this is the bulk of the population in the overall Phoenix metro area, which let's just take a look at that for a second. This is the Phoenix metro area, which is much larger than many people realize. So when you hear people talking about Phoenix and the 5 million people, that is encompassing a really large area. So the overall location of Phoenix allows you to get to a lot of different places pretty easily. Now, the difference between Phoenix and a lot of other big cities is that our downtown area is not really the location that most people travel to for work. We have many different employment corridors all throughout the Phoenix metro area. Now, the city of Phoenix is known for having a lot of different neighborhoods all throughout the city. And you can start way in North Phoenix with Desert Ridge. This is right next to the Desert Ridge marketplace that has a lot of shops and a lot of restaurants. This is one of the newer, bigger subdivisions in the Phoenix area. And it started between about 2001 and 2006. Now, this neighborhood is very close to the Mayo Clinic and extremely convenient to get on the 101 and the 51 freeway, which makes it really easy to get around from this neighborhood. Then you have the neighborhoods down in the central Phoenix area, like the Biltmore, which is where the Arizona Biltmore Resort sits. This is a historic and iconic resort that opened back in 1929. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's protege, Albert Chase MacArthur. This resort has hosted many celebrities and dignitaries throughout the years, and people love it for its very distinct architecture, lush landscape, and luxurious rooms. Now, the Biltmore neighborhood, which kind of surrounds the Biltmore Resort, is one of the more affluent neighborhoods in the city of Phoenix. It offers a range of luxury homes from historic estates to modern high-rises. This area is popular among professionals, retirees, and anyone looking to have an exclusive lifestyle. Now, the Biltmore area is where a lot of the financial institutions are. So for those that work in the finance industry, this is a very convenient place to live close to where you work. Now, as you get closer into the downtown Phoenix area, you will find the historic districts, such as in Canto Palmcroft and Willow. These neighborhoods feature homes that were built back in the 20th century with unique architectural style, like Spanish colonial revival and mid-century modern. And the architectural diversity in this area really gives this entire location great charm. So many of the homes and other buildings within this neighborhood have been carefully preserved. They really want to maintain the original craftsmanship of all the homes within this area. And this preservation really helps to retain the historical value and integrity of all of the buildings in this neighborhood. The residents in this historic district take great pride in their neighborhood, hosting community events, home tours, and preservation activities. The strong sense of community helps preserve the overall neighborhood and feel. And the location being close to downtown provides easy access to the city's cultural, dining, and entertainment districts. Now, you will also find the Arcadia neighborhood in Phoenix, which is right next to Scottsdale, as well as Paradise Valley. This is also an affluent neighborhood, which is known for its large lots and very lush landscaping. Now, this area was once all citrus groves, so you will also find a lot of citrus trees as you're going through this neighborhood. Now, Arcadia is located really close to Camelback Mountain, making it a great place if you love to go hiking all the time. The neighborhood's central location also means that you have great access to the Biltmore Fashion Park, as well as Scottsdale Fashion Square, which are two of the area's premier shopping destinations. Now, when it comes to home prices in the city of Phoenix, there is a broad range. You can literally find homes from $150,000 all the way up to $10 million. Now, Phoenix has some pretty great things to do and see. If you'd love to hike, you can go check out the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. If you love sports, you can go to a Diamondbacks game or a Suns game. You can't miss the Desert Botanical Gardens. And if you love art and culture, you've got to see the Herd Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum. Now, when it comes to safety in the city of Phoenix, there are places that you really have to be careful. But that is not all of Phoenix, but it is good for you to know. Next up is the city of Chandler with a population of about 288,000 people. This is a vibrant community with a very strong tech sector known for being very safe and family friendly. Now, the city sits in the southeast part of the valley. Now, over the past few years, Phoenix has gotten a new nickname. So we're not just called the Valley of the Sun anymore. We have also been nicknamed the Silicone Desert. And the tech in Chandler is a major reason for this. Major companies like Intel, Microchip Technologies, and Rogers Corporation have significant operations in Chandler, making it a key player in the tech industry. This has also driven a lot of growth in the city of Chandler, making it one of the cities that still has a pretty hot sellers market at the time of me recording this. Now, Chandler is known for its pro-business environment with incentives and support for business of all sizes, which is one of the reasons people end up in Chandler, because of the jobs. But Chandler is also really well known for its excellent school districts, which makes the decision to live in Chandler that much easier when school is one of the considerations. Now, when it comes to where to live in Chandler, there are a lot of different options. But some of the bigger communities that you will find in Chandler are Ocotillo and Fulton Ranch. And something that I notice every time I'm driving around in Chandler is how much water there is down there. In these communities, there are a lot of man-made lakes. And these just wind through a lot of these communities. In Chandler, you will also find multiple golf courses. Now, when you're looking at the price ranges in Chandler, you're going to be anywhere from about $200,000 up to about $6.5 million. Now, a unique event that happens in Chandler every year is the Ostrich Festival. And this event celebrates the history of the ostrich farming in Chandler. At this event, it features live entertainment, carpool rides, and ostrich races. Next up is Gilbert, which is just to the east of Chandler. Gilbert has about 284,000 people that live in the city and was once known as a farming town. But things have changed a bit for the city. Gilbert is known as being one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., with a strong economy, competitive schools, and safe neighborhoods. In fact, in 2023, Gilbert was declared as the fastest-growing city in the nation. Why? The economic growth. The city is home to many companies focused on advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, biotechnology, clean technology, and renewable energy. Another reason is the housing industry. Because of all these businesses, more people wanted to move here, therefore, they had to build more homes. And also, the quality of life. Because of the competitive schools, the safe neighborhoods, and easy access to educated and a diverse workforce, it just makes the city more desirable to live and work in, as well as have a family. Now, the good thing is that despite all the growth within Gilbert, it still feels like a small town. Now, many people that live in or visit Gilbert love to visit the downtown heritage district. This has a mix of historic buildings, trendy restaurants, and entertainment venues. It is also home to the iconic Gilbert Water Tower, which is a local landmark. Gilbert has a few special things that really pay homage to the history of their farming. Places like the Gilbert Farmer's Market and Agritopia, which is a residential community centered around urban farming and sustainability. Now, some of the top communities within Gilbert are Val Vista Lakes, Power Ranch, which is one of the largest, Morrison Ranch, and The Seville. And when it comes to home prices in Gilbert, you're looking at a range anywhere from about $300,000 to over $5 million. Now, some of the unique things that people love about Gilbert is the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch. This is a sanctuary for wildlife and a beautiful place for bird watching, hiking, and just enjoying nature. Then there are Gilbert Days, which is an annual event celebrating the town's heritage with a parade, a rodeo, and other family-friendly events. Next up is Glendale, which has a population of about 255,000 people. Now, this city sits on the west side of the valley, and Glendale was founded back in 1892, primarily because of how great the land was for agriculture. Now, people that live in Glendale love how close they are to some of the sporting and entertainment venues that we have, like the State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play. This stadium has also hosted numerous Super Bowls, college football championships, and other major sporting events, as well as concerts. Next to that, you have the Desert Diamond Arena. This venue used to be where the Phoenix Coyotes played hockey, but it is also where other major concerts and other events are held. Right in there with both of these is the Westgate Entertainment District, which is a massive shopping, dining, and entertainment venue. The other venue that is right there, and is set to be complete in 2025, is the Vi Resort. Now, they have spent $1 billion on this, and it sits on about 60 acres. And besides the hotel rooms you can stay in, there will be a lot more. They will have a huge amphitheater with skyboxes, a conference center, a huge pool with a lagoon entrance, a nightclub, and a Mattel Adventure Park. Now, some of the more popular neighborhoods in the Glendale area are Arrowhead Lakes, Arrowhead Ranch, and downtown Glendale. Now, overall, Glendale is not considered to be the safest city in the Phoenix area, but it is popular for its affordability and proximity to the entertainment venues. Homes in the Glendale area are going to range from anywhere from $150,000 to about $1.8 million. Now, let's talk about Scottsdale, which is home to about 250,000 people. The city of Scottsdale sits in the northeast part of the valley. Scottsdale is known for its luxurious lifestyle, beautiful desert, safe city, and great schools. Now, the thing about Scottsdale is that it is really long, which makes some of Scottsdale really convenient. But if you live in the far north part of Scottsdale, it is going to take you longer to get anywhere. However, those that choose to live there love it. Why? Well, because it's beautiful. You are also at a higher elevation, so it can be 5 to 10 degrees cooler there, and the views are spectacular. Now, Scottsdale is known for being a golf paradise with about 200 courses to choose from, and people come from all over the world to play here. Another thing Scottsdale is known for are the luxury resorts and spas, with places like the Boulders, the Fairmont Princess, and the Four Seasons. You will not lack for any place to relax. Now, the other thing that people love about the Scottsdale area are all the opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, whether that's hiking, biking, or just sitting outside and enjoying the view. Then there is all the art, culture, shopping, and events. We have the Bear Jackson Car Auction, the Phoenix Open, the Arabian Horse Show, and, don't forget, baseball's spring training. And all of that happens right in Scottsdale. Now, when it comes to neighborhoods in the Scottsdale area, you can go all the way far north like we were talking about and be at Desert Mountain, where you'll have seven courses and seven clubhouses. Or you can come down a little bit farther south but still be in North Scottsdale to some communities like McDowell Mountain Ranch, Wingate Ranch, Silverleaf, DC Ranch, and Greyhawk, where you will have a lot of different community amenities to enjoy, as well as some private courses, as well as some public courses. Or you can go a little farther south in Scottsdale and find McCormick Ranch, which is one of the largest master plan communities in Scottsdale that has lush landscaping and huge long greenbelt. Or you can go all the way into South Scottsdale and Old Town, where you will be close to shops and galleries in the Old Town Scottsdale area, as well as Scottsdale Fashion Square. When you look at the home prices in Scottsdale, you are going to see a range of anywhere from $200,000 up to $32 million. And some of the unique fun places in Scottsdale are things like Taliesin West, which was Frank Lloyd Wright's home and his architectural school, and all of the amazing dining options. If you are a foodie, you will not tire of all of the options that you have. Now let's take a look at Peoria. The population here is about 198,000 people, but the growth here has been rapid and the expectation is that it's going to continue. And that is all because of all the new companies that are coming to Peoria and the surrounding areas. Now Peoria is known for its excellent quality of life, recreational activities, and family-friendly environment, which is making more and more people choose Peoria. Now Peoria sits in the northwest part of the valley, and there are older parts to Peoria and there are newer parts to Peoria. Overall, the city of Peoria allows for pretty easy access to Phoenix and a lot of other places across the valley. Now as I mentioned, Peoria has seen some pretty significant growth over the past few years, with new businesses, retail centers, and residential developments expanding, which is allowing more people to move into the city. Now a good thing for people that are looking at Peoria with families, they are known to have excellent schools. They also have well-maintained parks, recreational facilities, and community centers. Peoria is also home to the Peoria Sports Complex, and this is home to the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners for spring training. You also have the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts that has theater productions, concerts, and community events. Now because of the growth in Peoria, there is more residential coming, one of them being Five North that will have a residential component as well as a retail component, and all of that will be incorporated into the 320 acres that this is being built on. Other communities within the city of Peoria are Vastancia and Fletcher Heights. And both of these communities have some pretty amazing amenities. Now home prices in Peoria are going to range anywhere from about $200,000 to over $3 million. Now something pretty special about Peoria is how close it is to Lake Pleasant, which is the largest lake in the Phoenix area. This regional park is a popular spot for boating, fishing, camping, hiking, anything that you want to do outdoors. And for those that didn't think that Phoenix had any boating, you would be wrong because this is huge. Now let's take a look at Tempe, which is home to about 185,000 people. But it is also home to ASU, so the population is going to feel like it kind of ebbs and flows depending on the time of year. Now Tempe sits more central when you are looking at the overall map of the Phoenix area, and most that live here do so because of ASU. However, there are some older neighborhoods in the Tempe area that you might not even know about unless you know how to get there. Now Mill Avenue is in the heart of Tempe and is known for its nightlife, restaurants, and eclectic shops. The street is particularly popular with ASU students and young professionals. Now right next to Mill Avenue is Tempe Town Lake. This is a man-made reservoir in the Salt River and a recreational hot spot. You can go kayaking, paddle boarding, bike ride, or have a picnic around the lake. And the grassy area around the lake is often used for festivals, concerts, and other events. Now Tempe has also become a hub for technology companies and startups, thanks in part to ASU and its focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. Companies like GoDaddy and ZipRecruiter have big operations that sit right in Tempe. Now because Tempe has been around for a long time, there aren't really the big subdivisions like some of the other cities, but you will have neighborhoods and all are going to have a different feel, and it's going to depend on how close you want to be to the university. Now home prices in the city of Tempe are going to range anywhere from about $200,000 up to $5 million. Now some of the special things that sit in the Tempe area is Papago Park, with the famous Hole in the Rock hike, and very close by is the Desert Botanical Gardens as well as the Phoenix Zoo. Now moving to the far southeast part of the valley, let's take a look at Queen Creek. Now this city was incorporated in 1989, and in more recent years the growth has been really fast. Right now the population is about 75,000 people, and the town's lifestyle really appeals to those who want to live more of that tranquil small town life, but still have access to all the urban conveniences. Now the town has really evolved from its rural roots into one of the most thoughtfully planned family-friendly communities in Arizona, which is one of the reasons it has grown so quickly. It has a strong agricultural background, with many local farms and ranches still in operation today. In fact, Schnepp Farms, which is one of the most popular farms in Arizona, is located right there in Queen Creek. And not only is it a place where you can go pick up produce, it also has events and seasonal festivals. Many love that Queen Creek is known for a very strong sense of community, with excellent schools and parks and family-friendly activities. Now the proximity of Queen Creek to Phoenix is going to be a little farther away, but those who live there don't mind because they love the laid-back lifestyle. Now as I mentioned, Queen Creek has seen significant growth over the past few years, with new residential developments, shopping centers, and dining options popping up all over the city. But the town is doing a great job at careful growth, and this is all to preserve its unique characteristics. Now the town still has a very big equestrian population, with properties for riding as well as training. You also have the Horseshoe Park Equestrian Center, which is a big venue that hosts rodeos, horse shows, and other events. Something else that other people love that they're nearby, is the Santan Mountain Regional Park. This park is amazing. It offers hiking, mountain bike riding, horseback riding, and stunning views of the surrounding desert. Some of the bigger communities in Queen Creek are Ancantara, Santan Lakeside Estates, the Peacons, and the villages at Queen Creek. And if you are looking for new construction, and don't mind being outside of the city just a little bit, Queen Creek is a great place to look. Now home prices in Queen Creek are going to range from anywhere from $350,000 all the way up to $19 million. And something that you should definitely check out when you're in Queen Creek is the Queen Creek Olive Mill. They offer tours, a marketplace, and a cafe. And it is Arizona's only working olive farm and mill. When you visit, you can learn all about olive oil production and enjoy locally made products. Moving back up north just a little bit, let's take a look at Fountain Hills. This town is in the northeast part of the valley and sits right next to Scottsdale. The population of Fountain Hills is about 25,000 people. And those that live there love the amazing views, safety, and tight-knit community. Now Fountain Hills is best known for the Giant Fountain, which was once the tallest fountain in the world. The fountain can reach heights of up to 560 feet and it sits in the center of Fountain Park. The fountain goes off for 15 minutes at the top of every hour. And it is a major attraction. The town also has numerous trails for hiking and biking. And the town is very close to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, which has miles and miles of more trails for you to explore. Fountain Hills also has a lot of public art on display with over 150 pieces scattered throughout the town. This includes sculptures, fountains, and murals that contribute to the town's art scene. The town also hosts multiple different art festivals throughout the year. And don't worry if you're looking for golf because Fountain Hills has that too, including the award-winning Weekelpaw Course, Eagle Mountain, and the private course of Fire Rock. Now many of the homes in Fountain Hills sit on hills, which allows for some stunning views of four peaks in the distance as well as being able to see the fountain as it goes off right from your home. Now some of the homes in Fountain Hills were built in the 1970s and 80s, but there are some newer communities as well. Some of the larger subdivisions in Fountain Hills are Sunridge Canyon, Adaro Canyon, Fire Rock, and Eagle Mountain. And home prices in Fountain Hills are going to range anywhere from about $250,000 to over $5 million. Now something pretty cool about Fountain Hills is that they are a dark sky community, meaning that they take measures to reduce light pollution, which means that Fountain Hills has some pretty amazing stargazing. Now let's take a look at Cape Creek. This city sits in the northeast part of the valley as well, and the population here is about 5,500. Now for some people that have maybe visited Cape Creek in the past or know a little bit about Cape Creek, this might seem like the population number that I just said is pretty low. Well, one of the things you need to know about Cape Creek is that there is Cave Creek Proper, and then there is the other part of Cave Creek that has a Cave Creek address but is really governed by the city of Phoenix. What we are talking about right here is actually Cave Creek Proper, and this part of Cave Creek is known for its blend of Old West charm and outdoor recreational opportunities and vibrant art and cultural scene. In fact, there are several historic sites and buildings that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Then you have Frontier Town, which is an Old West style attraction with a variety of shops and restaurants and entertainment venues that really give you the feel that you're back in the 1800s. The overall town of Cave Creek is filled with unique boutiques, antique stores and shops that offer everything from Western wear to crafts and jewelry. Cape Creek is also home to several annual events and festivals, including live music performances and Bike Week, and the equestrian culture still runs deep here in Cave Creek. With numerous horse trails and riding facilities, you will see the town host rodeos and horse shows, and these events bring people from all over. Now, because of the equestrian nature of the town, many of these homes are on acreage, but not all of them. You can still find some smaller homes or some newer homes that are closer to the downtown area. Now, the homes in Cave Creek Proper are going to range And just like Fountain Hills, Cave Creek is also a dark sky community, allowing for some amazing stargazing. Now, if you like this and want to see what neighborhoods you should avoid, make sure you take a look at this video. As always, I thank you for watching and I'll see you next time.