Scottsdale vs Phoenix.
One border,
two rulebooks.
Phoenix has nearly seven times Scottsdale's population and nearly three times its land. The two cities run different water systems, charge different sales and property taxes, write different casita and rental rules, and hold very different mixes of houses and condos. Here is each one from the public record, and what kind of house each one offers.
The two cities in numbers.
Every figure below comes from a government source or The Cromford Report, named at the bottom of the page. Phoenix has 28 property tax areas, so the table shows its range; the full lists are on the Phoenix and Scottsdale pages.
| Scottsdale | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 243,006 | 1,665,481 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 241,361 | 1,608,139 |
| Land area | 184.00 sq mi | 518.00 sq mi |
| City sales tax, retail | 1.7% | 2.8% |
| Combined retail rate with state and county | 8.0% | 9.1% |
| Approx. residential primary property tax rate, 2026 | 3.7753 (Scottsdale Unified, 481400) | 4.5697 to 5.5286 across 28 tax areas |
| Water | City of Scottsdale Water; confirm by address | City of Phoenix Water Services |
| Electric | SRP or APS, by address | SRP or APS, by address |
| Homeowner associations | 2,622 on the city's map | No city count found |
| Single-family homes | 68,793 | 375,751 |
| Condos and townhouses | 42,494 | 71,348 |
| Light rail | None | Most of the Valley Metro line |
| Median single-family sale, last 12 months | $1,235,000 | $485,000 |
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.
Scottsdale's city retail rate is 1.7% and Phoenix's is 2.8%. With the 5.6% state rate and Maricopa County's 0.7%, a purchase costs 8.0% in tax in Scottsdale and 9.1% in Phoenix.
Property tax is set by tax area, which follows the address. The clearest comparison is the same school district on both sides of the line. In the Scottsdale Unified tax area inside Scottsdale (481400), Maricopa County's 2026 approximate residential primary rate is 3.7753 per $100 of assessed value, with a secondary rate of 2.0608. In the Scottsdale Unified tax area inside Phoenix (481300), it is 4.5697, with a secondary rate of 2.4086. Same school district, different city, different bill.
Homeowner associations.
The City of Scottsdale maps 2,622 homeowner associations inside its limits. I found no comparable count published by the City of Phoenix. In both cities, whether a specific home is in an HOA, and what the dues are, shows in its listing and in the seller's disclosure. If it is, the association's disclosure packet comes during escrow; see Arizona HOA disclosures.
Water, trash and power.
Water
About 90% of Scottsdale's drinking water is surface water, about two-thirds from the Central Arizona Project and the rest from SRP, and the city has proved a 100-year assured supply. Confirm the water provider for any address before you buy. Nearly 60% of Phoenix's water comes from the Salt and Verde rivers through SRP and 40% from the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project, with groundwater about 2%.
Trash
Scottsdale Solid Waste collects trash and recycling and runs a monthly brush and bulk pickup on a schedule by address. Phoenix Public Works collects trash and recycling weekly, in alley or curbside containers, and bulk trash is by appointment.
Electric
Both cities are split between SRP and APS, and the address decides which one sends the bill.
Rentals and casitas.
- Short-term rentals.Both charge $250. Scottsdale requires a license for each property rented for less than 30 days, at least $500,000 of liability coverage and written notice to the neighbors. Phoenix requires a permit through SHAPE PHX and a Notice of Intent to the neighbors by certified mail.
- Casitas and ADUs in Scottsdale.One attached and one detached unit on a single-family lot, and a third detached unit on a lot of an acre or more when one unit is affordable housing. The first is capped at 1,000 square feet or 75% of the house, whichever is less, and a second or third at 500. The city's page says that if any unit is rented, the owner must live on the property.
- Casitas and ADUs in Phoenix.Two units on a lot with one house, and a third in certain cases. Each can be up to 75% of the house, capped at 1,000 square feet on lots up to 10,000 square feet and 3,000 square feet on larger lots.
- Airport noise.Scottsdale maps Scottsdale Airport noise out to 55 DNL. Phoenix has maps on file for Sky Harbor, Deer Valley and Phoenix Goodyear airports. Check the Arizona Department of Real Estate's airport maps for the address in either city.
Home types and lots.
Scottsdale is heavy on attached homes: 42,494 condos and townhouses against 68,793 houses, so more than a third of its homes are attached. In Phoenix the ratio is 71,348 to 375,751, about one in six. Scottsdale's southern character area alone holds 18,347 condos and townhouses, most built from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Lot sizes split by area. In Scottsdale's northern character areas, Desert Foothills, Dynamite Foothills and Pinnacle Peak Vista, the middle of the range runs from about a third of an acre to more than two acres. Across Phoenix's villages, the middle of the lot range runs from about 4,400 to 20,800 square feet, with the largest in Camelback East.
Commute and transit.
Loop 101, the Pima Freeway, runs through Scottsdale, and ADOT finished construction on its added lanes between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive in early 2026. Scottsdale has no light rail; the free Scottsdale Trolley runs in Old Town. Phoenix holds most of the Valley Metro light rail line, from Metro Parkway through downtown to Tempe, with a connection to Sky Harbor's PHX Sky Train at 44th Street and Washington.
Measured in a straight line, Scottsdale City Hall is 6.4 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor and 9.5 miles from Phoenix City Hall. Phoenix City Hall is 4.2 miles from Sky Harbor. Drive times depend on the address and the hour.
Preserves and open desert.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
More than 30,500 acres of protected desert in Scottsdale, set aside by the city since 1994. My preserve guide ranks all 29 trails the city rates.
South Mountain Park and Preserve
More than 16,000 acres across three mountain ranges, managed by the City of Phoenix. My South Mountain guide covers all 37 trails on the city's 2026 map.
Old Town and downtown
Scottsdale's downtown is ten districts around the canal; see my Old Town guide. Phoenix has Camelback Mountain and Papago Park, and the ballparks and arenas downtown; see Camelback and Papago.
Prices right now.
As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median sale price over the last 12 months at $1,235,000 in Scottsdale, up 5.6% on the year, and $485,000 in Phoenix, up 1.0%. Its Market Index reads 144.8 in Scottsdale, which favors sellers, and 99.8 in Phoenix, which is balanced. Both have 3.9 months of supply. Phoenix is 15 urban villages with very different price ranges, so the citywide median tells you little about a single street.
What each city offers.
- Scottsdaleoffers more condos and townhouses for a lock-and-leave home, larger desert lots in the north, the preserve at the back door, a lower sales tax and, in its main tax area, a lower property tax rate. The entry price is higher, and HOAs are common.
- Phoenixoffers range: historic districts near downtown, mid-century houses in villages like Alhambra and North Mountain, newer subdivisions at the edges, light rail and the shortest trip to Sky Harbor. The same budget buys very different things from one village to the next.
- On the linebetween them, a Phoenix address can sit in the Scottsdale Unified school district and pay a different tax rate than the house across the street in Scottsdale. I check the city, tax area, water provider and HOA for every address before you write an offer.
Common questions
Is Scottsdale part of Phoenix?
No. Scottsdale is its own city with its own government, water system, taxes and rules. The two share a border, and some Phoenix addresses sit in the Scottsdale Unified school district.
Is sales tax higher in Phoenix or Scottsdale?
Phoenix. Its city retail rate is 2.8% against Scottsdale's 1.7%, for a combined 9.1% and 8.0% with the state and Maricopa County rates.
Are property taxes lower in Scottsdale than Phoenix?
In the main tax areas, yes. Maricopa County's 2026 approximate residential primary rate is 3.7753 in Scottsdale's Scottsdale Unified tax area and 4.5697 in the Scottsdale Unified tax area inside Phoenix, the lowest of Phoenix's 28 tax areas.
Do most Scottsdale homes have an HOA?
Many do. The City of Scottsdale maps 2,622 homeowner associations. Whether a specific home has one shows in its listing and the seller's disclosure.
Does light rail go to Scottsdale?
No. Valley Metro light rail runs through Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. Scottsdale runs a free trolley in Old Town, and Loop 101 runs through the city.
How much more expensive is Scottsdale than Phoenix?
As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median over the last 12 months at $1,235,000 in Scottsdale and $485,000 in Phoenix. Prices vary widely by area inside both cities.
Weighing Scottsdale or Phoenix?
Send me the addresses you are weighing on either side of the line. I will pull the tax area, water provider, HOA and 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 Scottsdale city and Phoenix 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; HOA count, City of Scottsdale GIS HOA layer, read 25 October 2026; water, City of Scottsdale Water Supply and City of Phoenix Drought and Shortage Operations; electric, City of Phoenix 2026 utility allowance schedule; trash, City of Scottsdale collection services and City of Phoenix Residential Trash and Recycling; short-term rentals, City of Scottsdale Vacation and Short-Term Rentals and Information for Owners and Operators and City of Phoenix Short-Term Rental Permits; ADUs, City of Scottsdale Accessory Dwelling Units and City of Phoenix Accessory Dwelling Units; airports, City of Scottsdale Noise Disclosure and Arizona Department of Real Estate Airport Boundary Maps; freeway, ADOT Loop 101: Princess Drive to Shea Boulevard; light rail, City of Phoenix Light Rail Stop map layer; preserves, City of Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve and City of Phoenix South Mountain Park and Preserve; housing counts, lot sizes and build years, Maricopa County Assessor parcel records, counted 25 October 2026 by the City of Scottsdale's character areas and the City of Phoenix's urban villages; distances, straight-line miles between published coordinates; 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.