Your Glendale, AZ Real Estate Questions Answered

Thinking of moving to Glendale, AZ? It’s an excellent choice for Phoenix area living. The area is rife with beautiful nature preserves, job opportunities in manufacturing and technology, and has an incredible sports and entertainment selection. You’ll find many opportunities to live, work, and enjoy life in this city split by the Agua Fria River. 

Before you call the Phoenix metro home, you’ll obviously have questions about living and buying a home in Glendale. Here’s everything you need to know about the Glendale, AZ, real estate market:

About Glendale, AZ

It started off like so many places in Arizona. That is to say, Glendale was once a sparsely populated desert. But, because the land around Glendale was unusually fertile, early settlers thought it would be an ideal place to build a community. And in 1892, Glendale arrived on the scene.

Since then, Glendale’s grown into a community of a quarter million residents. Given its location in the Valley of the Sun, you’ll find it no surprise that it enjoys mild winters but endures scorching summers. This is Arizona, after all. 

Glendale is a huge sports city. The State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, has frequently hosted the NFL’s biggest game because of its mild winter weather.

What is the cost of living in Glendale, AZ?

According to Sperling’s Best Places Index, the city’s median income is a robust $60,499, which helps locals because the cost of living index is above average at 107.9/100, or approximately 7% higher than the national average. 

Glendale is generally an affluent community with plenty of high-tech and manufacturing jobs available, so it may not be surprising to see higher prices and higher incomes. The good news is that its housing market is more affordable in the greater Phoenix metro. Just be ready to pay more for getting around town.

What is the average price of a home in Glendale, AZ?

The higher incomes and well-paying jobs of Glendale, AZ, have given many citizens some wiggle room when buying homes. 

According to Greater Phoenix Realtors, Glendale’s median home listing price was $440,000 as of August 2023, a 1.1% year-over-year increase. The market had a 1.9-months supply of inventory, which was down from the prior year, showing Glendale real estate is in demand.

That pricing is a tick above the national average, according to the St. Louis Fed. Their data in the second quarter of 2023 put the median home price nationally at about $416,000, down from a peak of nearly $500,000 in the final quarter of 2022. 

What kind of vacancy rates are there in Glendale, AZ? 

With a population of a quarter million, you’ll likely find a living arrangement to suit your needs, but keep in mind that vacancy rates are decreasing in the Glendale real estate market, whether buying a home or renting until you can buy. 

According to the Maricopa Association of Governments, the overall residential vacancy rate has decreased by more than half since 2010. So, if you’re planning on moving to Glendale, you might have to be patient to find something that opens up. Despite its population, Glendale is a little short on supply for housing, which tends to keep prices up.

Are there any waterfront properties found in Glendale, AZ?

Given Glendale’s location in Arizona’s Sonoran desert, you can expect wide expanses and big blue skies—but precious little blue to be found beneath your feet. The Agua Fria River flows through the city, providing a little water access, but that’s the extent of waterfront property for Glendale real estate.

Go through Peoria, AZ, and you can find Lake Pleasant to the north, which provides some respite from the desert conditions. You’ll find water activities like boating and on-land camping facilities. 

Otherwise, they won’t be making movies like “On the Waterfront” near Glendale anytime soon.

Are there golf course communities in Glendale, AZ? 

Greater Glendale has choices for golf courses and golf community living. Arrowhead Country Club in Glendale, where people can host private events. The Legend at Arrowhead is an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course surrounded by curving roads of private homes and the nearby Haven at Arrowhead apartment complex.

What is the property tax rate for Glendale, AZ?

2023 data for Maricopa County, Arizona, shows a property tax rate of 1.2142 as a primary millage levy within the city limits for the fiscal year 2024. For 2023, the rate was slightly higher, at 1.2977. 

That’s a little higher than some more rural regions in the area and a little lower than areas like Tempe, Arizona, which puts the region’s property tax rate roughly in the middle.

What county is Glendale, AZ in?

Glendale belongs to Maricopa County, AZ. You’ll often hear that name around Arizona because it holds most of the state’s population. Roughly 62% of all Arizonans live in Maricopa County, thanks to cities like Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, and Tempe. 

These cities form the core of the Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area. Given that Phoenix has become the fifth-most populous city in the US, there’s no shortage of neighbors in Maricopa County.

Is Glendale, AZ growing?

Yes, albeit more slowly than in decades past. According to US Census data, Glendale began at an even 1,000 residents in 1910. From there, the growth was steady, increasing to 36,228 by 1970. That’s when it really began taking off. By 1980, the population had risen to 97,172, good enough for a 168% growth rate throughout the decade.

Since then, the growth rate has slowed a bit, though it kept double-digits through the 1990s and 2000s. The growth rate finally hit single digits from 2000-2010, when the population only increased from 218,000 to 226,000. There was an uptick in the most recent decade, growing 9.5% to its present population of around a quarter of a million citizens.

What neighborhoods are in Glendale, AZ?

Glendale’s unusual shape forms a backward “L.” The city boundaries run east to west, then north-to-south. Creates a “crescent moon” shape with multiple distinct neighborhoods that reflect its varied growing phrases.

For example, Luke Air Force Base in western Glendale constitutes its own neighborhood, as does nearby Dreaming Summit on the west side of the Agua Fria. 

On the opposite end of Glendale, you have the golf-friendly communities in the Arrowhead Ranch neighborhood. You may notice the word “arrowhead” a lot in northern Glendale, and that’s the reason.

How is golf in Glendale, AZ?

Speaking of Arrowhead, golf in Glendale is plentiful and always high-caliber. We mentioned that Legend at Arrowhead is an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course. It’s set among six small “lakes,” giving it a traditional golf setting despite Glendale’s Sonoran Desert surroundings. 

Bellair Golf Park is another golf club in Glendale with a solid reputation. It offers a high degree of respite from the desert sun as a well-shaded course with plenty of golfing amenities to work on your game. It even provides night golfing, which is great for enthusiasts who love the area but don’t love the summer heat so much.

What areas are near Glendale, AZ?

Situated in the heart of Maricopa County, Glendale lies in the thick of almost everything you think about living in Arizona.

Parts of Glendale are just a short drive from downtown Phoenix, which is one reason why Glendale is an appropriate home for the Arizona Cardinals. It’s easy for sports fans to get to, and vice versa: residents easily commute to work and entertainment in Phoenix. 

Scottsdale and Tempe are well-known vacation resorts and golfing destinations east of Phoenix. Historic Mesa, to its south, is the access point to desert adventures, the arts, and Western culture. 

South of Glendale awaits the wildlife and nature found in Estrella Mountain Regional Park. That may be the place to go if you want to find an appropriate place to visit the undisturbed desert of Arizona without getting too far from the amenities of civilization. On the northern end, Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a popular destination for much-needed water access in the hot summer months.

Out west, there’s a lot of open space. This includes White Tank Mountain Regional Park, the largest regional park in the entire state. Here, you’ll find an extensive library with panoramic views of the surrounding area. If you’re a history buff, you can discover Hohokam civilization sites that date to over 1,000 years ago.

Of course, there’s always a particular national park known as the “Grand Canyon” that will take the cake when it comes to parks in Arizona. It’s about a three-and-a-half-hour drive to the national park.

What to know about living in Glendale, AZ

Glendale sits at something of an intersection in Arizona. There’s access to world-class facilities, including the top-notch sports and entertainment district. Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale and their resorts, cultural attractions, and award-winning southwestern dining are nearby. Yet on the other side, there’s the Arizona desert, featuring several regional parks within a day’s driving distance. 

Featuring a robust economy, strong school system, and affordable homes, Glendale has a little bit of everything except a coastline.

Learn more about Glendale real estate and current market trends from a local real estate agent.