Eleven markets, one Valley: A closer look at Phoenix-area cities
Eleven neighboring cities, eleven housing mixes. A Valley-wide median is useful context, but local value takes a smaller lens.
Six of the 11 cities had a lower Q1 2026 median sale price than a year earlier, but all 11 were above Q1 2021. The table compares single family sales by MLS city and shows 2026 closed sales and median square footage.
Eleven cities, three first quarters
These figures use closed ARMLS single family residences from January 1 through March 31 of 2021, 2025 and 2026, grouped by the City/Town Code in each MLS listing. The one-year and five-year columns compare the Q1 2026 median sold price with Q1 2025 and Q1 2021, respectively. Each median is calculated from that quarter’s sales; it is not a repeat-sales measure or an appraisal of an unchanged home.
| MLS city | 2026 median | 1-year change | 5-year change | 2026 sales | Median sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $480,000 | −4.0% | +33.3% | 2,431 | 1,806 |
| Mesa | $489,000 | +1.2% | +30.4% | 1,182 | 1,874 |
| Scottsdale | $1,290,000 | +3.2% | +58.3% | 1,155 | 2,801 |
| Glendale | $445,400 | +1.2% | +31.7% | 499 | 1,842 |
| Gilbert | $589,500 | −0.9% | +30.7% | 644 | 2,157 |
| Chandler | $560,000 | +0.9% | +28.6% | 573 | 2,067 |
| Surprise | $434,495 | +1.0% | +26.1% | 936 | 1,952 |
| Peoria | $549,990 | −0.9% | +32.5% | 649 | 2,193 |
| Tempe | $545,000 | −3.5% | +30.1% | 211 | 1,794 |
| Buckeye | $401,000 | −3.4% | +21.5% | 667 | 1,919 |
| Apache Junction | $439,995 | −6.1% | +53.8% | 196 | 1,777 |
Reading the table: Cities follow ARMLS listing entries, and changes in the median can reflect the mix of homes sold. Square footage is the 2026 median.
Eleven local stories
Phoenix
The territorial town grew around the Salt River Valley canal system and a downtown street grid. Today it spans very different housing submarkets.
Mesa
Founded by Mormon settlers in 1878, Mesa grew around irrigation and an agricultural core before expanding east.
Scottsdale
Originally a farming settlement associated with Winfield Scott, Scottsdale later became a resort and arts center.
Glendale
Developed around the railroad and irrigated agriculture, Glendale now includes older infill and large suburban districts.
Gilbert
A rail siding and agricultural community became one of the Valley’s major suburban centers.
Chandler
Founded as a planned town by Dr. A. J. Chandler, it grew from agriculture into a major technology hub.
Surprise
A mid-century settlement that accelerated with retirement communities and west-side growth.
Peoria
A late nineteenth-century farming settlement that grew north toward the Lake Pleasant area.
Tempe
A Salt River crossing and mill town became home to Arizona State University and a dense employment center.
Buckeye
A farming town near the Buckeye Canal expanded rapidly westward with master-planned communities.
Apache Junction
An eastern gateway beneath the Superstition Mountains with a distinct seasonal and manufactured-home mix.
The brief historical descriptions are editorial summaries; verify precise incorporation dates and district histories through each city’s official history pages before publication. The city figures use single family residence sales in the supplied ARMLS exports.
What the differences mean for value
Scottsdale’s resort-oriented and luxury inventory cannot be compared directly with Tempe’s university-adjacent condos or the newer large-lot subdivisions of Buckeye. Age, construction, school boundaries, distance to employment and the ownership mix can move a city median even when comparable homes are nearly flat. An appraisal focuses on recent comparable sales in the subject’s competitive market, adjusting for property differences instead of assuming every home follows the city median.
For sellers, the city table is a starting point for setting expectations. For buyers, look at a neighborhood’s competing listings and closed comparables in the same price bracket. For both, ask how many transactions support a percentage before treating it as a durable trend.
Source
Source: ARMLS
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