Roughly 20 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Desert Ridge offers suburban residential living with immediate proximity to a major area retail shopping and dining destination. "It's like the main mecca everyone goes to for shopping, restaurants and entertainment,” says area resident Ryan Hoover, an associate broker with West USA Realty. The community’s convenient location and breadth of commercial amenities attracts all kinds of buyers throughout the northern Phoenix and Scottsdale area. “It fits a wide variety of ages and stages of life,” Hudek says. It really is a broad mix of people.” While residents won’t have to leave the neighborhood for much, locals still have direct freeway access when they do commute downtown for work or air travel. “It’s right at the top of the 101 so you can get anywhere super quick,” says area resident Judy Hudek, a Realtor with Realty One. “A lot of people that live in Desert Ridge work in downtown Phoenix, so it’s a very quick drive there and to the airport.”
Desert Ridge
A major area hub for shopping and dining
Desert Ridge is anchored by the Desert Ridge Marketplace just north of the 101. This open-air shopping mall is home to a wide variety of popular retailers like Nordstrom Rack, Barnes and Noble and H&M, and residents can pick up essentials at stores like Target and Albertson’s. A wide array of popular local dining options can also be found here, including Comicx, a family-friendly, pop culture-themed eatery with classic American fare and wall-to-wall memorabilia, and Barrio Queen, a hip go-to for street tacos and colorful cocktails amid Day of the Dead-themed decor.
Right next door to the mall, High Street is a walkable urban district with a downtown feel. Residents can stop into small boutiques like Conscious Coterie for women’s fashions and accessories and 42 Saint for informal threads and witty graphic tees. Lined with trendy cocktail bars and eateries, High Street is a major dining and nightlife destination in itself. Boozy’s serves brunchtime eats and mimosas to start the day, and the Blue Martini, a stylish lounge serving tapas, wine and craft cocktails ends the day.
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Live music at Desert Ridge Marketplace and the sprawling Musical Instrument Museum
Residents can enjoy live entertainment venues at Desert Ridge Marketplace, including Desert Ridge Improv for music and comedy acts, and the District Stage, an outdoor venue with free Friday and Saturday concerts, movies in the park on projection screens, and other special events. Music fans can also stop into the Musical Instrument Museum to see the collection of over 7,500 musical instruments from more than 200 different countries. Permanent and rotating exhibits highlight instruments from different eras, regions and artists and feature some played by iconic artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. The museum also hosts concerts from solo and ensemble vocalists and instrumentalists of all genres several nights a week.
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Recently built homes within walking distance to shopping and dining
Home construction in Desert Ridge began in the late ‘90s and is still continuing. "There's some new builds in Desert Ridge, which is kind of unusual around Scottsdale because a lot of it is already built out,” Hudek says. “It’s been growing for 20 years and it’s still growing.” Buyers can find modest apartment-style condominiums and townhouses for less than $400,000, while luxury units with more square footage can be up to $1 million. Single-family detached homes start closer to $550,000 and can range to over $2 million. According to Hudek, Desert Ridge is an ideal option for a buyer who wants to be in Scottsdale without paying the associated price tag. “It’s one of my go-to areas to suggest when they want to be in the area but aren’t quite in that price point,” she says. The proximity of the residential area to shopping and dining is another major draw for buyers. “There’s a lot of homes near the mall so people can walk over to the shops and restaurants,” Hudek says. “The whole Scottsdale area is not very walkable, but they made the sidewalks here really wide, so there’s actually really high walkability if you’re close enough.”
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Highly rated learning in Paradise Valley Unified School District
Desert Ridge is zoned for Paradise Valley Unified School District, and public school students can attend Desert Trails Elementary before moving on to Explorer Middle, each earning an A-rating from Niche. At the A-minus-rated Pinnacle High, students can enroll in career and technical education courses to get hands-on experience in professional fields like digital photography, culinary arts and marketing.
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Access to a local park, a massive sports complex and miles of desert trails
Just north of the mall, Cashman Park offers a large, shaded playground for kids as well as basketball and volleyball courts. On the neighborhood’s western side, Reach 11 Sports Complex is a sprawling outdoor facility with nearly 20 soccer fields, while to the south, 1500-acre Reach 11 Recreation Area has nearly 20 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails that wind through flat desert landscape.
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Commuting throughout the Valley with access to the 101
Bordered to the south by Loop 101, Desert Ridge offers residents convenient access to surrounding hubs throughout the Valley. Several Valley Metro bus stops can be found on Tatum Boulevard near the mall, giving riders access to communities throughout the metro area. Residents don’t have to travel far for emergency and specialized medical care, as Phoenix’s Mayo Clinic Hospital location is right in the community just south of the 101. For air travel, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is roughly 20 miles south.
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Written By
Lauren Schott
Photography Contributed By
Christiaan Cruz
Video By
Jordan Sain
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Robert Mattisinko
Robert Mattisinko
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties
(623) 469-6166
136 Total Sales
4 in Desert Ridge
$850K - $1.3M Price Range
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Melissa Massey
Melissa Massey
Compass
(480) 868-2022
118 Total Sales
3 in Desert Ridge
$850K - $1.7M Price Range
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Bret Ceren, IV
Bret Ceren, IV
Responds QuicklyEngel & Voelkers Scottsdale
(623) 600-7974
84 Total Sales
1 in Desert Ridge
$375,000 Price
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Michael Garren
Michael Garren
Crossroads Brokerage
(855) 604-0553
114 Total Sales
1 in Desert Ridge
$515,000 Price
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Liza Deer
Liza Deer
HomeSmart
(623) 300-1679
63 Total Sales
2 in Desert Ridge
$379K - $445K Price Range
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Amy Koch
Amy Koch
The Brokery
(602) 461-7247
58 Total Sales
20 in Desert Ridge
$283K - $1.2M Price Range
Schools
Source:
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.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 8th to 12th
- Public
- 7th to 8th
- Public
- Pre-K to 7th
- Public
Parks in this Area
Cashman Park
- Basketball
- Grills
- Volleyball
Transit
Reviews
Are you familiar with the Desert Ridge neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Desert Ridge | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 2 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 3 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 1 | 4 |
| Robbery | 2 | 4 |
| Burglary | 3 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 3 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 3 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Desert Ridge Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Desert Ridge, Phoenix sell after 49 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Desert Ridge, Phoenix over the last 12 months is $694,925, down 17% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$701,870
Median Sale Price
$694,925
Median Single Family Sale Price
$934,500
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$665,990
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$519,169
Median Change From 1st List Price
3%
Last 12 months Home Sales
416
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-17%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$371
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes
5,803
Number of Homes for Sale
109
Median Year Built
2006
Months of Supply
3.10
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,658
Significantly above the national average
1,929
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,660
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,415
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
811
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,098
Open Houses
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Saturday, Nov 111am - 1pm
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Saturday, Nov 110am - 12pm
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Sunday, Nov 211am - 2pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Condo Buildings
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
19,111
Median Age
43
Population Density
4 ppl/acre
Population under 18
24.1%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
17.8%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$134,059
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$168,418
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
97.7%
College Graduates
65.6%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
28.2%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
69.2%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
7''
Average Winter Low Temperature
45°F
Average Summer High Temperature
107°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
57
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
46
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
35
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Desert View
Expansive North Valley community with top-rated schools and a wealth of amenities
Grayhawk
Sought after golf course community in northern Scottsdale
Kierland
A master-planned area with everything from a lifestyle center to a golf course
Mountaingate
A family-oriented neighborhood with strong schools and large homes
Paradise Valley
Luxury living surrounded by scenic mountain ranges
Desert Foothills
Homes on large lots near north Scottsdale’s parks and golf courses
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