Best PlacesSouth Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ Best Neighborhoods
2026–2027 edition · Data updated July 2026
Every neighborhood in and around South Phoenix, Phoenix, scored on 40 measures of daily life and ranked to fit what matters to you. This page is for people who live here or already know they want to. To work out which city fits you best, start with the best places to live tool.
South Phoenix, Phoenix ranks 2,579th of 5,983 U.S. neighborhoods on the BestNeighborhood index. It scores highest on low property taxes by a wide margin, and tree cover ranks lowest.
The best neighborhoods in South Phoenix, Phoenix
BestNeighborhood is the only ranking that scores 40 measures of daily life neighborhood by neighborhood and lets you re-weight every one of them yourself.
South Phoenix, Phoenix's strengths and weaknesses
Where South Phoenix, Phoenix ranks high
- Low property taxBetter than 93% of neighborhoods
- Disaster safetyBetter than 92% of neighborhoods
- Local economyBetter than 91% of neighborhoods
- Nice weatherabout 207 pleasant days a year, better than 88% of neighborhoods
- Cell coverageBetter than 83% of neighborhoods
Where South Phoenix, Phoenix ranks low
- Tree shadeBetter than only 4% of neighborhoods
- Heat safetyBetter than only 6% of neighborhoods
- Air qualityBetter than only 12% of neighborhoods
- Internet speedBetter than only 16% of neighborhoods
- School gradeD+, better than only 20% of neighborhoods
What it costs to buy a home in South Phoenix, Phoenix
A household needs to earn about $96,000 a year to comfortably buy the median South Phoenix, Phoenix home, at 20% down and today's 30-year rate. That is only a little above the area's median income of $90,600; the gap is small, which keeps homes within reach of local pay.
Where the monthly payment goes
Assumes a 20% down payment, a 6.6% 30-year fixed rate, and a 28% share of income going to the payment. The rate is the 2026-07-23 30-year fixed average, series MORTGAGE30US from the St. Louis Fed, which publishes Freddie Mac's weekly survey. Against the median home value, property tax uses South Phoenix, Phoenix's effective rate of 0.49%, and insurance is estimated at 0.4% of home value a year.
Renting versus buying
At today's prices, buying tends to cost more than renting for about the first 7 years, then pulls ahead as rent keeps rising and the mortgage builds equity. The chart tracks the running cost of each.
Who lives in South Phoenix, Phoenix
South Phoenix, Phoenix runs younger than the country, and households here run larger than average.
Residents by age
Racial and ethnic makeup has its own map. See the race and diversity map for South Phoenix, Phoenix.
Who works in South Phoenix, Phoenix, and how
Work in South Phoenix, Phoenix centers on health care & social and retail trade. Unemployment is low, and jobs are growing.
Largest industries
How people get to work
- Drive or carpool 76%
- Work from home 19%
- Transit, walk, or bike 4%
Life in South Phoenix, Phoenix
South Phoenix, Phoenix has more restaurants and bars per resident than 76% of neighborhoods and more parkland per resident than 91% of neighborhoods. Dining, parks, and nightlife concentrates in some parts of South Phoenix, Phoenix and thins out in others, which the map shows.
What the weather is like in South Phoenix, Phoenix, month by month
South Phoenix, Phoenix sees roughly 207 pleasant days a year. July highs average about 110 degrees. January highs sit near 69, with lows near 44. The comfortable stretch runs November through March.
Show the monthly temperatures
| Month | Avg high | Avg | Avg low |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 69° | 56° | 44° |
| April | 90° | 76° | 61° |
| July | 110° | 98° | 85° |
| October | 92° | 78° | 65° |
Flying in and out of South Phoenix, Phoenix
Phoenix Sky Harbor International sits about 5 miles away. It is a large hub and boarded 25.2 million passengers in 2025, with 177 nonstop destinations.
The best schools in and around South Phoenix, Phoenix
Schools across South Phoenix, Phoenix average a D+, better than 20% of neighborhoods.
Top elementary schools
- Vista Del Sur AcceleratedA+ · 76% proficient
- Ward Traditional AcademyA− · 60% proficient
- Augustus H. Shaw MontessoriB · 48% proficient
Top middle schools
- Mckemy Academy Of International StudiesC+ · 37% proficient
- Kyrene Centennial Middle SchoolC− · 28% proficient
- Wilson Elementary SchoolD− · 13% proficient
Top high schools
- University High SchoolA · 70% proficient
- Hope College And Career Readiness AcademyD+ · 25% proficient
- Betty Fairfax High SchoolD · 20% proficient
Grades come from K-12 test scores, with scores projected for schools missing data. See every South Phoenix, Phoenix school and its grade on SchoolGrade.
South Phoenix, Phoenix measure by measure
Cards are ordered by how much each measure matters to you, so the ones you weighted highest come first. Expand to see every measure. Percentages compare South Phoenix, Phoenix against the other 5,982 neighborhoods.
Who South Phoenix, Phoenix suits
Families
Schools land around the 20th percentile and crime safety beats 64%.
Retirees
The weather beats 88% of neighborhoods and it is quieter than 63%.
Common questions about living in South Phoenix, Phoenix
Is South Phoenix, Phoenix a good place to live?
Using BestNeighborhood's default rankings, South Phoenix, Phoenix ranks 2,579th of 5,983 neighborhoods. It scores highest on low property taxes, low disaster risk, and a strong job market, and lowest on tree cover and summer heat. How good it is for you depends on which of those you weight most, which the map lets you set.
Is South Phoenix, Phoenix expensive to live in?
The median home is worth $382,150. The overall cost of living runs about 5% below the national average. Set against a $90,600 median income, cost of living beats 65% of neighborhoods.
Is South Phoenix, Phoenix safe?
Yes, South Phoenix, Phoenix is safer than 64% of neighborhoods. Safety varies a lot by neighborhood. Crime costs an estimated $432 per resident a year.
What is the weather like in South Phoenix, Phoenix?
July highs average about 110 degrees, and January highs near 69 with lows near 44. That works out to about 207 pleasant days a year, more than 88% of neighborhoods.
Is South Phoenix, Phoenix good for families?
Schools beat 20% of neighborhoods, crime safety beats 64%, and childcare runs $1,109 a month.
Compare South Phoenix, Phoenix with other neighborhoods
Sources and methodology
Every measure on this page is scored for each neighborhood, then rolled up to South Phoenix, Phoenix. Scores are absolute rather than ranked, which means a 60 in South Phoenix, Phoenix represents the same real quantity as a 60 anywhere else, and the ranking is a weighted average of those absolutes. The map colors come from a national scale calibrated against a population weighted random sample of 5,000 neighborhoods. That absolute scoring is what no other places-to-live ranking does: it puts a single neighborhood, a town, a metro, and a state on one scale, so the same 40 measures answer both which metro to move to and which street inside it to buy on. Read the full methodology.
South Phoenix, Phoenix detail on BestNeighborhood maps:
- Walk Grade for South Phoenix, Phoenix: walkability, transit, and biking, measured on the real street network rather than by straight line distance.
- Noise in South Phoenix, Phoenix: road, rail, and aviation sound modeling calibrated against federal ground truth measurements.
- Conservative vs liberal map of South Phoenix, Phoenix: precinct level election results apportioned to neighborhoods.
- Mobile and cell coverage in South Phoenix, Phoenix: carrier by carrier coverage behind the cell score.
South Phoenix, Phoenix detail on related sites:
- CrimeGrade: neighborhood crime rates behind the crime safety score.
- ISPreports.org: provider by provider internet availability and advertised speeds.
- CoverageWatch: the car insurance premiums behind the cheap car insurance score.
Federal and public data:
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey: income, home value, rent, vacancy, commute time and mode, educational attainment, home age, age structure, household type, industry, and race.
- NOAA Global Surface Summary of the Day: the daily station record behind the monthly temperatures and the pleasant-day count.
- FAA Passenger Boarding Data: airport size and annual passenger counts.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey: the 30-year fixed rate used in the cost-to-buy estimate.
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: reported offenses behind the tangible crime cost estimate.
- U.S. EPA Air Quality System: five year average air quality index.
- FEMA National Risk Index: expected annual loss from natural hazards.
- CDC PLACES: disease burden, preventable risk, and barriers to care.
- National Center for Education Statistics: school enrollment and assessment inputs behind the school grade.
- FCC National Broadband Map: internet and wireless availability.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: employment and job growth behind the local economy score.
- Religious activity uses a proprietary religious signal measurement.
Your priorities
Move a slider to say how much a measure matters. Zero turns it off.