Desert Ridge

Desert Ridge Overview

Desert Ridge, A suburban area with an urban feel, this north Phoenix neighborhood has a wide range of homes and jobs. The area’s popular shopping center is like a downtown for the community. A high-end resort, golf course and easy freeway access make this neighborhood popular with residents and big employers including Mayo Hospital.

Transportation

The Loop 101 and State Route 51 bisect this area. Desert Ridge has easy freeway access to Scottsdale, the West Valley and downtown Phoenix.

Explore the 2 areas of Desert Ridge

Desert Ridge West: 85050

Desert Ridge West has many new neighborhoods and large employers including American Express. A large sports complex and musical museum can also be found here. Two freeways bisect this area.

Desert Ridge East: 85054

Desert Ridge East is home to a J.W. Marriott resort and the popular Desert Ridge Marketplace shopping center. Mayo Hospital and the Scottsdale 101 mixed-used development are on the southern end of this area.

Housing

Newer homes, condominiums and apartments can be found on the north end of these neighborhoods. Neighborhoods with stucco houses and townhouses mostly built in the 1980s can be found in the middle. This area is a draw for young couples, families and empty nesters.

The Market

Home prices are higher in the Desert Ridge East and West parts of this neighborhood because more new houses are going up. There is also vacant land available for many new neighborhoods in this area.
Paradise Village’s older houses are drawing investors. Houses are being renovated and resold for a profit or turned into rentals. Foreclosure soared in this area during the crash but have fallen back to low levels.
Home sales are pretty steady in this neighborhood that continues to draw both buyers and renters. People are drawn here for its central Phoenix location, freeways, shopping and many jobs nearby.

Living here

Expect an urban feel in a suburban setting in this north Phoenix neighborhood. You will find plenty of jobs and shopping here. New homes are going up on the northern end of this area. Neighborhoods with houses built in the 1980s are on the southern end. There are plenty of apartments for renters. The easy freeway access draws many residents and companies. This is one of Phoenix’s big growth areas and more development is planned.

Things to do in Desert Ridge West: 85050

Main attractions

Close proximity to the Valley’s major freeways means quick and easy access to all the best local venues and attractions. Especially close by is the Musical Instrument Museum, a one-of-a-kind-world-class facility with over 15,000 musical instruments and artifacts. It also is an intimate and acoustically impressive concert venue. Brush up on your studies at Paradise Valley Community College.

Out on the town

Desert Ridge Marketplace is an expansive outdoor mall offering dozens of retail, dining and entertainment options. A state-of-the-art AMC Theater and Dave and Buster’s with a two-story arcade, bar and restaurant can be found here. Dining options are as diverse as Nori Sushi and the Keg Steakhouse. Recreation is made easy at Reach 11 Sports Complex with its 18 regulation-size fields.

Outdoors

The Reach 11 Recreation Area, with trails for hiking, running, horseback riding and biking, can be found in Desert Ridge. The rec site regularly hosts events for trail races and cyclocross bicycle races. The Phoenix Mountains Preserve, with a vast trail system, is about a mile south of the area. Piestewa Peak, a difficult but popular hike, is on the southern edge of the preserve. The Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve is just to the northwest of the area, with more mountain biking, hiking and running options.

Things to do in Desert Ridge East: 85054

Main attractions

Close proximity to the Valley’s major freeways means quick and easy access to all the best local venues and attractions. The Musical Instrument Museum is nearby, as is Talking Stick Resort. Salt River Fields, the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, is close. Treat yourself to the upscale services at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa.

Out on the town

Scottsdale 101 shopping complex and expansive outdoor mall Desert Ridge Marketplace offer dozens of shopping, dining and entertainment options. Diverse dining, including Nori Sushi and the Keg Steakhouse, can be found here. A Harkins Theatre with a Cine Capri, one of the largest movie auditoriums in the state, is another draw. Recreation is made easy at Reach 11 Sports Complex with its 18 regulation-size fields.

Outdoors

Who lives here

Residents of the Desert Ridge area are relatively young and better educated. They tend to rent more than most. Houses tend to be older and incomes are lower in the Paradise Village neighborhood (85032). Incomes are higher in Desert Ridge West (85050), but houses are newer in Desert Ridge East (85054).

5 things to know about Phoenix

It’s big: Phoenix is the nation’s sixth biggest city and its population is still growing faster than many other U.S. cities. The city was named in the mid-1800s by settlers who compared their new home to the mythical bird that burned and rose from the ashes.
It’s a great place to hike: National Geographic ranked Phoenix as one of America’s 15 best hiking cities. The city has a vast network of desert preserves and hiking trails, including iconic summits like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak. You’ll find trail maps and descriptions online.

It has a reputation for being a well-run city: Phoenix has received various awards for good governance and has the highest credit rating of the nation’s six largest cities. But the city has struggled to get its fiscal problems in order since the Great Recession. City Council members regularly have coffee meetings open to all residents.
It is focusing on urban growth and transportation: Phoenix’s general plan focuses heavily on infill development along the light-rail corridor. Light rail will continue to be one of Phoenix’s key development tools, with city leaders hoping to triple its miles of track by 2050.
It has a thriving cultural scene: The Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera and Ballet Arizona all perform in the city’s Symphony Hall located downtown. The Orpheum Theatre, Herberger Theater Center and Valley Youth Theater are all nearby. Also located in the central city are the Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Capitol Museum, Children’s Museum, Arizona Science Center and Heard Museum. A popular monthly art walk to a growing number of downtown galleries is called First Fridays and held on the first of each month.