Have you ever thought about moving to the state of Arizona? But if you did where would you live well today?
You’re in luck because we’re discussing the top 10 best places to live in Phoenix in the state of Arizona coming right up.
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All right guys today we’re discussing the top 10 best places to live in Phoenix in the state of Arizona.
This is a good one okay now these top 10 places are based on the IRI rating system have you heard of that one before. if you google it you probably aren’t going to find it.
Because it’s right here guys right here and all the research. I’ve done so so what exactly is this IRI Ideal rating index.
Actually intel I’m glad you asked five things about that. We’re going to judge every single city or area. When grading the top 10 Best places to live in Phoenix, Arizona?
- Housing affordability
- Entertainment
- Employment jobs
- The commute traffic
- The school systems
- Overall score of cities
#1 Peoria city | Best places to live in phoenix Arizona
Okay so without further ado let’s jump right into number 10. that tenth area guy is going to be the city of Peoria.
Now Peoria is located on the northwest corner of the valley. Now again the greater Phoenix area is known as the valley.
Because we are surrounded by mountains on all sides. The northwest corner of the valley is the city of Peoria.
It is very long and kind of skinny. It’s a newer suburb if you will and It has a lot of great things about it.
It has a lake pleasant. Which is one of the largest lakes with accessibility to everyone living in the Phoenix area.
Because it’s right there on the outskirts of the city of Peoria.
Housing affordability
Okay now so let’s give a rating scale here for housing affordability pure is a four out of five.
Okay, four to five. Because it’s still actually very affordable. But prices have gone up Peoria has become more and more popular.
Especially the northwest valleys. Become more popular. So pricing has gone up and the affordability is actually above that 100 median indexes for the housing.
Entertainment
Okay moving to entertainment. Peoria is going to be a three out of five. Because the imperial there’s not a centerpiece a nucleus of an entertainment hub in that city.
Employment jobs
Okay moving on to number three jobs. We’re going to give okay moving on to number three jobs.
We’re going to give Peoria as well a rating of three out of five. Okay because jobs again. They just don’t have a huge employment center.
There in Peoria as well a rating of three out of five. okay because jobs again. They just don’t have a huge employment center there in Peoria.
The commute traffic
The commute time is four out of five. It’s easy to get around the city of Peoria. They’ve done a great job with traffic.
The grid pattern throughout that and some major thoroughfares through Peoria.
The school systems
Then number five schools we’re giving Peoria a four out of five as a school system it’s actually rated pretty good
Overall score of city
Okay so total Peoria comes in at 18 out of 25 pretty good score top 10 best places to live in phoenix that we think to live in is in the state of Arizona.
#2 Mesa city
Okay, number nine that would be the city of the mesa. Now mesa is a huge suburb. It’s more of an urban area.
Then a suburb necessarily compared to some of the places that we’re talking about
Today but guys everyone knows phoenix slash mesa right. When phoenix gets rated amongst all these other ratings with cities compared to other cities across.
The country’s usually phoenix mesa. So makes it huge guys’ population mesa 478 000 people average age 42 years old.
Housing affordability
Housing we’re gonna give the grade for housing for mesa at four out of five. it’s pretty affordable now depends.
Where you live in mesa. if you’re on the west side of the mesa. It’s gonna be way more affordable not the best area overall though to live in.
But as you go to central to the east mesa. It becomes beautiful you’re closer to the mountains a lot more outdoor activities prices do go up. But you have just a beautiful area out there.
Entertainment
All right moving on to number two entertainment. We’re giving mesa a three out of five now mesa has a pretty cool arts district downtown.
Mesa area but again not a huge entertainment hub especially for a city that size,
Okay but again three out of five for entertainment. They do have some cool things in spring training.
The Chicago cubs are based out of the city of the mesa. Which is pretty cool Oakland a’s are based out of the city mesa. Also okay for spring training for major league baseball.
Employment jobs
All right moving on to jobs four out of five now mesa is a pretty decent employment center because it’s just so big.
you have major companies like Boeing that have a presence there and things of that nature Honeywell so jobs four out of five.
The commute traffic
The commute we put four out of five as well mesa has the 202 loops or part of the 202 loops going right around it as well as the grid system throughout the city.
Which makes it very convenient to get through guys so mesa four out of five on the commute great job mesa on considering the Best places to live in Phoenix, Arizona.
The school systems
Schools three out of five schools aren’t as good in mesa. They’re okay there are some and guys with everything.
There are always some good ones or better ones than others right overall three out of five four schools in mesa.
Overall score of city
The total score comes to 18 out of 25 for the city of the mesa.
#3 Prescott city
All right we’re getting close to number one. we’re at number eight now number eight the town of Prescott.
You could say press get or is it Prescott tomato no one really knows but we say, Prescott
Okay, Prescott is located actually in the northwest excuse me, yeah the northwest area of the state is about an hour.
A half to two-hour drive from the Phoenix area depending on where you start from in phoenix
Because it’s so spread out and Prescott is an amazing small-town feel-good old American town guys.
It was a western town for many many years. kind of in fact still is today a little bit right. You go there you have a town square
You this little mom and pop quaint shops guys. The best thing for me about Prescott is one of the banks downtown.
Prescott around the square has the old uh a board on. It flashes the time and the temperature outside.
When’s the last time you drove down the street and saw anything. That had the temperature outside on a bank any type of sign remember back.
When we grew up oh my goodness in the 80s and 70s. Before and even 90s the banks always told the temperature.
Because we didn’t have cell phones right . so instead of waiting for the 10 o’clock news. we just drive past the bank,
Oh, it’s you know 87 degrees love that about Prescott. I thought I was kind of worried.
But I love that um so Prescott is a great field so let’s go into the grading system for Prescott.
Okay, Prescott has a population of about 42 000 people average age is 53.
Housing affordability
Okay, housing the grading system four out of five. Why because housing is still pretty affordable up there.
But it has gone up quite a bit recently. Because of people especially in the valley here wanting to get.
Second-home things of that nature to escape the heat in the summer.
Entertainment
Entertainment five out of five. Why because there are so many outdoor activities to do hiking biking trails Guys. You will just fall in love with that aspect of Prescott.
Employment jobs
From the job standpoint, we have Prescott with a two out of five. Because again not a major employment center. It’s a smaller town field.
The commute traffic
So, we moving on to the commute four out of five. Because you can get around. the press kit really easily between Prescott.
Prescott Valley and then of course down to the phoenix area okay.
The school systems
Last but not least schools Preston comes in with a four out of five.
Overall score of city
Overall making the total 19 out of 25 as we move up the ladder here.
#4 Tempe city
Okay moving on to number seven we have the city of Tempe guys. Tempe you’ve probably heard of it home to Arizona State.
University Tempe guy is located right in the center of the Phoenix metro area a phenomenal employment hub very well.
Located city very convenient to most everything guys Tempe is a great place to live. Now going to the scale.
Before we hit that the population of Tempe is about 204 000 people average age of 29.
You got a lot of college kids right. Younger professionals there graduate school and stay right there.
So that’s why the average age is down a little bit for Tempe but it brings a lot of great things with that right a young vibrant community going to the grading system the IRI.
Housing affordability
Housing for Tempe is two out of five guys two out five. Because Tempe is expensive’
because it’s older there hasn’t been a lot of new development. That is why there are no additional plots of land.
Essentially located it has looked again location guys right.
It has just really gone up a lot in price and so affordability is not that great for what you get for the price,
not a lot but again you’re paying for convenience and location.
Entertainment
Okay, entertainment Tempe comes in at five out of five there’s a lot to do in Tempe guys.
You have oh my goodness. you have all the college stuff that comes with asu the bars the nightclubs the restaurants.
The walkability factor is two things. You have the light rather than runs through Tempe for transportation.
Just a lot of entertainment that goes on in Tempe due to the younger crowd.
Employment jobs
Okay and then jobs five out of five huge employment centers. You have American airlines has a presence. There you have carbon you have state farm has a huge.
You know three or four-building campus right there on the Tempe town lake just a really really big employment center okay for Tempe.
The commute traffic
The commute is five out of five as well. Because it’s so easy to get to everything in Tempe Tempe is smaller in terms of square miles right.
So everything’s kind of compressed there’s the like. I said the light rail transportation runs right through there.
So you have that as well with public transportation. you also have a ton of users and lifts right.
The network you are close to the airport phoenix sky harbors airport is literally just minutes from. Where you are in Tempe to drive over to phoenix sky harbor.
The school systems
Now, moving on to the schools guys get it ready for Tempe. Three out of five schools are good a little bit above average in Tempe.
But they’re not the best either right on the rating system so three out of five for schools in Tempe.
Overall score of city
The overall score on the IRI for Tempe goes to 20 out of 25 okay. so as you can tell scores are going up as.
We are getting closer to that top area to live in the state of Arizona according to the IRI.
#5 Phoenix City | Best places to live in phoenix,Arizona
Okay, phoenix comes in as number six moving on to number six here. We go phoenix is so big guys phoenix right now is the fifth-largest city in the entire country.
In terms of the greater area, the greater Phoenix area currently has a population of about almost 4.6 million people.
But phoenix in terms of proper with the city boundaries currently has a population of one point almost 1.7 million.
People with an average age of 38 years old are okay. Now because it’s so big it’s kind of hard to grade. Phoenix is obviously with the IRI but we’re going to give it a shot here we go.
Housing affordability
Housing comes in 4 out of 5. the reason why is because there’s a little bit of everything for you because Phoenix is so spread out and large.
You have downtown condos two major luxury urban homes on large lots to track homes and everything in between guys so four to five affordability’s there if you want it.
Entertainment
Okay then moving on to entertainment five out of five. Guys, there’s just about anything. You could possibly want to do it in phoenix.
It has that including professional sports right. You have the phoenix suns that are located downtown phoenix.
You have the Arizona diamondbacks located in downtown Phoenix as well. So you have all the sports.
You have arts theater and just about spring baseball. I mean you have just about everything in phoenix . Entertainment so that comes in with a very high score.
Employment jobs
All right moving on for phoenix jobs five out of five. Guys’ jobs are five out of five as well.
Because you have a huge employment center obviously downtown phoenix and other places uptown. All the way up the corridor as you move to the north phoenix.
You know Taiwan semi-conductor is bringing a huge presence in a plant up to the north phoenix area.
You have USAA and just a plethora of companies in the Phoenix area with a large presence so big score there for a phoenix.
The commute traffic
Now, then commute four out of five fortified because you know even though it’s spread out because it’s so big and there are so many options we’re gonna assume that.
You’re gonna be living farther close to your job most likely at least. You could if you want to give the ranges of prices that.
You could choose to live in certain houses so that comes in at four out of five.
The school systems
Let’s talk about schools come in at two out of five guys two out of five because the phoenix unified school district and the districts within that are not the most highly rated.
You know some of those are inner-city however living in phoenix. You still have plenty of options from charter schools to traditional schools.
Which are all state-funded and free but kind of like a private school.
When it comes to education two private schools catholic Christian and all kinds of private schools that you have to choose from as well when living in the city of phoenix.
Overall score of city
Okay, overall the phoenix city comes in at a 20 out of 25 on the IRI index.
#6 Glendale City
All right here we go top five guys number five. let’s get excited for this number five city of Glendale. All right you may have heard Glendale.
Because it is probably nationally most famous for being the home to like all. The big sporting events right.
Where the Arizona Cardinals have their home stadium in Glendale at the west gate area.
It has the Arizona cardinals obviously. You have the fiesta bowl the college football game right.
You have u.s soccer friendlies and maybe non-friendlies I don’t know by the way. What is it friendly anyways big soccer games right?
They packed that thing the u.s place Mexico or Germany or somebody like that right for a soccer game.
A lot of those happen at that stadium in Glendale. Okay at the west gate area Westgate is also very cool.
Because it has a lot of shops dining restaurants and also. the phoenix coyotes have their arena right.
There next to the Arizona Cardinals stadium as well. So really cool area. When it comes to the IRI Glendale has a population of 241 000 people average age of 39 years old.
Housing affordability
Now on the grading scale, Glendale comes in with a 4 out of 5 for housing. Because most of Glendale’s still fairly affordable obviously.
It’s gone up with price with most houses in the Phoenix area. But it’s very affordable in certain areas.
Entertainment
Okay also at entertainment. It comes in at five out of five why primarily. Because of the Westgate area that.
Westgate area is phenomenal guys. you just got to experience it comedy clubs piano bars again professional sports shopping dining.
You name it it’s all right there so Glendo has a lot to offer when it comes to entertainment.
Employment jobs
Then when it comes to jobs Glendale gets a four out of five again. They do have some presence with employers obviously
The west gate area employs a lot of people right there in and of itself a big huge casino.
just got built in the Glendale area there also which employs a lot of people.
The commute traffic
Then on the commute time or the commute excuse m. You have a five out of five. because Glendale has the one-on-one loop running right through.
And it has a grid system as well and so it’s easy to get around within the city of Glendale.
It’s located right on the border of Phoenix and so it’s easy to get to other parts of the valley as well.
The school systems
Then move on you also have the school district coming in with a rating of three out of five.
Because again the school district in Glendale is above average a little bit.
But it’s just not the best you know when it comes to a five out of five scores.
Overall score of city
So the total for Glendale comes with a score of 21 out of 25.
#7 Gilbert city
All right number four gilbert the town of gilbert guys. it’s still called the town of gilbert. I love that even though.
It has grown tremendously gilbert currently has a population of 231 000 people with an average age of 37 years old. okay now, how does it compare on the tri here we go?
Housing affordability
The housing index is four out of five okay so we’re gonna get four out of five because gilbert still is pretty affordable but we’re also giving that a higher score.
Because it is just newer clean very nice family-oriented guys. you just love the town of gilbert so gilbert comes in very high on the housing side.
Affordability is still somewhat there based upon where you are within the city or the town limits.
Entertainment
Okay, entertainment comes in four out of five the reason. Why is it because a couple of years ago?
I gave it a three right maybe even two as. When I first got real estate 15 years ago. because it was just basically a bunch of dairy farms.
The development wasn’t there and therefore the entertainment wasn’t there.
Because there wasn’t enough population to make it worthwhile. Yet for developers to come in and spend that kind of money.
But that has all changed the downtown area of gilbert is guys. it’s phenomenal a little mom and pop shop some really good restaurants.
The walkability of downtown gilbert is really quaint and cool. so that comes in at a four out of five on the basis it is also the best place to live in phoenix.
Employment jobs
The job sector is four out of five as well not a huge employment center in terms of big companies.
But guys the people that are employed throughout the town of gilbert are very high. A lot of cool areas that people can be employed.
So the job sector comes in strong at four out of five for gilbert.
The commute traffic
Now the commute is four to five as well gilbert is located not near the nucleus of phoenix.
You’re talking depending on where you start about 30 minutes to sky harbor airport and 35 40 minutes to downtown phoenix again depending on where you are within the town of gilbert.
But the grid system and the roads going through gilbert are great. You can get around very easy you have the 202 loops cutting .
Through some of the gilberts as well on the south side of san tan’s freeway so it works out really well from that standpoint.
The school systems
Now Let’s move on to the schools five out of five. The reason why gilbert gets five out of five is this. The schools are phenomenal for the best places to live in phoenix.
Guys everyone wants to be in this gilbert school district. Some really good elementary schools middle schools and of course high schools as well.
Overall score of city
Okay, so the total score for gilbert comes in at 21 out of 25.
#8 Scottsdale city | Best places to live in phoenix,Arizona
All right so moving on to number three the top three guys here. We go number three is Scottsdale.
Okay, now Scottsdale’s gonna be up there at all times. It should always be in a top ten top five top three maybe one.
You can make the argument for it is the number one spot for the best places to live in phoenix.
But comes in on the IRI right. Now at number three Scottsdale has a population of 240 000 people with the average age being 49.
The average is a little higher. Because you have again the housing being a lot more expensive. so let’s jump right into the IRI scores on those five metrics.
Housing affordability
Number one housing comes in at three out of five. Now you can make the argument. You can it can maybe be two out of five.
Because the affordability isn’t great when it comes to the average price point.
However, the reason why it comes out at least at three is that Scottsdale does have a bunch of different types of property.
Such one could choose to buy a lot of condos townhomes, as well as you, know track homes to multi-millions dollar states on large lots right.
So that being said if someone really wants to be in Scottsdale. But maybe you couldn’t afford the average price for a single-family home.
They could choose to live in a nice condo for a reasonable number okay you got two-bedroom condos in Scottsdale.
Starting in the high two hundred thousand dollar mark to low 300 000 mark right. so it’s definitely possible to do.
Almost all of the air Scottsdale is just phenomenal right to live in okay so three out of five there for Scottsdale.
Entertainment
Now, move on the entertainment side five out of five. Because it’s Scottsdale guys what can’t you do in Scottsdale.
Especially if you’re a tourist or a visitor you’re coming down from vacation I mean it’s the golf mecca of the world.
You have all kinds of entertainment great wolf lodge. you have indoor skydiving casinos. thou have top golf.
You have nightclubs the world-class dining and shopping right. some of these restaurants and shops are only found in other places in the world.
Around the country united states here guys. so Scottsdale is just phenomenal for that and so that’s why the score is so high for that.
Employment jobs
Next on the job sector, it’s a five out of five the Scottsdale airpark as an example is the second-largest employment center in the state of Arizona.
Behind downtown phoenix okay so a ton of jobs. There in the airpark area, a lot of businesses industry et cetera so five out of five for jobs.
The commute traffic
Commute time five out of five the loop 101 runs right through the heart of Scottsdale going north-south.
A little east-west as it loops around and Scottsdale again is on that grid system. So it is very easy to navigate now.
Scottsdale is pretty narrow. it’s very very long and so you have main arteries Pima road Scottsdale road and Hayden road running through.
The north-south side of Scottsdale and allows you to get around pretty easily through that area.
The school systems
Okay in schools I have Scotland coming in at a five out of five Scottsdale unified school district guys is phenomenal and then with that,
They still have private options there’s nothing prep academy which is a private high school.
There are also private and charter elementary and middle schools as well. What people can do you also have a basis is one of the tops.
You know private schools in terms of like a chain around the country located right. There in the Scottsdale area.
Overall score of city
So Scottsdale comes in with a total on the IRI at 23 out of 25 okay so 23 out 25 for the third best place to live in all of Arizona.
#9 Flagstaff city
Okay now moving on to number two is the city of flagstaff. Where’s flagstaff you heard of that some of you guys.
Probably have guys black staff is located about an hour and a half to two hours two and a half hours depending on where you come from in the Phoenix area.
North of the Phoenix area is okay and the beautiful thing about flagstaff is the weather changes significantly.
So if it’s summertime and it’s hot in Arizona. you can change the weather by 25 30 degrees by driving up to Flagstaff.
It’s only an hour and a half to two hours away how cool are those guys’ Another best places to live is Phoenix, Arizona.
You can go you can be in phenomenal beautiful weather 75 degrees in the Phoenix area. you can drive the flagstaff and go skiing.
Okay, you can be in the dead heat of the summer in phoenix where it’s 110 degrees.
You can drive north to flagstaff and be in 85 degrees 80-degree weather in the pines like you’re in colorado it’s beautiful guy’s large mountains and peaks.
In the Flagstaff area and just all kinds of outdoor activities to do flagstaff currently has a population of about 71 000 people average age 35 years old so let’s go to the IRI index here.
Housing affordability
We go housing three out of five now a couple of years ago it had been fortified maybe five out of five.
Yet guys ever since covid -19 hit there became a rush of people pouring in from not just the Phoenix area.
But also out of state California et cetera coming over to buy second homes or primary residences in the flagstaff area.
However, a lot of it is secondary home ownership why because coped hit and also and everybody.
You know could work from home and virtually and so they went to flagstaff. where they get the seasons like living in Colorado and the pricing was not bad.
At all for the second home now guys fast forward the housing market went bananas in flagstaff postcode here.
I mean the homes up there are just are kind of ridiculously overpriced. but that’s all subjective to make the argument maybe.
It’s still okay because it’s gonna run some more that’s not the point of this article
But the point is prices have escalated affordability is not as good as. It was not even close and so it’s a three out of five.
Entertainment
So let’s move on entertainment five out of five I just explained a couple of things you can go skiing you can do outdoor mountain biking road biking hiking swimming in lake mary.
I mean you have so many things outdoor activities to do think of living in colorado and that’s flagstaff guys.
So it’s a five out of five for entertainment good restaurants nau northern Arizona university is home right there in flagstaff as well so big employment area.
Employment jobs
Which segues perfectly to jobs you know I give it a three out of five you can make the argument four out of five I was a little harsh maybe here.
Because no does employ a lot of people but outside nau not a lot in terms of the major employment center so I give it a three out of five.
The commute traffic
All right now commute five out of five it’s easy to get around flagstaff. It’s a smaller town the i-40 and i-17 collide right.
There is flagstaff so you have some major interstates hitting there. Easy to get around a lot of traffic.
That bypasses through flagstaff on a daily basis so that’s a high score there. Then three out of five.
The school systems
On the school, schools are just okay guys a little bit above average nothing great in terms of the public school system in flagstaff.
Overall score of city
Okay, the total score comes in with that job being three out of five at 19 out of 25. That is Why the city on two best places to live in phoenix.
#10 Chandler city | Best places to live in phoenix,Arizona
Number one drumroll please the number one area to Best places to live in Phoenix area in the state of Arizona chandler.
Arizona guys aka potentially known as the next silicon valley of the southwest or west coast chandler guys have been kind of dubbed as that,
Because of all the tech investment that’s been going into the city of Chandler has the ability to expand south so more land is available to keep us spanning for the city of Chandler and guys the downtown area has been exploding as well.
So before we jump to that let’s go to the IRI and some stats chandler. The average age is 39 years old.
The population is 245 000 people and growing quickly. okay, china is home to intel apple’s doing some investment down.
There there are other tech sectors and defense contractors based out of chandler as well.
Housing affordability
Housing four out of five okay because again because of all that. the job growth the housing market has exploded in chandler okay still has room to go as well.
So if you want to buy a chandler still a great time to do it it really is guys all right.
Entertainment
Number two entertainment got chandler at four out of five on that as well again last year not last year.
But several years ago they’ve been lower. But it’s four to five now because the downtown chandler area is really cool guys.
It exploded cigar bars and restaurants. Some really trendy restaurants are now opening up in downtown chandler walkability is great as well.
Employment jobs
All right moving on to employment and jobs. I have that five out of five again for what we just mentioned all the tech.
I mean the investment that intel alone is making in chandler is outstanding. you guys all know that chips and making all.
Those chips are in huge demand across the tower, not just country but world okay.
The commute traffic
The commute I got a five out of five as well because it’s easy to get up and down that grid system within chandler,
you have the 202 that runs down through it as well in the loop for the interstate very very easy to get around chandler.
The school systems
Then schools again one of the best school districts in the entire state the Cairo school district chandler school district you have a five out of five all right.
Overall score of city
So that brings a total score for chandler to be 23 out of 25 and the number one best place to live in Phoenix in the state of Arizona.
Summary | Best places to live in phoenix,Arizona
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