Best Neighborhoods in Phoenix: Families, Safety and Fun

As one of the fastest growing major cities in the Southwest, Phoenix and its neighborhoods offer everything you’re looking for from Ahwatukee Foothills’ family feel with a park to sprawling downtown Scottsdale’s shops and eateries.

The best neighborhoods in Phoenix include other sites such as Dobbins Lookout South Mountain and Desert Botanical Garden. If you’re not into the outdoors, there are cultural places across the region you can visit, such as Phoenix Art Museum, Wildlife World Zoo and View Street Art in the Roosevelt Arts District.

Best neighborhoods in Phoenix for families

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With Phoenix being a hot destination for many Americans, often people look for family-friendly neighborhoods to live in. Ahwatukee Foothills, Paradise Valley and Desert View are perfect areas for any type of family with plenty of amenities.

Ahwatukee Foothills

With a population of over 82,000, Ahwatukee Foothills is an ideal neighborhood for families, offering its residents many activities such as South Mountain Park, restaurants and movie theaters. The neighborhood’s public schools are highly ranked and residents also tend to own their homes. The crime is extremely low compared to the rest of the city.

Paradise Valley

A larger neighborhood with a population of 187,832, Paradise Valley Village is great for younger families. Like Ahwatukee Foothills, the neighborhood has activities for the whole family, such as restaurants, coffee shops and parks. It also includes top-ranking public schools, with most residents owning their homes.

Desert View

With a population of around 72,000, Desert View is one of the best places to live for families and offers residents a dense suburban feel with many coffee shops and parks. The neighborhood’s public schools are highly ranked and residents tend to lean conservative. Residents also tend to own their homes. The crime is extremely low compared to the rest of the city.

Safest neighborhoods in Phoenix

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Though Phoenix seems to be on par with the crime rate when compared to the national average, these neighborhoods have the lowest rates in the Phoenix area.

Desert View

Besides being one of the best neighborhoods for families, Desert View also has one of the lowest crime rates in the area. The total crime estimate shows 1,220 per 100,000 people in the neighborhood. That’s half of the city level at 3,788 per 100,000. Violent (144 per 100,000 people) and property (1,076 per 100,000 people) crimes are also extremely low compared to Phoenix. There were 793 violent crimes and 2,989 property crimes across the city.

North Gateway

With a population of over 27,000, North Gateway offers residents a suburban feel with a low crime rate compared to the rest of Phoenix. Total crimes estimate shows 1,410 per 100,000 people for North Gateway. Violent and property crimes are also extremely low at 193 per 100,000 people and 1,217 per 100,000 people.

Ahwatukee Foothills

Like North Gateway, Ahwatukee has an extremely low crime rate compared to the rest of Phoenix and Arizona. The total crime estimate shows 1,693 per 100,000 people in the neighborhood. That’s less than half of the city level. Violent crimes are also at 250 per 100,000 people and property crimes are at 1,443 per 100,000 people.

Most affordable neighborhoods in Phoenix

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Similarly to crime, affordability is on par with the national average (though prices are rising due to the influx of people). Central City, Maryvle and Estrella are the three cheapest neighborhoods in the area.

Central City

The cheapest neighborhood in Phoenix is Central City due to its housing prices. Other services in the neighborhood, such as goods and services, groceries and healthcare are on par with the rest of the city. The neighborhood has an affordability score of 85, whereas the city has 97.

Maryvale

Like Central City, the South Phoenix neighborhood is one of the cheapest in the city due to housing. Maryvale has a score of 87. Other services in the neighborhood, such as goods and services, groceries and healthcare are on par with the rest of the city.

Estrella

Like Maryvale and Central City, Estrella is one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Phoenix due to housing. Because of this, the neighborhood received an overall score of 87. Prices of services should be the same as the rest of the city.

Coolest neighborhoods in Phoenix

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Offbeat neighborhoods like Roosevelt Row, Downtown Scottsdale and Glendale are where many younger people flock to.

Roosevelt Row Arts District (RoRo)

Located near Downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row Arts District, or RoRo, is a great neighborhood if you’re into indie films, craft cocktails and art.

The neighborhood is populated with houses turned into chic bars and live music venues. There are also many patios and odd boutiques.

Downtown Scottsdale

You won’t run out of things to do in Downtown Scottsdale with many shopping, yoga and coffee shops. There’s also a bustling art scene, mixed-use Scottsdale Waterfront and plenty of restaurants. Old Town’s art scene, nightlife, and plenty of drinking and dining establishments are at the heart of it.

Glendale

Known for its offbeat vibe, Glendale is home to Phoenix’s antiques and sports teams. The neighborhood has two major sports stadiums, a historic downtown, a botanical garden and 1,000 acres of desert preserves. Old Town also has the Caitlin Court Shopping District, featuring many shops, cafes, restaurants and antique stores. Finally, Glendale also offers diverse, cheap living options for everyone.

Best neighborhoods in Phoenix for businesses

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Besides people moving to the area, many businesses are being started or moving to these Phoenix’s neighborhoods for their great locations.

Downtown Phoenix

In the heart of Phoenix, downtown has several new, mixed-use commercial buildings, which revitalized shopping and dining. The neighborhood is also where Phoenix’s sporting events, concerts and nightlife happens, making it great for business. Downtown also has culture, with art galleries and self-guided art walks.

North Scottsdale

In this relaxed area, North Scottsdale is a great place for residential and commercial growth. This is due to Scottsdale Airpark, a large center with over 55,000 employees. The area is also paired with small businesses such as upscale boutique shops, wine bars and luxury spas.

Downtown Scottsdale

Downtown Scottsdale is the area for retail, commercial and services industries. It also has luxury apartment complexes or lofts. One of the jewels of the downtown area is the mixed-used Scottsdale Waterfront, a 1.1 million square foot project with retail, commercial offices, restaurants and high-rise residential buildings.

Conclusion

Are you thinking of moving to Phoenix? You aren’t alone. Many other people are moving to the area for cheaper housing and more predictable weather. You also don’t have to worry about boredom because of Phoenix’s cultural amenities, such as professional sports teams, museums and nightlife. Join Phoenix’s growing city life and everything it offers.