While big cities like Tempe offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Tempe. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Tempe without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Tempe are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Tempe area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Tempe for 2024:
- Litchfield Park, AZ
- Paradise Valley, AZ
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Queen Creek, AZ
- Gilbert, AZ
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Fountain Hills, AZ
- Chandler, AZ
- Goodyear, AZ
- Goodyear, AZ
What’s the best suburb of Tempe? Litchfield Park ranks as the best suburb of Tempe for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Litchfield Park, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Tempe ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Arizona:
- Best Places To Live In Arizona
- Cheapest Places To Live In Arizona
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Arizona
The 10 Best Tempe Suburbs To Live For 2024
1. Litchfield Park, AZ
Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility
7
/10
Population: 6,794
Median Income: $117,601
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%
Poverty Rate: 5.3%
More on Litchfield Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Litchfield Park is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Tempe area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Litchfield Park.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $117,601 a year, which is the 3rd highest in the Tempe region. And only 2.06% are out of work. Homes average more than $535,888 each.
2. Paradise Valley, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Tony the Marine (talk) | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10
Population: 12,672
Median Income: $221,333
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%
Poverty Rate: 4.4%
More on Paradise Valley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Paradise Valley is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Tempe for 2024.
It ranks 1st for incomes in the area and only 4.0% of residents lack insurance, good for 2nd best.
3. Scottsdale, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Joseph Plotz | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
Population: 240,537
Median Income: $104,197
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 6.8%
More on Scottsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Here in Scottsdale, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Tempe metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Scottsdale.
4. Queen Creek, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Tony the Marine | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
6
/10
Population: 61,788
Median Income: $127,182
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on Queen Creek: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Queen Creek ranks as the 4th best suburb of Tempe for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Queen Creek and the schools are some of the best around.
Review Of Queen Creek by HomeSnacks User
Very low crime rate; neighborhoods are all tree lined; and there are lots of cafes and shopping.
The movie theater is my favorite place. You don’t have to fight for a seat. However, the traffic is horrible. You can’t get anywhere quickly. It takes along time to get anywhere. Theres street lights at every quarter mile I think
5. Gilbert, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Tony the Marine (talk) | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
9
/10
Population: 267,267
Median Income: $115,179
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.5%
More on Gilbert: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Coming in as the fifth best is Gilbert.
Gilbert gets kudos for having the 6th most expensive homes in the Tempe area, where houses sell for an average of $566,231. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
Review Of Gilbert by HomeSnacks User
Gilbert, Arizona is a fast growing community in the east valley of phoenix. The schools are absolutely amazing especially Gilbert Public Schools. There is very little crime and a ton of out door splash pads and parks.
The number of restaurants grows buy the month! Down town Gilbert has such a fun family friendly vibe with a farmers market every week. Gilbert is appealing to young families because of the safe neighborhoods and the great schools.
6. Santa Cruz, CA
Source: Wikipedia User Aaronbrick | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10
Population: 61,367
Median Income: $105,491
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
Poverty Rate: 18.7%
More on Santa Cruz: Data | Real Estate
Santa Cruz is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 6.17%.
According to online reports, Santa Cruz is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Tempe area, meaning you need to get in soon.
Review Of Santa Cruz by HomeSnacks User
Santa Cruz is one of my favorite places on the planet. It has a laid-back, surfer, hippie feel to it. While I would recommend holding on to one’s purse in the downtown area, the overall feel of Santa Cruz is one of chic cafes, interesting shops, artsy souvenirs, street musicians, bookstores, etc.
One of my favorite places includes Miramar’s on the wharf. I love the restaurant’s glass wall that allows me to watch surfers, sea lions and sailboats while I indulge in clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.
I especially love being in Santa Cruz for the Woodies on the Wharf parade. The classic cars are a beautiful sight against the sun, the sand and the surf.
7. Fountain Hills, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Bernard Gagnon | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility
6
/10
Population: 23,739
Median Income: $100,317
Unemployment Rate: 5.1%
Poverty Rate: 5.5%
More on Fountain Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Fountain Hills.
Fountain Hills schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 18.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
8. Chandler, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Ixnayonthetimmay | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility
8.5
/10
Population: 275,618
Median Income: $99,374
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
Poverty Rate: 7.7%
More on Chandler: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Chandler is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 7.12% of people lack insurance, good for 8th in the area.
9. Goodyear, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Marine 69-71 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10
Population: 97,542
Median Income: $97,307
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.5%
More on Goodyear: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Goodyear?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
10. Goodyear, AZ
Source: Wikipedia User Marine 69-71 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10
Population: 97,542
Median Income: $97,307
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.5%
More on Goodyear: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Goodyear.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Tempe for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around Tempe was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Tempe.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 5,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 21 suburbs to evaluate around Tempe.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 21 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Tempe.” We’re lookin’ at you, Litchfield Park.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Tempe suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Tempe ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Tempe are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Tempe but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
- Best Places To Retire In Arizona
- Richest Cities In Arizona
- Safest Places In Arizona
Table: Best Tempe Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Litchfield Park, AZ | 6,794 | $117,601 | $535,888 |
| 2 | Paradise Valley, AZ | 12,672 | $221,333 | $3,234,281 |
| 3 | Scottsdale, AZ | 240,537 | $104,197 | $798,175 |
| 4 | Queen Creek, AZ | 61,788 | $127,182 | $627,569 |
| 5 | Gilbert, AZ | 267,267 | $115,179 | $566,231 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz, AZ | 61,367 | $105,491 | $1,318,776 |
| 7 | Fountain Hills, AZ | 23,739 | $100,317 | $640,087 |
| 8 | Chandler, AZ | 275,618 | $99,374 | $519,175 |
| 9 | Goodyear, AZ | 97,542 | $97,307 | $479,397 |
| 10 | Goodyear, AZ | 97,542 | $97,307 | $479,397 |
| 11 | Goodyear, AZ | 97,542 | $97,307 | $479,397 |
| 12 | Goodyear, AZ | 97,542 | $97,307 | $479,397 |
| 13 | Mesa, AZ | 503,390 | $73,766 | $431,607 |
| 14 | Maricopa, AZ | 59,605 | $88,795 | $361,705 |
| 15 | Avondale, AZ | 89,214 | $76,496 | $401,338 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,609,456 | $72,092 | $417,187 |
| 17 | Glendale, AZ | 248,083 | $66,375 | $405,468 |
| 18 | Tolleson, AZ | 7,221 | $47,875 | $389,180 |
| 19 | El Mirage, AZ | 35,652 | $72,134 | $355,004 |
| 20 | Guadalupe, AZ | 5,335 | $56,423 | $259,445 |
| 21 | Apache Junction, AZ | 38,855 | $56,209 | $366,015 |
