As a part of the Phoenix metropolitan area, or the Valley of the Sun, Mesa is packed to the brim with outdoor adventure, enchanting views, and endless excuses to spend the day basking in the warm Arizona sun. As Arizona’s third-largest city, the area around the homes for sale in Mesa can begin to feel a bit crowded, so it may be time to search for a nearby suburb to purchase your next home. We’ve compiled the 5 best suburbs of Mesa, AZ, to get your home search off to a quick start. Consider one or all five, but make sure to chat with your local Arizona real estate agent to lock down which suburb suits you the best.
Chandler
Best suburb of Mesa for: Young Couples + Young Professionals
Chandler is a trendy and creative suburb of Mesa that attracts many young professionals looking for a community as unique as they are. Just eight miles from Mesa, Chandler provides a quick commute to the city, whether for work or leisure. Chandler real estate is encircled by stunning views of red clay slopes and mountains, but its close proximity to Mesa and other Phoenix suburbs gives it an additional urban flair.
Chandler is appealing to millennials and young couples since they don’t have to travel out of the city to find a new restaurant, brewery, or activity to try. If you’re an outdoorsy person, there are plenty of hiking trails in Sedona Valley that offer breathtaking views. Chandler is also home to a number of unique shops and restaurants; artisans’ shops and local cafes are popular destinations for browsing and sampling new things. The Ostrich Festival, which takes place every year in Chandler, is a well-known community event that promotes local companies from across the Valley.
Home buyers have a wide range of prices and styles to choose from in Chandler, thanks to the city’s diverse housing market. With revitalization always underway, there are plenty of townhouses, single-family homes, and condos for sale in Chandler. The median price of Chandler homes for sale is $590K, but you’ll find options at all budget levels. For example, Uptown or Downtown townhouses for sale list at $393K on average, while those same properties go for a median price of $590K if they’re located further away from major action areas.
Fountain Hills
Best suburb of Mesa for: Mature Families + Retirees
While Fountain Hills real estate may be a bit far from Phoenix, it’s only located 18 miles from Mesa, which is just a 25-minute drive. Fountain Hills represents the classic American suburb, centered around a well-manicured park with a monumental 560-foot water fountain as the centerpiece. Aside from its main park, Fountain Hills offers a plethora of natural activities like a botanical garden, hiking trails, and top-ranked golf courses. Perfect for those with a little extra time on their hands, this is one of the best suburbs of Mesa to get active.
A suburb that allows you to move at your own pace, Fountain Hills’ activities are extremely adaptable. Fountain Park, the central point of this Mesa suburb, has a number of benches and picnic tables to sit and enjoy the ambiance, but there are also walking paths, cycling trails, and disc golf courses that are ideal for working up a sweat. Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden provides a nice stroll through some impressive Arizona flora and fauna. The environment in Fountain Hills is quiet and peaceful, rarely making its residents feel overcrowded even in the most popular hangout spots.
You’ll mostly find townhomes for sale in Fountain Hills, which have a median listing price of $487K. However, if you are searching for single-family homes for sale, they will primarily be Adobe-style homes and Spanish-style ranches, and the median listing price is around $690K. It’s rare that you’ll find an available condo for sale in Fountain Hills, but if luck is on your side, they typically run for a median of $325K.
Queen Creek
Best suburb of Mesa for: Young Families
Nestled at the base of the San Tan Mountains, the suburb of Queen Creek is complete with parks, museums, and a rich agricultural background. Sure, you can head to a farm fresh restaurant and get a taste of locally grown produce, but if you want to take it a step further, you can also see bull riding, team roping, or barrel racing at Horseshoe Park. For a suburb of Mesa with both big city and rural opportunities, it doesn’t get better than Queen Creek real estate.
Queen Creek is one of the best suburbs of Mesa for young families, and a big reason is because Queen Creek has one of the most affordable median home prices in the Phoenix Metro Area. From starter homes to ranch homes with massive lots of land, there is a diverse housing stock in Queen Creek. This desert suburb also offers a lot to do for families of all ages, from stage shows at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center to 10,000 acres of natural beauty at San Tan Mountain Regional Park. Queen Creek also offers the opportunity to come together with your family and grow your own fresh fruits and veggies at the Botanical Gardens, with orchards, greenhouses, and a working watermill.
You’ll primarily find single family homes for sale in Queens Creek, selling for a median price of $640K. Since Queen Creek is a relatively new suburb (incorporated in 1989), there are still a lot of new construction homes popping up in the area for around the same price as established homes.
Scottsdale
Best suburb of Mesa for: Families + Working Professionals
Scottsdale is Arizona’s fifth-largest city and is located about 12 miles from the center of Mesa. There’s no doubting why Scottsdale real estate has exploded in popularity; it has a wide range of housing, a balanced number of parks and urban amenities, and a quick drive to Mesa. Scottsdale reflects a traditional suburb, with a close-knit community and neighborhood events popping up left and right.
Families flock to Scottsdale because of the excellent public and private schools, like BASIS Scottsdale High School and Primary School or Great Hearts Academy. In fact, BASIS Scottsdale is the second-best high school in the entire state of Arizona! Old Town Scottsdale is a popular spot among families and other residents for its many shops, restaurants, art galleries, and recreational activities. If you’re looking to get out of the city for a day, Pinnacle Peak Park offers excellent hiking trails, picnic areas, and stunning views. For golf lovers, TPC Scottsdale Golf Course is 18 holes of challenging fun; it’s an award-winning course, so you could be playing among the pros.
Scottsdale real estate is just as varied as the number of things to do, with properties for every conceivable purpose. The median sale price for real estate in Scottsdale is $810K overall, but single-family homes for sale have a median asking price of around $1M. Townhomes in Scottsdale sell for a median price of $660K, while condominiums go for a median of $417K.
Tempe
Best suburb of Mesa for: Young Professionals + Active Homebuyers
Less than a 20-minute drive to Mesa’s city center, Tempe provides a natural paradise for anyone who spends most of their time in the great outdoors. Tempe is complete with some of Arizona’s most beautiful landscapes, from the bright sunset sky over the Sedona Valley in the summer to the colorful, blooming wildflowers that scatter through the city in the spring. Downtown Tempe is a center for college students and families alike, providing exceptional indoor amenities to get you out of the heat when needed.
Tempe is one of the best suburbs of Mesa for those who love to stay active in a vibrant and bustling community. Tempe Town Lake is popular with locals for kayaking, paddle boarding, and fishing, and South Mountain Park and Preserve and Papago Park both offer hiking trails with exceptional desert views. However, when it comes to chilling out in the city, Tempe is a true college town, home to Arizona State University and a plethora of trendy breweries, authentic restaurants, and unique attractions like escape rooms, museums, and art exhibits.
Another reason Tempe is a good suburb for young professionals is because Tempe real estate is affordable when compared to other large cities in the Valley. With an overall median price of $580K, Tempe homes for sale provide great options for first time buyers and buyers on a budget. For an even lower price option, Tempe offers townhomes for sale with a median price of $373K and condos for sale at $330K, many of them within walking distance to downtown.
The Top 5 Best Suburbs of Mesa, AZ
We hope this list gave you a great jumping off point for your Arizona home search. If you’ve looked through the list and decided that Mesa sounds like the best option for you, get in touch with a Mesa real estate agent. If this is your first time buying, consider the questions to ask your real estate agent before hiring, and make sure that whoever you choose is a good fit for both your needs and your personality.
