Glendale vs Scottsdale
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $387,500 in Glendale and $789,800 in Scottsdale.
- Households earn more in Scottsdale ($110,886 vs $73,530 median).
- Glendale is growing faster: +4.9% since 2020 vs +0.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Scottsdale (22 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Glendale, AZ | Scottsdale, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 260,572 | 243,006 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.9% | +0.7% |
| People per square mile | 3,875 | 1,321 |
| Median age | 34.6 | 49.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 62% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,530 | $110,886 |
| Median home value | $387,500 | $789,800 |
| Home value to income | 5.3× | 7.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,528 | $2,013 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 103.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 121.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $77,500 |
| Homeowners | 57% | 67% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.7 | 21.6 |
| Work from home | 14% | 31% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.6% | 3.6% |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 65° / 41° | 67° / 43° |
| July high / low | 105° / 80° | 104° / 83° |
| Precipitation per year | 8 in | 9 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 176 | 162 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 3 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +35.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Glendale: February to April and November. Scottsdale: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Glendale weather by month and Scottsdale weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Glendale and $77,500 in Scottsdale. Moving from Glendale to Scottsdale, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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