Phoenix is a great city to live in, especially for students and young professionals. With scenic views of desert landscapes, nature friendly activities, vast employment opportunities coupled with a low cost of living. And who wouldn’t love some amazing outdoor activities? Phoenix is a fun place to live! There are many great neighborhoods in Phoenix and the surrounding Valley of The Sun, that you might consider living in.
Some neighborhoods in Phoenix are more friendly toward families, some are more attractive to retirees, and others are geared toward young professionals, recent college grads, and students at nearby Arizona State University or Grand Canyon University.
To help you find the best area for you, we’ve put together a guide to the 10 best and most popular neighborhoods in Phoenix for young professionals and students.
1. Tempe, AZ
At number one, preferred by 43% of Diggz members, Tempe is the most popular locale in the Phoenix area; Tempe is also home to Arizona State University’s main campus with its student body of almost 75,000 students. This makes it a very fun place to live. For young professionals and students, Tempe offers a great nightlife scene, plenty of outdoor activities, a robust economy, and more. You’ll enjoy lots of music venues, sport arenas, college bars, restaurants, Museums, parks and even a Big Surf water park . If you’re into nightlife, Mill Avenue has everything you need from bars, clubs and restaurants. Getting around Tempe can be done by walking, or riding a bicycle. And if you attend ASU, there are free rides passing around campus. You won’t need to drive much.
Living options include plenty of apartment / condo complexes flush with amenities as well as unique older homes. However, living here can be costly with the average rent around $2,000. You’ll definitely want to consider living with a roommate or two.
2. Camelback East
As the second best neighborhood, comes Camelback East (also termed as the East Side). It has the best of both worlds since it combines the Biltmore and Arcadia neighborhoods in one. What does Camelback East have to offer? Well, it’s a peaceful community with a scenery of the Desert Botanical Garden and a view of Camelback mountain. There are many great local restaurants including Pizza Bianco which was recently featured in Netflix’s ‘Chef’s Table: Pizza’. You’ll also find other great restaurants that top Eater’s top essential restaurants in Phoenix. Getting around town is easy and it’s a short commute to Downtown and a 20-minute drive to most of Phoenix’s entertainment spots.
Camelback East is known for its many apartment complexes that young professionals and students choose to live in. The average rent is more affordable than other areas, at around $1530. So splitting the rent can get you even more savings. One thing is for sure, if you choose to live in Camelback East you’ll never be disappointed.
3. Paradise Valley
Nothing beats a place that offers a safe and private environment with rural feels. Paradise Valley may be in third place but it’s considered to be safer than other Phoenix neighborhoods. It is located North of Phoenix where there’s plenty of housing units. Paradise Valley is also near many major universities including Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), as well as Grand Canyon University (GCU). Paradise Valley offers easy access to hiking trails, coffee shops, famous museums and art galleries. One of the most popular activities to do here is to hike up Mummy Mountain. You’ll get a good workout and even capture a killer shot for your Instagram or TikTok accounts (or just soak up the great views of the city to yourself).
It may be considered as one of the expensive areas in Phoenix but can still accommodate young professionals, especially if you split the cost of rent with roommates.
4. Central City
Central City has more than thousands of available housing complexes and apartments which are mostly geared for renters, young professionals and students with the median rent around $1722. If you are planning to head Downtown, you can get there easily and cheaply by taking the Valley Metro light-rail or a ~$5 taxi. Aside from the many transportation options, there are beautiful spots to visit in Central City. If you work in the financial, legal, or administrative industries and want to live closer to work, then Central City will fit you perfectly. If you want to explore outside of Central City, then Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale are a short drive away.
5. Deer Valley
Deer Valley, located in the northern part of Phoenix and adjacent to Paradise Valley, is a safe place to live, with many things within walking distance. Folks that live here enjoy hiking and visiting the nearby parks. Especially the Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park which is popular with tourists and locals alike. It’s a good place for social activities and spending time with friends. Being surrounded with so much nature, you won’t be able to resist exercise and recreation activities. For a low key night out, you’ll find enough options in sports bars, Mexican restaurants, and casual eateries.
6. North Mountain Village
North Mountain Village is a suburb of Phoenix, located on the side of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley. It’s safe, close to Downtown Phoenix and is quite peaceful with a mesmerizing view of the desert. If you’re a nature lover you’ll surely appreciate it. No wonder it’s one of Phoenix’s best neighborhoods especially for young professionals and students alike. For a good time, visit North Mountain Brewing Company and check some of their best dishes, wine and of course beer. There are also job opportunities available for young professionals and part time jobs for students.
In terms of housing, there’s a variety to select from and the cost of living is relatively affordable. North Mountain may be one of the smaller communities but it is continuously growing.
7. South Mountain Village
South Mountain can be as good of a choice as other neighborhoods for young professionals and students, but with a lower cost of rent. Living here also means you’ll see and enjoy the Phoenix Skyline every day. The area has great public transit, entertainment, lifestyle options, parks, a few golf courses, shopping, dining options and more. It’s also conveniently nearby ASU and the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
8. Encanto
At number eight, Encanto is home for many young professionals and students with its budget-friendly housing. Encanto offers an affordable lifestyle and a lot of entertainment. The Roosevelt Row Arts District is also located here, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the arts scene. You can find many trendy restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and stores on Grand Avenue. If you’re looking for more outdoor space than what Encanto has to offer, Camelback East or Central Village are nearby.
9. Mesa
Though Mesa is not perceived as an ideal area for young professionals and students, they still make up 44% of its total population. Mesa is a welcoming place to live, with its low crime rate, affordable housing options and proximity to both Scottsdale and Tempe. There are a few colleges nearby such as Mesa Community College, Arizona College — Mesa, Sumner College Arizona and more. And if you are living in Mesa but attending ASU, you are just fifteen minutes away. It’s a shorter commute than you’d expect. You can even rely on public transportation to get around. Mesa is also a great place for cycling enthusiasts and beginners wanting to get some exercise. With its open spaces and long roads, you’ll find plenty of beautiful bike routes all over Mesa, AZ.
10. Maryvale
Lastly, Maryvale makes it to the top 10 of Phoenix’s best neighborhoods for young professionals and students, with a third of Diggz members selecting this neighborhood. It is an urban village with very affordable housing, clean area and green surroundings. Maryvale Village offers many different housing options such as single family homes, multi-family buildings, duplexes, townhomes, condos, and apartments. All just a short commute to Downtown Phoenix.
Other Areas
Some of the other well known areas that didn’t make our list this time include Glendale, South Scottsdale, Peoria, Chandler and Gilbert. They are all good options, but might not be ideal for younger residents due to their location and rent prices. But if you are looking outside our top 10 list, consider them as well.
Ready to Move to Phoenix?
Now that you have an idea of which areas you’d want to live in, it’s time to find roommates. While there are plenty of roommate finders out there, only Diggz can help you find a roommate to partner up with to search for an apartment. You can also skip the apartment hunting and find roommates that are offering rooms for rent. Even coliving apartments are sprucing up in Phoenix and Mesa. While Phoenix is considered affordable than other big cities, it’s still worthwhile splitting the rent with roommates and enjoying all that Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun has to offer.
Start your search and explore rooms for rent and roommates in Phoenix, right here on Diggz. And if you are moving to Phoenix for the first time, check out our moving to a new city checklist.