Gilbert

Gilbert Overview

Gilbert is the biggest small town in metro Phoenix. The rapidly growing former farming community is a popular East Valley suburb. The town has a mix of large new homes, older estates and farms. Its historic downtown is thriving with local restaurants. Newer developments including Morrison Ranch and the Bridges are drawing many families. Several communities come with man-made lakes. Retail has followed the rooftops. The town is drawing other big employers. Newer freeways have made Gilbert more accessible.

Transportation

Loop 202 runs through Gilbert. U.S. 60 is north of the town.

Explore the 6 areas of Gilbert

The Islands/Neely Ranch: 85233

The Islands/Neely Ranch is home to several man-made lakes. The Islands has a system of lakes and homes with private docks. The Neely Ranch development has a sizable riparian preserve. The Shoppes at Gilbert Common and large business park Gilbert Corporation Center are on the northern end of this area.

Downtown Gilbert: 85234

Downtown Gilbert is where the town’s historic center can be found. The original square mile of the town has several hopping eateries and shops. This neighborhood has lakes too, especially at the large Val Vista Lakes community.

San Tan Village: 85295

San Tan Village is named after a large, open-air shopping center. This area is bisected by Loop 202. It’s located next to the growing Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus. Several hotels and new communities with apartments, condominiums and houses can also be found here. The urban farm development Agritopia is part of this neighborhood.

Morrison Ranch: 85296

Morrison Ranch is named after the large, new community located mostly in this area. Gilbert’s Crossroads park, with several sports fields and courts and a dog park, is located here. Loop 202 runs through the southeastern corner.

Power Ranch: 85297

Power Ranch is named after the large development located mostly in the area. ASU’s Polytechnic campus is to the south. The mostly residential area has many large homes. The Gilbert Soccer Complex can be found near the center. A commercial corridor is on the northwest side.

South Gilbert: 85298

South Gilbert includes the town’s Trilogy and Seville golf clubs. This area has upscale retirement communities. Million-dollar homes can also be found here. San Tan Mountain Regional Park is close by.

Housing

Large, new homes in planned developments are the norm here. New apartments and condos can be found around the town’s growing business hubs and shopping centers. Horse properties and larger estates are still located throughout the town. New homes are typically big and often more high end. There are several communities with man-made lakes.

The Market

Home prices are higher in Gilbert than many Valley suburbs. The typical house in the town costs about $300,000.
The Islands/Neely Ranch neighborhood with older houses is Gilbert’s most affordable neighborhood. South Gilbert with two golf clubs and many bigger estate properties has the highest prices.
New homes account for newly one-fourth of all sales in this growing town. South Gilbert is the exception because there more than half of all sales are new homes.
Most Gilbert neighborhoods weren’t as hurt by the foreclosure crash as other areas in the Valley. That means the area had fewer foreclosure homes bought by investors and turned into rentals.
Gilbert draws families and a few second-home buyers. South Gilbert is popular with retirees.

Living here

Gilbert is the Valley’s fastest-growing town and suburb. But it hasn’t lost all of its agriculture roots. The town’s historic downtown is thriving with many local, popular eateries that draw people from across metro Phoenix. Man-made lakes are the norm in several neighborhoods. New homes are bigger and surrounded by parks and other recreation spots. Large employers are expanding here. The area is also home to a new Mormon temple.

Things to do in the Islands/Neely Ranch: 85233

Main attractions

The fun here is wide-ranging and diverse, from a round of golf at Kokopelli Golf Club to catching a play at the intimate Hale Center Theatre. Outdoorsy types will enjoy Neely Ranch Riparian Preserve, a habitat that attracts 140 species of birds and other wildlife. It also offers plenty of opportunities for recreation, education and research. Get moving at McQueen Park and Activity Center, where you’ll find a lake, baseball fields, tennis courts, ramadas that can be reserved, a gymnasium and more.

Out on the town

There’s fun, food and shopping at Gilbert Town Square and the Shoppes at Gilbert Commons, where you’ll find department stores, boutiques, a bowling alley, a movie theater and more. Catch the latest movie releases at nearby AMC Mesa Grand 24 and Regal Cinemas. Spoil your kids with a trip to Amazing Jake’s, a play center with go-karts, bowling, arcade games and laser tag. Enjoy an artisanal ale at Arizona Wilderness Brewing, Gilbert’s first craft brewery.

Outdoors

For those who ride bicycles, the Sun Circle Trail and Maricopa Trail, with multiuse paths that follow the Consolidated Canal and the Western Canal, cut right through Gilbert neighborhoods. Freestone Park also includes a canal path and other pathways. Just to the south, camping, hiking, horseback riding, trail running and more are available at San Tan Regional Park. The park’s staff also offers hundreds of events throughout the year, from bird watching to night hikes to mountain biking classes.

Things to do in Downtown Gilbert: 85234

Main attractions

Two local riparian habitats – the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch and Neely Ranch Riparian Preserve – promote awareness and appreciation of Arizona’s ecology. They attract hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife and offer plenty of opportunities for recreation, education and research. Golfers can get their fix at any number of nearby golf courses, including Superstition Springs Golf Club and Desert Sands Golf Course. For sporty kids, Big League Dreams is a gem. The expansive baseball park hosts league play and tournaments on scaled-down replicas of famous ballparks, as well as indoor soccer leagues.

Out on the town

Freestone Park is the jewel of this Gilbert neighborhood. The large park has lakes, urban fishing, sporting fields and courts, playgrounds, a skate park and batting cages. Up your game at Freestone Recreation Center with its full gymnasium, fitness areas, racquetball courts, rock-climbing wall, saunas and steam rooms. Take the wee ones to ride the kiddie rides at Freestone Railroad. Attractions there include a miniature train and an Allan Herschell Antique Carousel. Spoil your kids some more with a trip to Amazing Jake’s, a play center with go-karts, bowling, arcade games and laser tag. And there’s Fat Cats for bowling, arcade games, movies and glow golf. For shoppers there’s Superstition Springs Center, an indoor mall packed with department stores, familiar retailers, boutiques and popular restaurants.

Outdoors

Things to do in San Tan Village: 85295

Main attractions

This neighborhood is flanked by Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Chandler Municipal Airport for those who want to fly. Beautiful and well-maintained parks can be found here. Cosmo Dog Park is a top Valley attraction for dog owners with its lake where pups are welcome to swim and acres of play space. Discovery District Park has two lakes stocked for urban fishing, sports fields and a butterfly garden. And there are plenty of nearby golf courses, including Western Skies Golf Club.

Out on the town

Topgolf is the coolest game in town. Rent a private bay at this luxury entertainment facility and choose from a number of games, including the signature one with players competing against one another by striking targets with golf balls. Spice up the game and order from an extensive food and cocktail menu. San Tan Village is a sprawling open-air mall full of retail shops and restaurants, including World of Beer, Gordon Biersch Brewery and Kona Grill. There’s also a 16-screen Harkins Theatre there.

Outdoors

Things to do in Morrison Ranch: 85296

Main attractions

Public and private golf courses abound, including Western Skies Golf Club and Greenfield Lakes Golf course. Cosmo Dog Park is a premiere Valley attraction for dog owners with its lake where pups are welcome to swim and acres of play space. And food doesn’t get much tastier, or local, than at Joe’s Farm Grill. Its produce comes from neighboring Farm at Agritopia, which is dedicated to urban farming.

Out on the town

There’s fun, food and shopping at Gilbert Town Square and the Shoppes at Gilbert Commons, where you’ll find department stores, boutiques, a bowling alley, a movie theater and more. Also visit San Tan Village, a sprawling open-air mall full of retail shops and restaurants, including World of Beer, Gordon Biersch Brewery and Kona Grill. And there’s also a 16-screen Harkins Theatre. Cool of at AZ Ice, a large ice-skating facility open to the public with figure skating, hockey practice, tournaments, ice shows and more.

Outdoors

Things to do in Power Ranch: 85297

Main attractions

Take your pick of public and private golf courses, including Trilogy Golf Club at Power Ranch and Toka Sticks Golf Club. Beautiful Discovery District Park has two lakes stocked for urban fishing, sports fields and a butterfly garden. Sporty kids will fit right in with the Gilbert Youth Soccer Association, with practice, games and tournaments held at the spacious Gilbert Youth Soccer Complex. You can continue your education, or even change career tracks, at nearby Chandler-Gilbert Community College and Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus.

Out on the town

San Tan Village is a sprawling, open-air mall full of retail shops and restaurants, including World of Beer, Gordon Biersch Brewery and Kona Grill. There’s also a 16-screen Harkins Theatre there. A quick shot down the freeway takes you to Chandler Fashion Center, where you’ll find major department stores, high-end retailers and discount favorites. A 20-screen Harkins Theatre is nearby.

Outdoors

Things to do in South Gilbert: 85298

Main attractions

Get a taste of the desert at nearby San Tan Mountain Regional Park, 10,000 beautiful acres with hiking and biking trails, a visitor’s center, wildlife exhibits and educational programs. Take your pick of local golf courses. If you want a luxurious experience that feels like a vacation in your backyard, there’s Seville Golf and Country Club, a private resort with an 18-hole course, clubhouse and aquatics facility.

Out on the town

Look for FlipSide, a large entertainment venue packed with bowling, billiards, laser tag, arcade games and a café serving all your favorite pub foods, pizzas, beer, wine and cocktails. Dining options are plentiful on this side of town, ranging from sports bars and pizzerias to tasty, hole-in-the-wall ethnic joints.

Outdoors

Who lives here

Gilbert is one of the fastest-growing and more affluent areas of the Valley. Nearly all its houses were built since 1980. Within the area, South Gilbert (85298) has the highest homeownership rate, the largest share of college degrees and is the least racially diverse neighborhood. The Islands/Neely Ranch neighborhood (85233) has a relatively older mix of homes.

5 things to know about Phoenix

Its residents are affluent: Gilbert is one of the wealthiest areas in the Valley, with a median household income over $80,000 a year. That’s higher than Scottsdale and every other big Phoenix-area city. Only Paradise Valley, a much smaller town, has a higher median income level.
It has big parks for people to play: The centerpiece of Gilbert’s multi-public park system is the 88-acre Freestone Park. It includes a recreation center, skate park, ball fields, playgrounds, batting cages, railroad, disc golf and a small carnival.
Its government is conservative: Gilbert is known for its fiscal conservatism. In some cases, that means Gilbert’s social services are more limited than in other communities. At the same time, the conservative approach to budgeting has helped the town avoid financial crisis. The town is one of the few Valley communities without a primary property tax.
It has big employers and wants more: Economic development is at the center of Gilbert’s growth strategy as the town looks to emerge from its long-held status as a bedroom community for Phoenix. The town has identified several employment corridors and has attracted companies like Orbital Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center and GoDaddy.
It offers businesses help: Gilbert recently used public incentives to try to kick-start development in its central business corridor, promising $35 million in sales-tax rebates to Nationwide Realty Investor for the massive Rivulon complex.