A centrally located suburb between Mesa and Gilbert
Located between the downtown areas of both Mesa and Gilbert, Central Mesa is a sought-after community known for its wide variety of homes, public transportation and access to restaurants and nightlife. “The neighborhood is more mature, with a little more character than your typical tract homes. They have more of a custom feel,” says Bryce Henderson, a Realtor with Four Peaks Brokerage Company who’s sold homes in the area for 12 years. “It draws a lot of people who grew up in the area and want to move back.” Several shopping centers are nearby, and commuters making the 20-mile trip to Downtown Phoenix can hop on the Valley Metro’s light rail to avoid traffic. The area's many houses of worship include Without Walls Church, Sant Nirankari Spiritual Center and the Islamic Education Foundation of Arizona.
Little Mesa Cafe in Central Mesa has been serving American comfort food since 1983.
India Oven in Central Mesa has a popular buffet and bar with a vibrant, worldly feel.
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From manufactured to custom homes
Set close together along sidewalk-lined streets, most homes here are 1980s ranch-style, though buyers can also find Mediterranean and Craftsman-style new traditional homes built between the 1990s and 2020s. Yards are large enough for an ornamental tree and a two-car paved driveway, where basketball hoops are a common sight; some backyards have in-ground pools, for cooling off in the desert heat. Layouts range from 1,000 and 3,600 square feet with two to five bedrooms, and prices range from $330,000 to $775,000, depending on size and renovations.
Central Mesa's largest homes have layouts between 2,800 and 4,400 square feet, and are generally either 1980s brick ranch-style houses or 2010s Mediterranean-style custom designs. These mini estates sit on roughly half-acre lots, and often have guest houses, pools and horse privileges. Prices range from $850,000 to $1.4 million, depending on a home's size and amenities.
Throughout the neighborhood, two- and three-bedroom townhouses have Mediterranean-style details like clay-tiled roofs and stucco exteriors. Layouts range from 800 to 1,600 square feet, with prices of $250,000 to $400,000, plus monthly homeowners association fees of $70 to $200 that cover ground maintenance and roof repairs.
In the north, 55-plus communities have manufactured homes built between the 1970s and 2020s; these typically have carports, and layouts range from 400 to 1,500 square feet. Prices vary by size and age, ranging from $15,000 to $215,000; however, many homeowners will have to lease their land, which can cost an additional $500 to $1,000 each month.
Manufactured homes in Central Mesa make up a large portion of the area.
Central Mesa offers townhomes and condos for alternate housing choices.
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“Carry on” at Mesa High
Local kids can attend schools in the Mesa Unified School District, which earns an A-minus from Niche and is a school choice district. Depending on where kids live in the neighborhood, they might attend the A-rated Franklin at Brimhall Elementary or the B-plus-rated Porter Elementary. They might continue to the B-rated Taylor Junior High before attending the B-plus-rated Mesa High. The high school’s motto, “Carry on,” comes from former student and football player Zedo Ishikawa, who was accidentally shot the night before the football team’s 1932 opening game. In his final words, he said he wanted the team to “carry on” and play. His memory is honored today in the lyrics of the school’s song and in the annual Ishikawa Award, given to Mesa High’s top athletes.
Porter Elementary is located just north of State Route 60 in Mesa.
The new entrance at Mesa High School in Mesa offers some new flare to an older school.
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Along Highway 60
Highway 60 passes through the neighborhood’s south, leading 20 miles west to Downtown Phoenix. Downtown Mesa is roughly 4 miles west on Main Street, and Downtown Gilbert is a 3-mile trip south on Gilbert Road. The Valley Metro’s light rail stops in the neighborhood’s northwest, offering a traffic-free route to Downtown Phoenix; the Valley Metro’s bus stops throughout the neighborhood. Dedicated bike lanes, the multi-use Sun Circle Trail and sidewalks make the area bike and pedestrian friendly. Dignity Health AZ General Hospital Emergency Room is to the southwest, and Banner Gateway Medical Center is around 3 miles east. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, which has domestic commercial flights, is around 16 miles southeast, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a 15-mile trip.
Central Mesa has paved sidewalks and crosswalks for residents to get around easily.
Central Mesa has bus stops along all major roads.
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Off-leash dog area at Countryside Park
There are lots of neighborhood options for getting outside. At the 30-acre Countryside Park, kids can burn off some energy on the shaded playground or join Superstition Little League, which plays on the park’s two lighted baseball fields. The park also has a fenced-in dog park where pups can run around off-leash. The 20-acre Greenfield Park is also popular, offering a shaded playground, stocked fishing lake and exercise stations. Cyclists can hop on the paved Sun Circle Trail to bike around the Phoenix metro area. On hot days, residents might cool off at the Mesa Aquatic Complex, which has a lazy river and eight-lane pool, or head to Fat Cats Gilbert, an indoor entertainment center with bowling, mini-golf and movie theaters.
Dogs at Countryside Park enjoy a huge gated field with two sides for large and small dogs.
Countryside Park has numerous large fields for kids to run free and explore.
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Homemade fruit pies at Little Mesa Café
“Areas around Central Mesa and downtown are getting totally rejuvenated,” says Kevin Weil, Realtor and Team Leader at Re/Max Excaliber who lives close by. “A lot of mom-and-pop places. Lots of breweries, too. There’s a dynamic where you have more modern entertainment but, at the same time, a lot of family-type businesses who have been there for 50 years. A great combination of new and old.” The locally owned Little Mesa Café has been serving chicken fried steaks and homemade fruit pies since 1985. India Oven is known for its lunch buffet with a wide variety of Indian entrees. Nearby chain restaurants include Fruitlandia and Pita Jungle. Downtown Mesa is around 4 miles west, where diners can get a sandwich from Worth Takeaway or unwind at 12 West Brewing. Stores like The Home Depot and Target are close by, and nearby grocery stores include Fry’s and Trader Joe’s.
Nando's Mexican Cafe in Central Mesa is a popular eatery with plenty of space and a large bar.
Central Mesa is close to Downtown Mesa with West Brewing Co being a major draw.
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Live music at the Mesa Arts Center and Mesa Amphitheatre
Downtown Mesa is home to several museums and performance venues. The Mesa Arts Center hosts touring Broadway plays, classical music performances and concerts by renowned musicians like Samara Joy and André 3000. The Mesa Amphitheatre is an outdoor venue with more opportunities to see live music. The Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum has a permanent collection of local and international artists, and the Arizona Museum of Natural History offers a glimpse of Arizona’s past, with a collection of dinosaur skeletons and artifacts from ancient cultures.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Central Mesa, Mesa sell after 49 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Central Mesa, Mesa over the last 12 months is $400,000, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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