Gilbert vs Chandler.
Two neighbors,
side by side.
Gilbert and Chandler share a border, a freeway and nearly the same population. They differ in the city sales tax, the school districts inside each line, how much of the housing is condos and townhouses, and how much is still being built. Here is each one from the public record, and where I see the difference in the houses.
The two towns in numbers.
Every figure below comes from a government source or The Cromford Report, named at the bottom of the page. Property tax rates differ by tax area inside each town, so the table shows each town's main tax area; the full lists are on the Gilbert and Chandler pages.
| Gilbert | Chandler | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 287,285 | 278,748 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 267,918 | 275,987 |
| Land area | 68.57 sq mi | 65.30 sq mi |
| City sales tax, retail | 2.0% | 1.5% |
| Combined retail rate with state and county | 8.3% | 7.8% |
| Main property tax area, 2026 | 410600, Gilbert Unified | 800300, Chandler Unified |
| Primary rate / approx. residential primary | 5.2887 / 3.7759 | 5.5011 / 3.9883 |
| Secondary rate | 3.5822 | 3.8423 |
| Electric | SRP or APS, by address | SRP or APS, by address |
| Freeways | Loop 202, US 60 | I-10, Loop 101, Loop 202 |
| Single-family homes | 82,299 | 75,190 |
| Condos and townhouses | 5,417 | 10,087 |
| Median single-family sale, last 12 months | $596,000 | $551,000 |
Tax rates are per $100 of assessed value. Housing counts are parcels with a recorded build year. Median prices are from The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026.
Sales tax and property tax.
On a retail purchase, Chandler's city rate is half a point lower. Add the 5.6% state rate and Maricopa County's 0.7% and a purchase costs 8.3% in tax in Gilbert and 7.8% in Chandler. Restaurant and bar sales carry a 1.8% city rate in Chandler.
Property tax is set by tax area, which follows the address. In each town's main tax area, Maricopa County's 2026 approximate residential primary rate is 3.7759 in Gilbert and 3.9883 in Chandler, per $100 of assessed value. A Chandler address in the Gilbert Unified tax area (410300) runs 3.9818. Read the rate for the address, not the town.
Water, power and trash.
Water
Gilbert holds a 100-year Assured Water Supply designation from the state. Its supply is 41% Central Arizona Project (Colorado River), 40% SRP (Salt and Verde rivers), 15% reclaimed and recharged water and 4% groundwater. Chandler also holds a 100-year Assured Water Supply designation, drawing on the Salt, Verde and Colorado rivers, groundwater and reclaimed water; in normal years groundwater is about 6% to 10% of its use.
Electric
Both towns are split between SRP and APS, and the address decides which one sends the bill. Check the address with the utility before you budget.
Trash and recycling
Chandler collects trash and recycling weekly, bills it on the city utility bill and schedules curbside bulk pickup on request. Gilbert collects bulk trash every five weeks, except the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Check the pickup days for the address.
School districts by address.
Each town is served by more than one public school district, and the line does not follow the town limits. The address decides the district, so check it for any house you are serious about.
- Gilbert:Gilbert Unified, Higley Unified, Chandler Unified and Mesa Unified have tax areas inside the town.
- Chandler:Chandler Unified and Kyrene serve most of the city. Mesa Unified, Gilbert Unified and Tempe Union High serve other parts.
Freeways and distances.
Chandler has three freeways: Interstate 10 on its west side, Loop 101 and Loop 202. Gilbert has Loop 202 and US 60. Neither has a Valley Metro light rail station. Measured in a straight line, Chandler City Hall is 13.3 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor and Gilbert's Municipal Center is 14.4. From Gilbert's center, Chandler Municipal Airport is about 4.4 miles away and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport about 7.1.
Both towns have airport disclosure maps on file with the Arizona Department of Real Estate. Check them for the address before you buy.
Two preserves built on water.
Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert
110 acres, 70 of them in seven water recharge basins filled with treated water that soaks back into the aquifer. More than 4.5 miles of trails, an observatory, and about 298 bird species recorded on the site.
Veterans Oasis Park, Chandler
113 acres, 78 of them set aside for groundwater recharge and wetlands, around a 5-acre fishing lake, with 4.5 miles of dirt trails and the Chandler Nature Center. The park is at 4050 E. Chandler Heights Rd.
Farther out
San Tan Mountain Regional Park lies south of both towns. My San Tan Mountain guide ranks all nine trails, beginner to advanced.
What the housing stock looks like.
Gilbert has more single-family homes and fewer condos and townhouses: 82,299 houses and 5,417 attached homes, against Chandler's 75,190 and 10,087. Chandler's western ZIPs, 85224, 85225 and 85226, hold much of its older stock, with most of the houses there built from the 1960s through the 1990s. Gilbert's oldest ZIPs, 85233 and 85234, run from the mid 1980s to the early 2000s.
Gilbert is still building more. County records show 860 single-family homes and 267 attached homes with a 2024 to 2026 build year in Gilbert, 611 of those houses in 85298. Chandler shows 505 and 131, two-thirds of the houses in 85249.
Prices right now.
As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median sale price over the last 12 months at $596,000 in Gilbert, up 0.2% on the year, and $551,000 in Chandler, down 2.5%. Its Market Index reads 96.9 in Gilbert, which is balanced, and 118.1 in Chandler, which favors sellers. Supply is 3.3 months in Gilbert and 3.1 in Chandler. Medians mix every kind of house; the comparable sales for the house you want are what count.
Where the houses differ.
I would not choose between these two on the town name. They share a border, both split the electric bill between SRP and APS, and their main tax areas sit within a quarter point of each other. The differences are in the housing and the dates it was built.
- Chandlerhas more range: older houses on the west side, a deeper supply of condos and townhouses, three freeways and a lower city sales tax. If you want a smaller home, or a house from the 1980s you can update, Chandler gives you more to look at.
- Gilbertleans newer, with a larger median living area in most ZIPs and more new construction still coming in the southeast. If you want a house built in the last 25 years, or a new build, Gilbert gives you more to look at.
- Either way,the tax area, the school district, the HOA and the electric provider are set by the address. I check all four before you write an offer.
Common questions
Is Chandler or Gilbert bigger?
Gilbert, slightly. The Census Bureau estimates 287,285 people in Gilbert and 278,748 in Chandler as of July 2025. Gilbert covers 68.57 square miles of land and Chandler 65.30.
Which has lower sales tax, Gilbert or Chandler?
Chandler. Its city retail rate is 1.5% against Gilbert's 2.0%, for a combined 7.8% and 8.3% with the state and Maricopa County rates.
Are property taxes higher in Gilbert or Chandler?
It depends on the tax area, which the address sets. In each town's main tax area, Maricopa County's 2026 approximate residential primary rate is 3.7759 in Gilbert and 3.9883 in Chandler per $100 of assessed value.
Is it cheaper to buy a house in Chandler or Gilbert?
On median price, Chandler. As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median over the last 12 months at $551,000 in Chandler and $596,000 in Gilbert.
Do Gilbert and Chandler have light rail?
No. Neither has a Valley Metro light rail station. Chandler is served by I-10, Loop 101 and Loop 202; Gilbert by Loop 202 and US 60.
Are Gilbert and Chandler on SRP or APS?
Both towns have both. The address decides the provider.
Weighing Gilbert or Chandler?
Send me two or three addresses, one in each town if you like. I will pull the tax area, the school district, the HOA and the comparable sales for each. Call or text 480-485-4261. If you already have an agent under contract, ask them first.
Own a home in either city? See what the county has on file and get a real value. Looking? Search homes for sale.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Sources: population and land area, U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Gilbert town and Chandler city (Vintage 2025 estimates and the 2020 Census); sales tax, Arizona Department of Revenue State, County and City Transaction Privilege Tax Rate Table, effective 1 November 2026 (combined rates add the state, county and city retail rates); property tax, Maricopa County 2026 Tax Rates by tax area code; electric, Town of Gilbert Power Outage and City of Chandler Community Profile 2026-27, which also lists Chandler's freeways and school districts; water, Town of Gilbert Water Supply and City of Chandler Water Supply and Where Does Our Water Come From; trash, Town of Gilbert Bulk Trash and City of Chandler Trash Services; parks, Town of Gilbert Riparian Preserve, About Us and City of Chandler Veterans Oasis Park; light rail, City of Phoenix Light Rail Stop map layer; airports, Arizona Department of Real Estate Airport Boundary Maps; housing counts and build years, Maricopa County Assessor parcel records, counted 25 October 2026; distances, straight-line miles between Maricopa County Assessor address points; market figures, The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026, credited to The Cromford Report. School districts are named, not rated. All checked 28 October 2026.