Why the East Valley
Choose your side of the Valley before you choose the house.
Okay, so you've picked Arizona. The next question is which part of the Valley, and Scottsdale and North Phoenix are the two places I get asked to compare most. They're good places. I work the East Valley, so I'll be honest about where it comes out ahead and where it doesn't, with numbers you can check yourself.
How I measured it.
Every distance below is road miles on the fastest route over OpenStreetMap's road data, sampled October 22, 2026, from one point in each place: City Hall or Town Hall in each East Valley city, City Hall in downtown Scottsdale, and Desert Ridge Marketplace at Tatum Boulevard and the 101 for North Phoenix. A house a few miles from that point changes the number, so I'd check the address, not the town name.
I mean, miles hold still. Minutes at 7:30 on a weekday morning don't. Before you write an offer, I'd set the map to the hour you'll actually drive it, and then go drive it.
The East Valley and Scottsdale.
Scottsdale here means downtown Scottsdale. The city runs a long way north, and the farther north you go, the longer the airport drive gets.
- Sky Harbor and downtown Phoenix. Downtown Scottsdale is 11.3 miles from Sky Harbor's Terminal 4 and 12.3 from downtown Phoenix. Tempe's closer on both, at 7.2 and 10.3. Mesa is 14.8 and 18.5, Gilbert 23.2 and 23.8, Chandler 23.8 and 24.4, and Queen Creek 37.8 and 38.4.Edge: Scottsdale, over every East Valley city but Tempe.
- The second airport. Flying Allegiant or Sun Country? Mesa Gateway Airport flies both, to more than 40 nonstop destinations. It's 5.7 miles from Queen Creek, 8.8 from Gilbert, 12.5 from Chandler, 17.2 from Mesa and 24.1 from Tempe. From downtown Scottsdale it's 28.0.Edge: the East Valley.
- Sales tax at the register. Scottsdale's combined rate is 8.0%. Chandler's is lower, at 7.8%. Tempe is 8.1%, Gilbert and Mesa are 8.3%, and Queen Creek is 8.55% on its Maricopa County side and 8.95% on its Pinal County side.Edge: Scottsdale, over four of the five. Chandler beats it.
- Summer. NOAA's weather station at Scottsdale Airport averages about 93 days a year at 100 degrees or more. The station at ASU in Tempe averages about 107, and Sky Harbor 111. The Chandler Heights station, out toward Queen Creek, averages about 95.Edge: Scottsdale, by about two weeks against Tempe, and close to even with Chandler Heights.
- Water and the property tax rules. Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe are all on the state's list of designated 100-year water providers. Queen Creek isn't. And everywhere in Arizona, the property tax bill is usually figured on the Limited Property Value, which under the standard rule can rise up to 5% a year.Edge: even, apart from Queen Creek's water listing.
The East Valley and North Phoenix.
North Phoenix here means Desert Ridge. It's inside the City of Phoenix, so Phoenix's sales tax applies.
- Sky Harbor and downtown Phoenix. Desert Ridge is 21.5 miles from Terminal 4 and 20.2 from downtown Phoenix. Tempe, at 7.2 and 10.3, and Mesa, at 14.8 and 18.5, are closer on both. Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek are farther, so it comes down to which city you're weighing.Edge: it depends on the city. Tempe and Mesa beat it; Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek don't.
- The second airport. Desert Ridge is 42.8 miles from Mesa Gateway. Every East Valley city is under 25.Edge: the East Valley.
- Sales tax at the register. Phoenix's combined rate is 9.1%. All five East Valley cities are lower, from Chandler's 7.8% to 8.95% on Queen Creek's Pinal County side.Edge: the East Valley.
- Summer. NOAA's station at Deer Valley Airport in North Phoenix averages about 90 days a year at 100 degrees or more, the fewest of any station on this page.Edge: North Phoenix.
- Water and the property tax rules. Phoenix is on the same list of designated 100-year water providers, and the same Limited Property Value rule applies.Edge: even.
So is summer a reason to pick a side? I'd say no. Every station here averages 90 days or more a year at 100 degrees or more, and the way I look at it, the house you pick decides more of your summer than the side of the Valley does.
Sales tax from the Arizona Department of Revenue rate table effective October 1, 2026. Road miles from OpenStreetMap routing, sampled October 22, 2026. Summer from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 station normals. Water providers from the Arizona Department of Water Resources list dated September 9, 2026. Airlines from Mesa Gateway Airport. All as of October 2026.
Five cities, one set.
Here's the East Valley we work, in alphabetical order, with the same three numbers for each. Each name opens that city's homes and market page.
- Chandler. 7.8% sales tax. 23.8 miles to Sky Harbor, 12.5 to Mesa Gateway.
- Gilbert. 8.3% sales tax. 23.2 miles to Sky Harbor, 8.8 to Mesa Gateway.
- Mesa. 8.3% sales tax. 14.8 miles to Sky Harbor, 17.2 to Mesa Gateway.
- Queen Creek. 8.55% sales tax (8.95% on the Pinal County side). 37.8 miles to Sky Harbor, 5.7 to Mesa Gateway.
- Tempe. 8.1% sales tax. 7.2 miles to Sky Harbor, 24.1 to Mesa Gateway.
Rates and miles as of October 2026, from the sources above.
If the answer is Scottsdale or North Phoenix.
Then that's your answer, and honestly, I'd rather you get it right than pick our side. I work the East Valley, so if Scottsdale, North Phoenix or another part of Arizona fits you better, Jacqui and I will refer you to an agent there through the Real Broker network.
Not sure which side fits yet?
The quiz is 9 questions about your routine and what you want in a home, and you'll get 3 East Valley areas to explore. Or book a call and we'll go through it together.