5 Best Neighborhoods To Live in Scottsdale

Ask a resident of Scottsdale, Ariz., to name the city's best neighborhood to live in, and you're liable to get more than one good answer. Scottsdale is home to a surprising variety of desirable neighborhoods with distinct personalities, topographies, and amenities. Even for locals, it's hard to pick a favorite.

On a map, the boundaries of Scottsdale roughly trace the shape of a chef's knife lying on its side, with the handle at the south end, the tip pointing north, and the cutting edge of the blade to the east. Within that unusually configured metropolis lie neighborhoods to suit any taste and lifestyle, from a historic urban downtown to suburban planned communities and rural, high-desert enclaves. Picking the best of them is difficult, but here are five Scottsdale neighborhoods that we think stand out from the rest:

In the narrow sliver of Scottsdale's southernmost reaches, you'll find Old Town Scottsdale. As its name suggests, this is the cradle of Scottsdale, a district infused with the city's history and culture, which is a great place to live for those seeking access to arts, entertainment, dining, and shopping in a distinctly Southwestern yet urban setting.

It's in the center of it all. Packed with galleries, museums, parks, restaurants, watering holes, and shopping options, Old Town Scottsdale is a walkable urban hub with a small-town feel. The Fashion Square retail complex, the Scottsdale Stadium (spring training home to the San Francisco Giants), and the greenery of Papago Park are all just a stone's throw away.

This area draws young professionals entering the housing market, downsizing empty nesters, and anyone who prizes proximity to Scottsdale's thriving arts scene, cultural offerings, dining, and nightlife.

Old Town Scottsdale features the city's most diverse housing stock. Newly built condominiums, renovated townhomes, and legacy single-family homes offer a range of living styles and price points.

Situated to the immediate west of Old Town Scottsdale is the mature, sought-after neighborhood of Arcadia. First developed in the early 20th century, Arcadia is one of the metro area's upscale bedroom communities. It's a neighborhood of mature trees, green grass, and homes of diverse architectural styles situated on relatively large lots, considering its central location that straddles the Scottsdale/Phoenix city line.

It's as close to the action of both Old Town Scottsdale and downtown Phoenix as you can get while living in a quiet enclave of fine homes on spacious lots. No other residential neighborhood in the area feels as established and stately.

This neighborhood draws individuals, couples, and families in the market for a forever home, professionals who work in downtown Phoenix, appreciators of legacy architecture and design, and buyers with a taste for renovations.

Arcadia features single-family homes in a wide range of ages and architectural styles. Many of its older homes have been renovated. The irresistible draw of the neighborhood's convenient location also makes teardowns somewhat common for buyers who want to build a dream home close to everything.

Just to the north and west of Old Town and Arcadia is the small town of Paradise Valley. As a separate municipality, it's technically not part of Scottsdale. But no discussion of the best neighborhoods to live in Scottsdale would be complete without mention of this jewel of a community, one of the most picturesque in the entire region.

Stunning homes, pristine streets and sidewalks, upscale shops and dining, civic pride, one-acre minimum lot sizes, jaw-dropping vistas of the McDowell range and Camelback Mountain, breathtaking sunsets, and championship golf are just some of this area's features. As the locals say, it's called Paradise Valley for a reason. Residents genuinely seem to feel lucky to live here, and many give back to their community in ways that help to maintain its picture-postcard feel. Children can attend the highly rated Scottsdale Unified School District.

This town draws affluent home buyers who love the outdoors and want a small-town feel, civic-minded retirees, and anyone willing to head just a little further away from the heart of Phoenix/Scottsdale to live in "paradise."

Homes in Paradise Valley tend toward the highest end of the design and quality spectrum. Many are custom-built architectural masterpieces, which combine sophistication, square footage, tasteful landscaping, grand trees, and unmatched scenery. Styles include cutting-edge contemporaries, sprawling, single-story Arizona ranches, and terra-cotta-roofed Italianate villas.

Once a ranch that raised pure-bred Arabians, McCormick Ranch became Scottsdale's first master-planned, golf-oriented community in the early 1970s. Located just east of Paradise Valley, it's a tranquil oasis just minutes from ample services and amenities. Built around two 18-hole golf courses and dotted with lakes, walking trails, and greenways, McCormick Ranch has attracted generations of home buyers seeking a suburban neighborhood close to everything.

It's a peaceful, upscale, suburban community with lots of green space and convenient closeness to the 101. Like Paradise Valley to its west, it features abundant, dramatic mountain views. But McCormick Ranch's many cul-de-sacs, manicured lawns, central greenbelt, and lakefront lots set it apart from its neighbor, giving it a feel that's more country club than cozy village.

This area draws walkers, joggers, golfers, and others who value an active lifestyle amid open space and greenery, buyers interested in renovating or custom building, and commuters who want easy access to the 101 while living in a tranquil setting.

As a master-planned community developed primarily during the 1970s and 1980s, McCormick Ranch historically featured homes built in contemporary and Southwestern styles redolent of that era. Many of those homes remain, albeit having been substantially updated and renovated. But McCormick Ranch has also been a hotbed of post-teardown new construction of custom homes by buyers drawn to its convenient location, lush, mature landscaping, and spacious lots.

As Scottsdale extends north, its neighborhoods increasingly reflect the influence of the high-desert topography and ample space that architects, developers, and homeowners have to use as their creative canvas. Premier golf and residential communities dot the landscape of North Scottsdale, their names — Estancia, Troon, Whisper Rock, Mirabel — synonymous with pristine fairways, expansive mountain vistas, and luxurious custom residences. Fine dining and shopping options and services have been built to spare residents the need to travel south into the city if they prefer not to.

The high desert is your palate and playground when you buy or build in the communities of North Scottsdale. Large lots, wide-open spaces, grand vistas, and membership at some of the country's most renowned golf clubs are the norm in these far reaches of the city. It's where residents have the freedom to design living spaces that at once celebrate the majestic surroundings and carve out exclusive nooks of luxury and privacy.

This neighborhood draws design-minded buyers who want a home with elbow room, snowbirds, golf enthusiasts, equestrians, and people with a taste for rural living who also appreciate fine amenities and exclusive communities.

Custom homes set on plus-size lots are common. The communities of North Scottsdale play host to some of the most elegant and expansive residential buildings in the city. Many also feature high-end condominiums and villas in planned neighborhoods, which combine the convenience of managed common facilities with access to golf courses and luxury amenities.

ROCO Luxury Homes is the brainchild of experienced Scottsdale real estate professionals Julie Rohr, Libby Cohen, and Polly Wintergalen. With extensive experience in the Scottsdale luxury residential real estate market, ROCO Luxury Homes delivers unmatched sales, marketing, and advisory services to its clients. Contact us today to learn more about Scottsdale's best neighborhoods and what our team can do for you.