What’s the best part of Scottsdale? It could be where everyone knows their neighbor. Or it could be where home prices are the highest, meaning it’s where everyone wants to live.
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Scottsdale are the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Whether you live in the sticks or in an apartment building downtown, you want a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood offers different perks and benefits.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits — less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Scottsdale neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
If you’re thinking of moving to Arizona and Scottsdale is on the top of your list, check out the best neighborhoods for 2026.
$118,978 median income · $733,439 median home value
$72,681 median income · $708,552 median home value
$128,895 median income · $672,914 median home value
$104,811 median income · $768,685 median home value
$74,871 median income · $499,157 median home value
$59,712 median income · $254,493 median home value
$84,623 median income · $602,794 median home value
$95,047 median income · $377,981 median home value
$93,496 median income · $444,853 median home value
$103,339 median income · $602,794 median home value
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Arizona’s statewide median.
Arizona statewide median: $79,964
Arizona statewide median: $423,330
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the best Scottsdale, AZ neighborhoods in 2026
To rank the best neighborhoods in Scottsdale, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 10 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Scottsdale.” We’re lookin’ at you, Airpark.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Scottsdale, Arizona has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Scottsdale.
The full plate
Table: Best Scottsdale neighborhoods for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airpark | 2,352 | $733,439 | $118,978 |
| 2 | Monterey Arcadia | 23,972 | $708,552 | $72,681 |
| 3 | Sonoran Regional Core | 3,921 | $672,914 | $128,895 |
| 4 | West Cactus | 8,039 | $768,685 | $104,811 |
| 5 | Downtown | 3,235 | $499,157 | $74,871 |
| 6 | Indian Bend | 54,912 | $254,493 | $59,712 |
| 7 | Via Linda Corridor | 7,609 | $602,794 | $84,623 |
| 8 | Resort Corridor | 4,133 | $377,981 | $95,047 |
| 9 | McCormick Ranch | 15,572 | $444,853 | $93,496 |
| 10 | East Shea | 4,542 | $602,794 | $103,339 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 10 Scottsdale neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: Putting a bow on our analysis of the best neighborhoods in Scottsdale
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Scottsdale where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Scottsdale are Airpark, Monterey Arcadia, Sonoran Regional Core, West Cactus, Downtown, Indian Bend, Via Linda Corridor, Resort Corridor, McCormick Ranch, and East Shea.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Scottsdale aren’t all good. East Shea takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Scottsdale.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below. Not sold on Arizona? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Neighborhoods In Scottsdale FAQs
What is the best neighborhood in Scottsdale?
Airpark is the best neighborhood in Scottsdale for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Monterey Arcadia and Sonoran Regional Core are next.
What are the best neighborhoods in Scottsdale?
The best neighborhoods in Scottsdale are Airpark, Monterey Arcadia, Sonoran Regional Core, West Cactus, Downtown, Indian Bend, Via Linda Corridor, Resort Corridor, McCormick Ranch, and East Shea. We ranked all 10 neighborhoods in the city.
How expensive is Airpark?
The median household income in Airpark is $118,978 and the median home costs $733,439. The best blocks in Scottsdale rarely come at a discount.
How do you rank Scottsdale neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on income, home values, population density, unemployment, and crime, using Census tract data. The neighborhood with the best combined score, Airpark, takes the top spot.
Which Scottsdale neighborhood ranked last?
East Shea came in last of the 10 neighborhoods we scored. Every city has a bottom of the table; in Scottsdale the numbers put it there.
