Where are the Worst areas in the Phoenix, Scottsdale,Glendale area? (Maricopa County) (Chandler: rental)

[christianguitarist27]

Hey, curious- Where are the Worst areas, the bad neighborhoods & just the bad areas? In that whole area of population. Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Chandler (Maricopa County.) I am considering buying property in that area. And I want to be as far away from the bad stuff as possible.

Please list the bad areas, thank you.

[Ritchie_az]

Speaking strictly on crime:
Maryvale is the worst. Maryvale, Phoenix, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia However, even some parts of Maryvale are not bad.
Tolleson is second worst. Tolleson, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Again, even some parts of Tolleson are not bad.
I think every city in the Phoenix metro has a "lesser" neighborhood. I don't think you can point to one city and say "Don't live there" or "That's the worst city in Phoenix" or anything like that. Even El Mirage, which gets a lot of heat on this forum, has an "average" crime rate and some nice neighborhoods.
This might help you: Arizona Crime Search - Crime In Arizona - Phoenix Crime Search - azcentral.com

[khuntrevor]

Maryvale gets lots of bad press, even from those not knowing about "the Cancer Cluster." I used to work at a decent school system over there, and by AZ standards, it was very well run. They had the security fences put in a long time ago. Those were my dream homes about 12 years ago, as prices started going up, that area was no exception. I was looking over there at REOs last year, but eventually eliminated everything West of I-17, because I didn't want to be that far North, where it gets a lot nicer. So, to me it does seem a little hopeless, but that may be an indicator to buy, as a home in decent condition would bring in good rental income.

The bad areas of the South Side are the only areas I've seen that would look like bad areas of DC, Baltimore, or Philadelphia.

I just bought in the Longview Neighborhood, which is less than perfect, but it's close proximity to Mid-town gives it lots of potential. Some houses are being bought and nicely redone, while others haven't had a paint job since Truman was President.

[TootsieWootsie]

I just came here, and someone told me stay away from anything south of Broadway and Baseline. I haven't had a chance to snoop over there so take this with a grain of salt.
Can say that Phoenix does not have the ghettos Chicago or DC does, tho, at all.
So far, I haven't been anywhere that had me shaking in my boots to be there.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by TootsieWootsie

I just came here, and someone told me stay away from anything south of Broadway and Baseline. I haven't had a chance to snoop over there so take this with a grain of salt.
Can say that Phoenix does not have the ghettos Chicago or DC does, tho, at all.
So far, I haven't been anywhere that had me shaking in my boots to be there.

Not sure why they said "Broadway and Baseline" as those run parallel to one another two miles apart, but "south of Broadway" is a good indicator of an area that the OP would probably want to avoid. Given what he seems to be looking for, I'd extend that north a few miles, but not because it's a "bad area",-- it's just not going to provide the "beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood" he seems to be looking for.

[grmi66]

Zip Code 85043, big industrial area on the south side of town. The pockets of neighborhoods built in between the warehouses are pretty scary.

[Ponderosa]

There are block upon block of new (2005) homes that were built west of 59th Avenue around Broadway, Lower Buckeye, Southern etc. There are also new strip malls with shopping, fast food, etc, and new schools. These places look nice with clean streets, nicely kept yards, playgrounds, etc. Many of the residents are minority so I suppose that scares some and makes them jump to statements and conclusions like are on this thread. Ultimately, these neighborhoods will likely fall into decline like similar "affordable" ones around PHX have. But for now they offer nearly new houses for very low prices in a fresh, clean environment. It can be a good choice for starter purchasers whose income growth will permit them to sell and move on in a few years.

[khuntrevor]

The Alhambra School District (covers parts of Maryvale) was 10 times better than Fowler, at 75th Ave. and Buckeye, and that's how hit and miss some of these areas are.

There are countless classic 50s, single level homes, with block construction on nice lots. Get one in a decent neighborhood at a low price and you will really have something nice to give to your kids or grandkids. A home built in 1995 (or 2005) may seem more appealing than a 1959 home, but that "newness" means less and less every day. Ponderosa describes the deilima well, but beware, that newness thing can be a trap. I always find the free school lunch numbers interesting. Probably running over 80% out there, and the single parent numbers might be a little worse.