Set by the Sonoran Desert and home to Arizona State University, Tempe's main industry is education. “Tempe is definitely a college town, especially the north Tempe area. It’s hip, much younger than Scottsdale,” says Josiah Miller, a Realtor with Josiah Miller Homes and a Phoenix-area local. Many ASU students stay in the area after graduation, so Tempe’s also popular with young families and working professionals. Between 2010 and 2024, the population here grew from 160,000 to 180,000.
Tempe was a 19th-century hub for trade and transportation along the Salt River, but today, major employers include ASU and Fortune 500 companies like GoDaddy and State Farm. Fast-growing business sectors include tech, finance and hospitality, and more than 2,000 jobs were created here between 2022 and 2023. As of late 2024, the city has been investing in lots of new construction, including the South Pier project; this mixed-use space on Tempe Town Lake will add new apartment buildings, hotels and office spaces to the Tempe skyline, and is slated for completion in 2026.
Alameda's proximity to major businesses creates excellent job opportunities for residents.
ASU's vibrant campus in Downtown Tempe fuels intellectual curiosity.
Alameda's Tempe Town Lake stands as a scenic centerpiece.
Tempe is building new housing and shopping area, making it a hotspot for young residents.
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Single-family homes and student housing
Tempe's median home price is roughly $522,000, compared to $460,000 in Phoenix (about 10 miles west), $610,500 in Gilbert (about 14 miles southeast), and $910,000 in Scottsdale (about 6 miles northeast). “Gilbert, Tempe and Scottsdale are the hottest Phoenix-area markets right now, in my opinion,” Miller says. Apartment and condo complexes are common close to ASU. “You’ve got a lot of single-family homes in south Tempe, and they’re coming through and renovating the houses and bringing up the value of the entire area," Miller says. Single-family homes are mostly ranch- or Spanish-style from the late 20th century or early 2000s, and they're especially popular with investors who rent their properties to local students. Miller says that two-bedroom homes and apartment complexes geared toward students are currently being developed in the area.
From historic to contemporary, Downtown Tempe offers diverse housing options.
Many lakefront homes in The Lakes have private docks.
Condos in Tempe range from high-end lakeside condos to more modest condos.
There are plenty of housing options for students in Downtown Tempe.
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Tempe school districts receive high marks from Niche
Tempe is served by three public school districts: Tempe Elementary School District and Kyrene School District are both rated A-minus overall by Niche, while Tempe Union High School District earns an overall B-minus. Several elementary schools, including Aguilar Elementary, offer a dual-language immersion program, where students’ days are split evenly between English- and Spanish- or Mandarin-language instruction. Tempe’s public high schools offer dual-enrollment courses through Rio Salado College. Alternative schooling options include the A-plus-rated Tempe Preparatory Academy, a charter school, and the A-rated Grace Christian Academy, a private school. Arizona State University’s Tempe campus is a defining feature of the city, where over 55,000 students attend class.
Welcome to the Tempe Preparatory Academy.
Tempe High School prides themselves in their athletic teams and extracurricular programs.
Grace Christian Academy is a top Christian private school located in Tempe, AZ.
Aguilar Elementary in Tempe is home of the Wildcats!
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Parks with mountain views
Tempe is home to over 50 parks, including the 25-acre Tempe Beach Park, which sits along the scenic Tempe Town Lake—popular for renting boats and fishing for rainbow trout and largemouth bass. At the Tempe Sports Complex, locals practice tricks at the outdoor skate park and play sports like pickleball, baseball and soccer. Community pools and splash pads can be found throughout the city, including a heated wave pool in the indoor rec center at the 27-acre Kiwanis Park. Hayden Butte Preserve is known for its Hohokam petroglyphs, and dirt-packed mountain trails that offer panoramic city views. Hayden Butte itself is nicknamed “A Mountain” for its iconic man-made capital “A,” and serves as the backdrop for ASU’s Mountain America Stadium, where the Sun Devils play.
Tempe Town Lake is a hotspot for rowers in the Tempe and Phoenix area.
Kiwanis Park in Tempe offers amazing views that you’ll want to share with your loved ones.
Trails at Pima Canyon Trailhead can offer easy hikes or an extreme challenge for bikers.
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Shopping, dining and entertainment around Mill Avenue
Tempe's busy shopping and dining scene reflects the city’s youthful energy and attracts folks from across the Phoenix metro area. Downtown, Mill Avenue's red brick sidewalks are lined with locally owned boutiques, specialty shops and eateries—from artsy cafes and neighborhood pizza parlors to upscale fine dining. Mill Avenue is also popular for its array of breweries, nightclubs and music venues. The open-air Tempe Marketplace offers a mix of sunbaked small businesses and chain retailers set along palm tree-dotted streets and sidewalks. “We love our outdoor shopping malls here,” Miller says.
Catch a game of free lakeside trivia on Thursdays at Pier 54 in The Lakes.
Stroll down Mill Ave and immerse yourself in Downtown Tempe's charm.
Tempe Marketplace offers live music that Apache locals enjoy.
West Tempe is a walkable neighborhood with nearby restaurants and retail stores.
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Annual events and an active arts community
Murals showcasing Tempe’s rich cultural history are a common sight around ASU and along Mill Avenue. ASU has a nationally recognized fine arts program, and its students are a large part of the local arts community. On the campus, the ASU Art Museum focuses on the work of Southwestern and Latin American artists.
Tempe Town Lake is the setting for many of Tempe’s most popular annual events and celebrations, including Four Peaks Oktoberfest, the Tempe 4th of July Celebration and December’s Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade. At the latter, boaters adorn their watercraft with brightly lit holiday-themed decorations, while locals on land watch the firework-capped parade and enjoy live music and food trucks. Also on the lake, Tempe Center for the Arts is a popular venue for visual and performing arts, including plays, concerts and art galleries.
Downtown Tempe's art scene comes alive with creativity and expression.
North Tempe’s annual Aloha Festival hosts many shows throughout the weekend.
Tempe Town Lake is a vibrant destination for water lovers seeking adventure close to Alameda.
Unleash your creative side and meet some new friends at Painting With a Twist in The Lakes.
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Getting around from Tempe
Tempe is about 10 miles east of Phoenix, a 15- to 35-minute drive during rush hour. Many locals drive, and routes 60 and 101 make navigating the Phoenix metro area a breeze. However, unlike other Phoenix-area cities, locals aren’t car-dependent here. “Tempe has excellent public transportation—they ran the light rail through this area, there’s Uber and the driverless Waymo cars. If you’re a college kid and don’t have a car, you’ll get around just fine,” Miller says. The Valley Metro light rail takes folks to Phoenix and Mesa, and Valley Metro bus stops throughout Tempe connect locals to the Phoenix metro area. “Most students walk, so if you’re driving down there when class is getting out, you’ll see like 10,000 kids on the sidewalk," Miller says. "It’s very pedestrian-friendly, they’ve put a lot of thought into it,” Tempe St. Luke's Hospital is in the city’s north, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is about 4 miles east.
Crime and extreme heat
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, the total number of crimes reported in Tempe has decreased from 8,700 to 7,800 between 2013 and 2023. Tempe Police partners with neighborhood watch organizations and Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN) to prevent crime and foster community involvement. Overall, Arizona Crime Statistics reports that crime is down 13% from 2022 to 2023.
Tempe's summer temperatures regularly top 100 degrees, and in what's known as the Urban Heat Island effect, asphalt streets and concrete sidewalks absorb this heat, leading to even higher temperatures. Air-conditioned days inside and trips to public pools are popular ways to stay cool. Currently, the city is working toward increasing its shade canopy from 13% to 25% by 2040.
I’m Mark Antonowsky, and I want to be your AZRE Guy! My Arizona journey started on January 26th, 1981. Licensed in 1986, I kick-started my career by assisting a commercial broker selling mobile home parks. My path quickly shifted to residential real estate after a brief but invaluable stint as a mortgage loan originator for Western Savings. The experience and knowledge gained during this time were instrumental in propelling my success! Since 1989, I have proudly dedicated myself as a full-time residential Realtor with 30+ years of serving the Greater Phoenix Area. Professionalism, responsiveness, creativity, and knowledge are what you can expect.
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