Desert Ridge

Phoenix, AZ

North Phoenix master-planned community built around the Desert Ridge Marketplace and JW Marriott resort — newer construction, top-rated schools, tech-corridor commute. Median home values sit at $700K — above the Phoenix-metro median — and the neighbourhood is home to roughly 28,520 residents with a median household income near $75K.

Prices are up 6.3% year-over-year — one of the faster-appreciating pockets in the metro. Rents average around $2,700/month, and 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Demographically, the area skews toward a family-heavy mix with strong demand for good schools and quieter streets, with a longer 29-minute commute, mostly highway-driven and 74% of adult residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

On the lifestyle side, Desert Ridge is car-dependent, though a cluster of neighbourhood shops softens the edges (Walk Score 30). Inside the neighbourhood footprint OpenStreetMap counts 24 restaurants, 6 cafés, 4 grocery stores, and 4 parks — the kind of day-to-day density that shapes how it actually feels to live here, beyond the price tag.

Key Neighbourhood Stats

Last updated: 2026-04

Median Home Value

$700K

+6.3% YoY

Month-over-Month

+0.6%

vs. last month

Median Rent

$2,700/mo

+1.8% YoY

Walk Score

30

Car-dependent

Transit / Bike

9 / 24

out of 100

Median Home Price Trend

Desert Ridge — 24-month rolling

Who lives here

Census ACS 5-year estimates

Population28,520
Median household income$75,000
Median age37.9 yrs
Families with children45.9%
Owner-occupied75.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher74.2%
Median commute29 min

Getting around

Walk Score & OpenStreetMap amenity data

Walk Score30
Transit Score9
Bike Score24

Amenities within neighbourhood

24

Restaurants

6

Cafés

4

Grocery

4

Parks

5

Schools

10

Transit stops

Schools

74% of Desert Ridge residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher. For school-level ratings, boundaries, and test scores, see GreatSchools.

View schools on GreatSchools

Sun Belt Weekly Digest

Market data, migration trends, and analysis for 5 Sun Belt metros — every Friday.

Data sources: Zillow ZHVI & ZORI (home value, rent), U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year estimates (demographics), Walk Score (walkability), OpenStreetMap (amenity counts). Neighbourhood boundaries approximate Census tract groupings. Not financial or investment advice.