Hunting for the perfect place to live is never easy, but it only gets harder when you’re on a budget. If you’re looking for an affordable spot near Phoenix, your life just got a whole lot easier.
We compiled a list of the 10 most affordable places near Phoenix, so whether you’re looking for a thrifty close-knit small town or a large, convenient suburb, look no further. We’ve got you covered. In these affordable places in the Valley of the Sun, you’ll get way more bang for your buck:
1. Avondale (tie)
2. Florence (tie)
3. El Mirage (tie)
4. Tolleson (tie)
5. Apache Junction
6. Buckeye
7. Goodyear
8. Youngtown
9. Gilbert
10. Guadalupe
We created this list by researching places near Phoenix in terms of the following budget friendly criteria:
We’ll talk more about all the number crunching and analysis that went into picking our top 10 at the end, but for now, let’s take a look at the winners.
Key Stats:
Located about 30 minutes away from Phoenix, Avondale tops our list of affordable alternatives near the city. Avondale is an attractive option for renters on a budget since people here only spend 27.2 percent of their income on rent. The cost of living index is also lower than the Phoenix cost of living of 96 and the Arizona cost of living of 100, at 95. Avondale offers other amenities like a public bus service and Estrella Mountain Regional Park for outdoor activity, plus shopping and dining for the occasional splurge.
Key Stats:
The town of Florence is tied for most affordable, thanks to the low cost of living index of 92, and the second best affordability ratio. Florence is located about an hour away from Phoenix by car, so it’s best for those looking for a quaint small town vibe. The historic downtown, scenic views, and events that bring this close-knit community together are a few of the amenities you can’t put a price on.
Key Stats:
El Mirage offers a diverse, affordable suburban atmosphere just 40 minutes from Phoenix. The low cost of living, reasonable home prices, and close-knit community are great draws for families or young professionals looking for starter homes. The community garden, farmers market, and neighborhood parks in El Mirage make maintaining a healthy lifestyle a little easier and more affordable.
Key Stats:
The small town of Tolleson is tied for third most affordable. Tolleson is just a 20 minute drive from Phoenix, but the cost of living is just a fraction of the city’s, at 89 compared to Phoenix’s 96. If you’re looking for a real small town vibe with friendly neighbors and community events, but you also want all the convenience of living super close to Phoenix, Tolleson is a great affordable pick.
Key Stats:
Apache Junction is a scenic nature and history lover’s dream located about 40 minutes from Phoenix. The median home value is the most affordable of any place we ranked, and the cost of living is third lowest. Canyon Lake and Silly Mountain Park offer beautiful views and outdoor recreation, and the Superstition Mountain Museum details all the local lore.
Key Stats:
Buckeye’s low cost of living, scenic suburban environment, and close proximity to Phoenix are such a big draw to new residents that this suburb has grown from a small town of 6,537 to a sizable population of 52,624 in the past 15 years. Buckeye is about a 40-minute drive from Phoenix, and the affordability ratio is the third best of any place we ranked.
Key Stats:
Goodyear is another quickly growing city located about 25 minutes from Phoenix by car. The affordability ratio of 2.7, and the low percentage of income spent on rent make Goodyear an affordable choice. Estrella Mountain Regional Park provides plenty of space for outdoor activities, and there are plenty of big box shopping options where you can hunt for a good deal.
Key Stats:
Despite what the name may suggest, Youngtown is the perfect place to ride out your golden years without breaking your budget. The town was founded as a planned retirement community, and is the oldest retirement community in the U.S. The cost of living is significantly lower than the Phoenix average, but trips into the city are just 40 minutes by car. The AARP chapter, book club, wood carving classes, sing-along music club, and other community events and organizations bring the close-knit community of Youngtown together.
Key Stats:
Located about 30 minutes from Phoenix, Gilbert is a large town that’s friendly to renters on a budget. At 27 percent, the income spent on rent in Gilbert is the second lowest of any place we ranked. If you’re looking for safety and a family oriented environment on a budget, Gilbert has you covered. The Heritage District is an energetic downtown with independent shopping, dining, and nightlife suited to residents on a budget.
Key Stats:
Guadalupe rounds out the list at number ten with the lowest cost of living and the second lowest median home value. The motto of this small town is “where three cultures flourish,” which recognizes the Yaquis, Mexican, and farmer roots of the town. Guadalupe is just 20 minutes from Phoenix by car, but offers a unique close-knit community vibe and a much more affordable cost of living.
Now that you have a list of the most affordable places near Phoenix, all you have to do is kick back and start dreaming about how you’re going to spend the extra cash you’ll save. And when you’re ready to start looking for a home, let us know. We won’t charge you a cent.
When we create any of our Big Deal Lists, we rely on facts and figures, not opinion. For this list, we used U.S. Census data to rank places near Phoenix according to the following budget friendly criteria:
We ranked 29 places near Phoenix with scores in each category, and then averaged those scores into an overall Big Deal Score. The lowest scores made up our top 10 most affordable places near Phoenix. To see how other places we ranked measured up, check out the table below.
Know Phoenix? Tell us your favorite nearby places in the comments below!
