Phoenix’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Phoenix.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Arizona thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Phoenix. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Phoenix neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Phoenix hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Phoenix area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Desert View ranks way above the rest.
We examined 15 of Phoenix’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Phoenix’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Phoenix for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Alahambra looks to be the worst neighborhood in Phoenix.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Phoenix that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Phoenix For 2025
/10
Population: 134,116
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,506
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,857
Median Home Value: $138,611 (worst)
Median Income: $43,225 (2nd worst)
More on Alahambra: Data
Alahambra is situated north of downtown. I-17 basically bisects the neighborhood along a north-south axis. The top features of the neighborhood include Grand Canyon University, Washington Park, and the Palo Verde Golf Course.
Those are the highlights. Now for the lowlights, which come in the form of economic statistics. Like the other neighborhoods on this list, a shaky financial situation dogs most of the locals. Consider the $43,225 median income and the 5.4% unemployment rate.
Still, home prices in the area remain under control. The median home value hovers at $138,611, a fair buy considering the local incomes.
/10
Population: 60,045
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,430
Property Crime Per 100k: 4,627
Median Home Value: $224,560 (7th worst)
Median Income: $43,152 (worst)
More on Central City: Data
As you’d guess, Central City puts you in the middle of the action. You’ve got the downtown area, with all the amenities and cultural touchstones. You can visit places like Arizona State University or the Arizona Science Center.
But like many inner-city areas, living here forces a tradeoff. Along with the glitz and glamor, you also have to deal with issues of poverty and overcrowding. These represent the main challenges in this neighborhood. The locals struggle with an unemployment rate of 3.5% and a median income barely above $25,000.
/10
Population: 131,125
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 879
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,761
Median Home Value: $195,674 (5th worst)
Median Income: $59,319 (4th worst)
More on South Mountain: Data
South Mountain represents a borderland between the city and the desert beyond. As suggested by the name, it sits in the southernmost part of Phoenix, about 15 minutes from downtown. It also borders South Mountain Park and Preserve, with access to excellent hiking and breathtaking scenery.
The desert landscape makes this a great location for lovers of the outdoors. However, it’s not the ideal spot for lovers of top-paying jobs. They’ll have to look elsewhere. In South Mountain, the median income comes in at $59,319. At the same time, the unemployment rate stands at 3.6%.
/10
Population: 90,378
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 846
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,582
Median Home Value: $179,743 (4th worst)
Median Income: $59,617 (6th worst)
More on Estrella: Data
Estrella sits in the eastern part of Phoenix, bordered on the north by I-10 and on the south by the Salt River. Head a little further east and you’ll find the Phoenix Raceway and the Estrella Mountain Regional Park. Stay in the neighborhood, though, and you’ll discover the number 4 worst spot in Phoenix for 2025.
A murky economic situation hampers life in the area. The unemployment rate hovers at 3.6%…not devastating but still elevated. Meanwhile, the median income stands at $59,617. At least residents can get a good deal on a house. The median home value comes in at an affordable $179,743.
/10
Population: 5,653
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 176
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,668
Median Home Value: $172,650 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $96,497 (12th worst)
More on New Village: Data
/10
Population: 247,287
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 802
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,441
Median Home Value: $165,803 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $52,445 (3rd worst)
More on Maryvale: Data
Maryvale is located just south of Glendale and northwest of the central part of Phoenix. You’ll find plenty of shopping and restaurants, as well as a number of parks and other recreational spots. That gives residents plenty to do…if they can afford it.
That presents a problem in this neighborhood. A sluggish economy lands the area on this list as the number 6 worst spot in Phoenix for 2025.
Finding a job can be a slog in this part of town. The unemployment rate sits at a disheartening 4.5%. The salaries in Maryvale don’t inspire much cheering either. The median income stands at $52,445.
/10
Population: 65,011
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 596
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,121
Median Home Value: $243,961 (9th worst)
Median Income: $79,753 (10th worst)
More on Laveen: Data
/10
Population: 57,606
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,199
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,544
Median Home Value: $281,473 (10th worst)
Median Income: $59,323 (5th worst)
More on Encanto: Data
/10
Population: 178,370
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 879
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,783
Median Home Value: $217,423 (6th worst)
Median Income: $62,524 (7th worst)
More on North Mountain: Data
/10
Population: 183,274
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 466
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,107
Median Home Value: $227,767 (8th worst)
Median Income: $78,104 (9th worst)
More on Deer Valley: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Phoenix neighborhoods in 2025
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Phoenix:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Phoenix.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Phoenix.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 15 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Phoenix
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Phoenix with Alahambra landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Phoenix are Alahambra, Central City, South Mountain, Estrella, New Village, Maryvale, Laveen, Encanto, North Mountain, and Deer Valley.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Phoenix aren’t all bad. Desert View takes the cake as the best place to live in Phoenix.
The best neighborhoods in Phoenix are Desert View, North Gateway, Ahwatukee Foothills, Paradise Valley, and Camelback East.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Phoenix For 2025?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alahambra | 134,116 | $138,611 | $43,225 |
| 2 | Central City | 60,045 | $224,560 | $43,152 |
| 3 | South Mountain | 131,125 | $195,674 | $59,319 |
| 4 | Estrella | 90,378 | $179,743 | $59,617 |
| 5 | New Village | 5,653 | $172,650 | $96,497 |
| 6 | Maryvale | 247,287 | $165,803 | $52,445 |
| 7 | Laveen | 65,011 | $243,961 | $79,753 |
| 8 | Encanto | 57,606 | $281,473 | $59,323 |
| 9 | North Mountain | 178,370 | $217,423 | $62,524 |
| 10 | Deer Valley | 183,274 | $227,767 | $78,104 |
| 11 | Camelback East | 149,454 | $326,034 | $78,091 |
| 12 | Paradise Valley | 179,199 | $317,249 | $84,698 |
| 13 | Ahwatukee Foothills | 81,820 | $342,106 | $102,537 |
| 14 | North Gateway | 22,664 | $368,500 | $122,092 |
| 15 | Desert View | 57,629 | $425,209 | $124,095 |