Catalina Foothills, Scottsdale AZ's Best Suburbs To Live: Niche

A pair of city-adjacent communities, in Catalina Foothills and Scottsdale, claimed the top two spots in Niche's 2021 Best Suburb to Live in Arizona rankings.

The pair beat out the likes of Gilbert, Chandler and Paradise Valley — the trio that rounded out the top-five spots in the latest rankings.

The rankings were determined by using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, CDC and other agencies, combined with reviews from people that live in the area.

The rankings consider a variety of topics to determine a town or city's standing, including affordability, local housing market, neighborhood diversity, local public schools and walkability, to name a few.

Catalina Foothills earned high marks for its public schools, as well as its ranking for families and its nightlife options — all of which earned an A- or A+ ranking.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale ranked highly when it comes to weather, health & fitness, public schools, nightlife, family and outdoor activities — which all receiving no worse than an A- ranking.

Catalina Foothills' standing took a bit of a hit when it comes to diversity and housing, both of which earned a B+ rating — though both scored high enough to carry Catalina Foothills to the number-one spot on the 2021 list.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale's standing was dragged down by cost of living, which earned a C-, in addition to housing and crime & safety, both of which earned C+ ratings.

The city of 250,602 has a median home value of $475,300, which is more than double the national average of $217,500.

The lowest rating for Catalina Foothills in total was cost of living, which earned a C, due to having a medium home value of $440,100 — more than double the national average of $217,500.

Nationally, Niche's research found that Chesterbrook, PA was the best place to live in America, while The Woodlands, TX earned top honors in the Best Cities to Live in America rankings.

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