Scottsdale, AZ, “The West’s Most Western Town,” is quickly becoming home for many Arizonans and out-of-staters alike. There are countless things to do in the city whether you visit the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, 30,000 acres of beautiful desert landscape, explore Old Town Scottsdale where you’ll find shops, galleries, and restaurants, or check out Taliesin West, the winter house of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
No wonder 242,800 people are living in Scottsdale. If you’re looking to buy a house, you’ll find that the median home sale price is $787,500, the average sale price per square foot is $389, and the housing market is somewhat competitive. And if you’re considering renting an apartment in Scottsdale, the average rent price for a two-bedroom apartment is $3,150.
Don’t worry if those numbers don’t fit in your budget – we’ve got options to help you find a home or apartment that does. To help you find the right place to live, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best affordable Scottsdale suburbs to check out. And they’re all less than 45 minutes away from the city. That way you can live nearby without paying the price of living in Scottsdale.
#1: Sun City
Median home price: $279,900
Average sale price per square foot: $201
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 40 minutes
Sun City, AZ homes for sale
Sun City, AZ apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $279,900, Sun City lands the number one spot on our list as the most affordable Scottsdale suburb. About a 40-minute drive away from downtown Scottsdale, Sun City is home to roughly 39,900 residents. Living in Sun City, you can play golf at one of the many picturesque courses.
#2: Apache Junction
Median home price: $349,950
Average sale price per square foot: $273
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 35 minutes
Apache Junction, AZ homes for sale
Apache Junction, AZ apartments for rent
Apache Junction is just a little more expensive than Sun City. Only 35 minutes from the city center you can stroll through Old Town Scottsdale in a quick drive. Some popular things to check out in Apache Junction include watching a show at Barleens Dinner Show, visiting Lost Dutchman State Park, Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, and Lost Dutchman Museum. When living in this suburb of 38,500 people, you can also spend time exploring the charming downtown.
#3: Maricopa
Median home price: $335,000
Average sale price per square foot: $195
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 45 minutes
Maricopa, AZ homes for sale
Maricopa, AZ apartments for rent
Just 45 minutes away, you’ll find the suburb of Maricopa. Even with a population of about 58,100, there are plenty of fun things to do in Maricopa. If you find yourself moving to the third most affordable suburb, check out Copper Sky Regional Park or visit the nearby Butte Camp.
#4: El Mirage
Median home price: $349,950
Average sale price per square foot: $241
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 45 minutes
El Mirage, AZ homes for sale
El Mirage, AZ apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Maricopa is none other than El Mirage. With roughly 35,800 residents in this Scottsdale suburb, make sure to check out one of the parks, golf courses, or go shopping.
#5: Avondale
Median home price: $399,990
Average sale price per square foot: $224
Average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: $1,792
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 40 minutes
Avondale, AZ homes for sale
Avondale, AZ apartments for rent
40 minutes away from downtown Scottsdale is Avondale, another great suburb to consider moving to. With 89,300 residents, moving to this affordable suburb can keep you close enough to Scottsdale, without paying the premium for a home there. In Avondale, you can check out Festival Fields Park and watch a race at Phoenix Raceway.
#6: Phoenix
Median home price: $404,000
Average sale price per square foot: $287
Average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: $1,612
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 23 minutes
Phoenix, AZ homes for sale
Phoenix, AZ apartments for rent
Sixth on our list is Phoenix, where the median home sale price is about $380K less than in Scottsdale. With just about 1,608,100 people living in Phoenix, it’s a great city to consider buying a house or renting an apartment in. Make sure to visit South Mountain Park and Preserve for a hike, check out one of the many museums downtown, or explore the trails and nature at Phoenix Mountains Preserve.
#7: Glendale
Median home price: $415,000
Average sale price per square foot: $244
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 30 minutes
Glendale, AZ homes for sale
Glendale, AZ apartments for rent
Seventh on our list of affordable Scottsdale suburbs is Glendale, which is about a 30-minute drive into the heart of the city. With a population of about 248,300, Glendale is a great area to live in that’s not nearly as big as Scottsdale. Don’t miss out on hiking, mountain biking, or bird watching at Thunderbird Conservation Park, seeing a concert at State Farm Stadium, or watching a movie at West Wind Glendale 9 Drive-In once living in this suburb.
#8: Mesa
Median home price: $430,000
Average sale price per square foot: $261
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 20 minutes
Mesa, AZ homes for sale
Mesa, AZ apartments for rent
If you’ve lived in or around Scottsdale for a while, you may know our eighth suburb – Mesa. About 504,300 residents call this affordable suburb home. Living in Mesa, make sure to explore the downtown area where you’ll find Arizona Museum of Natural History, Mesa Amphitheatre, and Mesa Arts Center, or visit Usery Mountain Regional Park and hike along the nature trails.
#9: Tempe
Median home price: $437,500
Average sale price per square foot: $298
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 20 minutes
Tempe, AZ homes for sale
Tempe, AZ apartments for rent
Tempe is a great place to consider living in that will get you access to downtown Scottsdale in just about 20 minutes. Close to 180,600 people live in this suburb, but you’ll be surrounded by charming areas to explore in your free time. Fun activities to do in Tempe include taking in the views of Tempe Town Lake at Tempe Beach Park, exploring downtown Tempe where you’ll find concert venues, restaurants, and bars, or hiking at Hayden Butte.
#10: Goodyear
Median home price: $460,000
Average sale price per square foot: $241
Driving distance from Scottsdale: 35 minutes
Goodyear, AZ homes for sale
Goodyear, AZ apartments for rent
Last but not least on our list of affordable Scottsdale suburbs, is Goodyear. Without traffic, you’ll find yourself in Scottsdale in roughly 35 minutes. This suburb has a population of 95,300 and you can explore the mountainous desert landscape at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, visit the Estrella Star Tower, or play golf. There’s always something to check out while living in this charming town.
Methodology: Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s median home sale price or average sale price per square foot is less than Scottsdale and under a 45-minute drive from downtown Scottsdale. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during March 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com March 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
This post first appeared on Redfin.com. To see the original, click here.