2023 Best Places to Live in the Phoenix Area

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.55 out of 5  76 reviews

Current Resident: Moved here 12 years ago from Florida very happy its become a lot more diverse. it's one of the best neighborhoods in the Phoenix area. only 12 mins from the airport, 15 mins from downtown. located near I-10 and 202 so easy to get across town from here. My son has been going to school here since kindergarten now he's in high school -very good schools! lots of shopping close by: JC Penny, Kohls, Ross, Marshalls, Burlington, Target, 2 Goodwill stores, and so much more. very safe here compared to the rest of Phoenix. Several parks and hiking trails. Pecos community park has a very nice pool with slides and they have a shaded area with a ramada that you can reserve for a party free of charge. We have a seniors community center they also have a pool. Ahwatukee has a free shuttle that has a good route to get you around in Ahwatukee. The rent has gone up it used to be more affordable when I moved here. Other than that I highly recommend it for raising your children in a decent neighborhood.... Read 76 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 78,142

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  996 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in chandler almost 14 years and I love it! Chandler is such a caring community and truly does for the people. The lifestyle, environment, and citizens in Chandler really build onto the strong city in our community. Not only are a schools A+ and #1 for Football (Go Wolves 4-Peat), but so much support and love from the community truly makes it happen. I honestly am going to live in Arizona my whole life and I wouldn't want to live in any other city than Chandler. Uptown and Downtown Chandler have some of the best hot-spots like restaurants, bars, and awesome hangout places. Chandler is such a pretty city that I love living in!... Read 996 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 272,439

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.21 out of 5  1,216 reviews

Current Resident: My husband and I grew up here. Gilbert is a clean city with clean people. I have read comments about a lack of diversity and complaints about those that are Mormon. Gilbert is known for being a wonderful place to live. That obviously has to do with the residents! Why not get to know the people that live here instead of judging everyone? FYI, there are double the amount of Catholics in Gilbert than Mormons, and other Christian religions are a higher percentage than Mormons too. The Mormons are just actively involved in their religion and their communities. That is a great thing for a city! The reason I did not give my rating five stars is because Gilbert has changed too much! There used to be open space and beautiful farm fields. Now there are ugly apartment complexes on every corner and too many people have moved here from other states. We do not want our community inundated with Californians. The reason why Gilbert was so special is being changed by outsiders.... Read 1,216 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 262,249

• City in Arizona

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  Rating 4.47 out of 5  390 reviews

Current Resident: Scottsdale has so much to offer for everyone. We have Old Town which has fabulous shops and restaurants. Golf courses galore along with disc golf all up and down the water retention parks. There are art galleries, musical instruments museum, and baseball! There mountains in the city you can hike, ALWAYS bring water. It’s a beautiful city with stuff to do for all people. I love living here.... Read 390 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 238,685

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Paradise Valley is a relatively ambiguous and diverse suburb in the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area- there is a vast array of people who live here, from the wealthiest of Arizona, to the industrial workers. Overall, living in Paradise Valley never fails to excite me, there is always a nice restaurant to go out with friends with, or a shopping mall nearby to go visit. Regardless of Arizona’s seemingly arid climate, Paradise Valley is one of the few areas in the Valley that has luscious green grass and sweet little ponds.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 12,666

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 39,198

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.31 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I admittedly live in one of the richest neighborhoods in Phoenix, Arizona. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It’s large and full of kind people.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 169,805

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  81 reviews

Current Resident: I believe Litchfield Park provides a safe and cozy space to call home. I moved to the area with my parents in the fall of 2022 and fell in love with the warm welcoming environment of the suburb and it's beautiful scenery. Each neighborhood is carefully crafted and taken care of, looking fresh and clean at all times. It is refreshing for an Arizona suburb, Litchfield Park has so much to offer for people of all ages from easily accessible and safe walkways to parks, restaurants and cafes!... Read 81 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 6,656

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Camelback East! We are close to restaurants, grocery stores, and the Dreamy Draw recreation area. Camelback East is a quieter, older Phoenix neighborhood that is close enough to downtown to have easy access to Phoenix's finest restaurants, sporting arenas, and entertainment.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• grade B minus

• Population 137,839

• City in Arizona

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  941 reviews

Other: In my opinion, Tempe is a wonderful place to live! The scenery is beautiful, and the community is lively. Most of my experience is in Downtown Tempe, which is a very nice area. It is a bit of a college town, since Arizona State University - Tempe is located there, so that may not be for everyone. As a student there, however, I really like that there is almost always something going on in town, and there are lots of fun places around! The summers in Tempe can be very hot, but winters are typically mild. There are fun things to do indoors as well as outdoors, and some of my favorite places include Papago Park and Tempe Town Lake. The rent prices for apartments in the area can be a bit high, but I think that most of them are nice enough that the price is worth it. Most of the people I've come across are very kind, and I feel very safe in Tempe! It is also very accessible, even if you don't have a car. There are many transport options, from public transport to scooters, and walking!... Read 941 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 178,862

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Former Resident: North Gateway was one of the best places i’ve lived. The schools fall under the Deer Valley Unified School District, one of the best school districts in the North Valley. There are a multitude of walking trails and outdoor activities for the residents as well. North Gateway is still developing so in the coming years the nightlife will get more options.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 10,345

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.47 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: A wonderful Community! Very Friendly and inviting. Many hiking trails and parks. Schools are great and plenty of shopping nearby.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 161,038

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.57 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: I love my area. I feel way safer than the middle of phoenix. The water also tastes way better too. I live in a gated community. So it is safer that way too. But there not a lot of homeless or druggies. I would recommend this area to everyone. I always see family's doing bike rides and lots of people doing their daily walks. And very dog friendly.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 177,174

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  243 reviews

Current Resident: Queen Creek is an amazing town full of wonderful country community. This area is a great combination of rising small town businesses and old town fields and farming. It has a great access to the San Tan Mountains for hiking, but also connections to the busier towns like Gilbert and Chandler. If someone is looking for a place to settle in Arizona, Queen Creek is definitely the place to go!... Read 243 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 57,728

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Interesting, bustling, safe area. Lots of homeless people. I have 2 grocery stores within walking distance. Wish there were more places open past 9pm-11pm. 20 minutes to ASU. I immediately liked this area when I first saw it. This is one of the few areas in Phoenix where all the buildings are NOT a different shade of brown. We have pink buildings, purple buildings, blue buildings, green buildings, murals, palm trees, and even an artificial forest. Can see the mountains from any street in any direction. Bike friendly. Young professionals.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade C+

• Population 54,980

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.03 out of 5  652 reviews

Current Resident: Peoria is a peaceful and quiet suburb just north of Phoenix. Peoria is an excellent place to raise a family and the education in Peoria is one of the best in Arizona! Outside of that, Peoria also has a lot of things to do and amazing restaurants to try out! Some of the note worthy places to check out in Peoria would have to be Lake Pleasent and Rio Vista park, which is located just off of Thunderbird and the 101 on the West side of town. Peoria is not too far away from central Phoenix and is a great place for those to get property in a safe suburban neighborhood without being too far away from work!... Read 652 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 187,733

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  57 reviews

Current Resident: Paradise found living in Fountain Hills! Just driving around town lifts your spirits. Beautiful scenery, walking the lake, great hiking, and the friendliest people! Away from traffic and the best shopping just a 15-minute drive away! Wish I had discovered it earlier!... Read 57 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 23,639

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  103 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Anthem as it is a very family oriented and child friendly community and environment. There a lots of pocket parks easily accessible from just about any neighborhood, walking and biking trails, community center with exercise area, rock wall, pool and kids water park, splash pads in the community and a lot of local resources that make it easy to live, work and play without having to travel far. It is a well maintained community that is very aesthetically pleasing as well. We love living here!... Read 103 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 22,750

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.36 out of 5  44 reviews

Nearby Resident: I am a current resident near Cave Creek, Arizona. I have been living in the area for the past eight years and I absolutely love it! There are many activities and options to explore in town, relating to history of the location to beautiful views toward the mountains. From off-roading and horse-back riding to enjoying the sunset, this town has incredible opportunities for anyone interested in appreciating nature and the beauty of Arizona. I really have nothing to improve or complain about since I feel blessed to be living near a friendly area that incorporates the interest of every individual. It is a wonderful area to raise a family or to settle down. Needless to say, Cave Creek is the place to be!... Read 44 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 4,933

• City in Arizona

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  Rating 3.82 out of 5  1,643 reviews

Current Resident: I really love Mesa, Arizona! Everything is about a 15 minute drive from where I live which makes it very convenient. Mesa is very family friendly and there is so much to do. My favorite things to do in Mesa are going to the lake or river. It is a very cheap and fun activity to stay cool during the hot summer months. The only thing I would change about Mesa is how many drug shops there are so it can be even more family friendly.... Read 1,643 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 497,752

• City in Arizona

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  1,953 reviews

Current Resident: I really like how Phoenix has beautiful mountains, cactuses, but most importantly, sun. You can get enough Vitamin D at Phoenix, for free! While there have been dust storms and flash floods(very occasionally), Phoenix doesn't have any natural disasters(touchwood). I feel like it would be nice if Phoenix could have more diverse restaurants with authentic food, as many authentic restaurants tend to be far away.... Read 1,953 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 1,591,119

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  342 reviews

Current Resident: Goodyear is a fantastic place to live! The schools are great, the neighborhoods are true communities, and there are loads of development opportunities. Goodyear is the epitome of the suburbs, but only a short drive away from the mountains and the city.... Read 342 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 93,651

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: It's peaceful, beautiful, with a little bit of wild and natural beauty of the desert. Everything you need in close proximity, but yet still far enough where you feel like your out the "city".... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 3,642

• Suburb of Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: New River is a great area with plenty of open space. It is far away from major roads, so there is not loud street noise. Neighbors are friendly but large areas of land mean that you aren't exactly close to them. The downside about living in New River is the commute. Because the area is so secluded, it is a bit of a drive to any area of significance. If you like being out of the hustle and bustle of the city and like your privacy or seclusion then New River might be right for you. As long as you can live with commuting to work, and wherever else you may need to go than living in New Rivers quite, safe and open area is perfect for you.... Read 12 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 17,731

• Neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ

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  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 120,837