Whether you’re a Northern Arizona Lumberjack fan, a University of Arizona Wildcats fan, or just a fan of great cities, weather, and people, there’s a place in Arizonafor you.
Hip millennial cities like Phoenix, cowboy and cowgirl cities like Winslow, and college cities like Tucson are great places to work, raise families, and enjoy life.
It was challenging to narrow down 53 of Arizona’s best places to live to just ten, but we did using Saturday Night Science. We compared crime, incomes, home prices, and education, among other factors, among the 53 places in Arizona.
Grab a carne asada burrito and a cold Corona, and read on.
$247,159 median income · $3,474,597 median home · #1 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
The best place to live in Arizona is Paradise Valley, a small, affluent town just north of Scottsdale. Home to estates lining Sierra Vista Drive and other exclusive neighborhoods, this town has the 2nd unemployment rate on our list.
Paradise Valley has the largest number of residents with a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Professional Degree on our list. In fact, if we had a “Smartest Places in Arizona” list, Paradise Valley would probably be number one, too.
You’re going to need those credentials, though. The household median income is $247,159/year, and the 1st median home price in Arizona sits here. Expect to pay around $3,474,597.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$107,117 median income · $506,584 median home · #2 best place in Arizona
Located in
Pima County, Arizona
Arizona’s second-best place to live is Oro Valley, a quiet community just north of Tucson where the job market is practically thriving. The unemployment rate sits at just 2.3%, well below the national average, and the median household income reaches $107,117/year, so residents enjoy genuine financial security here.
The poverty rate runs 6.5%, among the lowest in the state, and schools rank consistently among Arizona’s finest.
The real kicker is location. You’re just 20 minutes from Tucson’s culture and dining, yet surrounded by the Catalina Mountains and endless hiking trails.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$126,250 median income · $525,411 median home · #3 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
Ever wondered how Arizona’s 3rd best place to live got its name? Paul Weeks Litchfield, a Goodyear pioneer, founded the manufacturing facility that anchored this 6,916 resident community in the West Valley.
Home values are $525,411 and median income is 126,250.
The Wigwam Resort anchors the area, but the tight-knit community feel is what really draws people. Well-maintained parks, regular neighborhood events, and 45-year-old residents who aren’t going anywhere. That’s the formula for one of Arizona’s best places to live.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$122,551 median income · $572,507 median home · #4 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
If you’re hunting for Arizona’s 4th best place to live, Gilbert is where young families are betting their futures. Once the “Hay Shipping Capital of the World,” this 280,262 person suburb is now an economically diverse hub, with unemployment at 3.5%.
With a median household income of $122,551/year, Gilbert ranks among Arizona’s wealthier places. You’ll need that income to afford a median home price of $572,507, but strong schools and economic stability make it worth the investment.
Mountain biking enthusiasts will find serious trails at San Tan Mountain Regional Park. A median age of 36 signals a community of young families choosing to build here, making Gilbert one of the best places to live in Arizona.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$110,886 median income · $858,022 median home · #5 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
If you’ve got the budget, Scottsdale ranks as Arizona’s 5th best place to live. Known as “The West’s Most Western Town” (and honestly, it lives up to the hype), this affluent suburb attracts residents with a median household income of $110,886/year. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike Camelback Mountain by day before enjoying Michelin-starred dining by night.
The median home value is 4th highest in Arizona. With unemployment sitting at 3.6%, you’ll find this is a community of thriving residents. That’s what you’re paying for in Scottsdale.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$141,978 median income · $632,223 median home · #6 best place in Arizona
Located in
Pinal County, Arizona
The 6th best place to live in Arizona, Queen Creek delivers on quality of life. The median income here is $141,978/year with just a 3.7% poverty rate, the lowest in the state.
The town’s rapid growth explains its appeal to families seeking safety and value. Its roots trace back to the Rittenhouse railroad stop, a piece of local history preserved at the San Tan Historical Society Museum.
If you’re looking for an Arizona community where the numbers match the lifestyle, Queen Creek makes the cut.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$108,095 median income · $524,156 median home · #7 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
Hunting for a Phoenix suburb where educated professionals thrive? Chandler delivers. The city’s got over 50 parks, honestly, including Desert Breeze Park with trails and playgrounds.
South Chandler, anchored by Intel’s manufacturing hub, ranks among Arizona’s safest areas. What really sets Chandler apart is the education-affordability combo. Over half the residents hold a college degree.
That credential-heavy population keeps costs down, with a median household income of $108,095 and homes selling at $524,156.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,600 median income · $513,341 median home · #8 best place in Arizona
Located in
Yavapai County, Arizona
Wickenburg is Arizona’s 8th best place to live if you want a small Western town where you’ll actually find jobs. At 0.4% unemployment, it has the lowest jobless rate in the state.
Homes average $513,341 and median income runs 67,600. The town attracts retirees and snowbirds (median age 65). Downtown Wickenburg keeps its cowboy character.
Outdoor lovers can explore the Desert Caballeros Museum or nearby trails for hiking. While your commute to Phoenix averages just 23 minutes, making this one of Arizona’s best places for small-town living.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$96,711 median income · $422,473 median home · #9 best place in Arizona
Located in
Maricopa County, Arizona
Ever heard how Surprise got its name? Founder Flora Mae Statler said she’d be surprised if the town ever amounted to much, but boy, was she wrong. Surprise is Arizona’s 9th best place to live.
Financially, it’s solid. You’ll see median income of $96,711, home values near $422,473, unemployment at 4.3%.
The Sierra Montana neighborhoods offer safe streets and excellent community programs. White Tank Mountain Regional Park sits nearby for weekend hikes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$112,606 median income · $436,915 median home · #10 best place in Arizona
Located in
Pinal County, Arizona
Ready to hike the Tortolitas in the morning and book a world-class spa by afternoon? Marana sits just north of Tucson and close to the 10 FWY. That desert-to-luxury combo is something most Arizona towns can barely pull off.
Median income runs 112,606/year and home values hover near $436,915, so Marana’s resort and outdoor lifestyle comes with real money backing it up. That makes Marana one of the best places to live in Arizona.
Your career and your Saturday morning hike can finally coexist.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
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
Arizona statewide median: 5.1%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Arizona
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Arizona
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Arizona, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Arizona have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Arizona across a number of criteria from one to 53, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Arizona.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Arizona’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Arizona. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Paradise Valley at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Arizona Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paradise Valley | 7.25 | 12,611 | 2.1% | $3,474,597 | $247,159 | 1,055 | |
| 2 | Oro Valley | 10.80 | 48,162 | 2.3% | $506,584 | $107,117 | 1,213 | |
| 3 | Litchfield Park | 10.95 | 6,916 | 3.4% | $525,411 | $126,250 | 1,041 | |
| 4 | Gilbert | 11.65 | 280,262 | 3.5% | $572,507 | $122,551 | 1,090 | |
| 5 | Scottsdale | 12.65 | 243,821 | 3.6% | $858,022 | $110,886 | 2,040 | |
| 6 | Queen Creek | 14.70 | 71,867 | 4.3% | $632,223 | $141,978 | 1,083 | |
| 7 | Chandler | 15.35 | 280,136 | 3.6% | $524,156 | $108,095 | 1,643 | |
| 8 | Wickenburg | 18.25 | 8,059 | 0.4% | $513,341 | $67,600 | 1,005 | |
| 9 | Surprise | 18.60 | 154,948 | 4.3% | $422,473 | $96,711 | 1,037 | |
| 10 | Marana | 18.95 | 56,938 | 4.5% | $436,915 | $112,606 | 1,558 | |
| 11 | Prescott | 19.60 | 47,400 | 4.5% | $605,543 | $70,874 | 1,481 | |
| 12 | Prescott Valley | 19.70 | 49,179 | 2.8% | $462,396 | $74,569 | 1,033 | |
| 13 | Thatcher | 20.80 | 5,439 | 4.6% | $350,905 | $82,917 | 735 | |
| 14 | Peoria | 21.80 | 196,906 | 4.0% | $488,596 | $95,815 | 1,491 | |
| 15 | Sahuarita | 22.15 | 35,862 | 6.4% | $353,394 | $104,680 | 1,104 | |
| 16 | Fountain Hills | 22.35 | 23,789 | 5.3% | $670,052 | $112,654 | ||
| 17 | Goodyear | 22.40 | 107,645 | 4.2% | $469,424 | $103,319 | 1,786 | |
| 18 | Mesa | 23.60 | 511,764 | 4.2% | $435,134 | $82,752 | 1,954 | |
| 19 | Safford | 25.20 | 10,239 | 4.3% | $287,457 | $65,647 | 735 | |
| 20 | Tempe | 25.20 | 188,065 | 5.5% | $468,281 | $79,663 | 3,423 | |
| 21 | Flagstaff | 25.35 | 76,445 | 5.7% | $656,480 | $71,512 | 2,695 | |
| 22 | Cave Creek | 25.70 | 5,091 | 2.7% | $1,054,562 | $107,067 | ||
| 23 | Sierra Vista | 25.80 | 45,155 | 4.8% | $298,883 | $70,291 | 1,838 | |
| 24 | Payson | 25.85 | 16,622 | 7.1% | $446,820 | $67,710 | 1,504 | |
| 25 | Maricopa | 25.85 | 67,163 | 5.0% | $346,284 | $96,391 | 1,231 | |
| 26 | Page | 26.00 | 7,345 | 3.3% | $378,791 | $88,826 | 5,705 | |
| 27 | Florence | 27.25 | 25,570 | 6.6% | $333,593 | $79,644 | 610 | |
| 28 | Somerton | 27.55 | 14,574 | 3.7% | $271,558 | $74,015 | 714 | |
| 29 | Sedona | 27.95 | 9,777 | 6.2% | $909,102 | $73,738 | 1,626 | |
| 30 | Avondale | 27.95 | 92,477 | 3.6% | $398,568 | $86,123 | 2,680 | |
| 31 | Chino Valley | 28.20 | 13,602 | 5.3% | $500,150 | $61,237 | 566 | |
| 32 | Show Low | 29.45 | 12,102 | 4.7% | $436,997 | $60,368 | 3,057 | |
| 33 | Cottonwood | 30.80 | 12,580 | 3.1% | $397,513 | $48,448 | 1,486 | |
| 34 | Kingman | 31.45 | 34,375 | 6.7% | $273,783 | $61,792 | 3,791 | |
| 35 | El Mirage | 31.70 | 36,088 | 5.8% | $342,377 | $78,050 | 1,627 | |
| 36 | Phoenix | 32.00 | 1,642,323 | 5.0% | $410,169 | $81,332 | 3,164 | |
| 37 | Apache Junction | 32.25 | 41,058 | 6.5% | $376,628 | $60,975 | 1,983 | |
| 38 | Camp Verde | 32.45 | 12,521 | 5.8% | $431,372 | $69,203 | 1,326 | |
| 39 | Glendale | 33.35 | 252,833 | 5.6% | $407,332 | $73,530 | 3,193 | |
| 40 | Snowflake | 33.50 | 6,444 | 2.5% | $344,541 | $76,174 | 4,511 | |
| 41 | Casa Grande | 33.85 | 60,905 | 6.1% | $319,032 | $69,983 | 2,143 | |
| 42 | Yuma | 34.25 | 100,139 | 6.3% | $301,508 | $65,482 | 1,702 | |
| 43 | Tolleson | 34.95 | 7,668 | 2.4% | $394,929 | $59,626 | 9,468 | |
| 44 | Tucson | 35.00 | 547,073 | 6.2% | $324,023 | $57,073 | 3,914 | |
| 45 | Globe | 35.05 | 7,195 | 3.0% | $238,040 | $69,170 | 6,185 | |
| 46 | Guadalupe | 36.35 | 5,272 | 4.5% | $243,844 | $51,354 | ||
| 47 | Douglas | 36.85 | 15,981 | 12.3% | $173,569 | $42,019 | 1,583 | |
| 48 | San Luis | 36.90 | 37,337 | 8.0% | $238,911 | $59,400 | 662 | |
| 49 | Benson | 39.45 | 5,417 | 8.7% | $253,542 | $49,346 | 2,079 | |
| 50 | Coolidge | 40.45 | 16,636 | 14.1% | $270,015 | $67,023 | 2,236 | |
| 51 | Nogales | 40.50 | 19,841 | 15.7% | $220,632 | $43,214 | 3,800 | |
| 52 | Winslow | 41.75 | 8,773 | 8.9% | $203,634 | $58,346 | 4,240 | |
| 53 | Eloy | 43.30 | 17,433 | 6.2% | $275,410 | $55,736 | 1,635 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 53 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Arizona
If you’re looking at areas in Arizona with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Arizona are Paradise Valley, Oro Valley, Litchfield Park, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Queen Creek, Chandler, Wickenburg, Surprise, and Marana.
Paradise Valley made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Arizona for 2026.
