Phoenix

Best Phoenix suburbs for young professionals

Ranked on employment and income at 25%, amenities at 25%, commute at 20%, median rent at 15% (lower is better) and cost of living at 15%. Schools are not counted.

Updated Sep 2026·31 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Hayden Flour Mill and Silos from north of Tempe Town Lake
Tempe$455k median · 20.9 min commute
Employment C−Amenities A+Commute A−
74
Score
overall 69 B−
2
City of Chandler neighborhoods
Chandler$508k median · 23.9 min commute
Employment B−Amenities A+Commute B
73
Score
overall 72 B−
3
Gilbert’s Heritage Court as viewed from Gilbert Road, in Gilbert, Arizona.
Gilbert$575k median · 25.9 min commute
Employment BAmenities ACommute C+
69
Score
overall 72 B−
4
Photo of one of the entrance areas to the Mesa Arts Center
Mesa$408k median · 24.7 min commute
Employment C−Amenities ACommute C+
68
Score
overall 63 C+
5
Skyline view of Phoenix — looking northeast from a helicopter, from above the 4th Avenue Jail. Foreground is the Central City Village and Central Avenue Corrido
Phoenix$421k median · 25.6 min commute
Employment D+Amenities BCommute C+
64
Score
overall 61 C
6
Downtown Glendale, Arizona as viewed from the intersections of Glendale Ave. and 58th Ave.
Glendale$388k median · 27.7 min commute
Employment DAmenities BCommute C−
61
Score
overall 58 C
7
Queen Creek Town Hall. The building that currently serves as the Town Hall for Queen Creek began as a meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Queen Creek$635k median · 31.1 min commute
Employment B−Amenities B+Commute D
60
Score
overall 65 C+
8
Sign at the entrance of Sun City West, Arizona
Sun City West$378k median · 21.7 min commute
Employment D−Amenities C−Commute B
57
Score
overall 60 C
9
Sun Lakes$455k median · 20.5 min commute
Employment D−Amenities CCommute B
57
Score
overall 64 C+
10
Aerial view of downtown Scottsdale, Arizona (pop. 241,361), viewed from Camelback Mountain in 2026.
Scottsdale$790k median · 21.6 min commute
Employment C+Amenities FCommute B+
57
Score
overall 65 C+
This list's weighting
Employment 25%Amenities 25%Commute 20%Median rent (lower is better) 15%Cost of living 15%
Other Phoenix lists
Best Phoenix suburbs for familiesMost affordable Phoenix suburbsBest Phoenix suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown PhoenixMost walkable Phoenix suburbsHow we score Phoenix suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Tempe (Hunter Trick (TrickHunter) · CC BY-SA 4.0); Chandler (Chandlernews · CC BY-SA 4.0); Gilbert (Tony the Marine (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0); Mesa (Cygnusloop99 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Phoenix (DPPed · CC BY-SA 3.0); Glendale (Tony the Marine (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0); Queen Creek (Tony the Marine · CC BY-SA 3.0); Sun City West (Mark Wagner · CC BY 2.5); Scottsdale (Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0).